Lordomyrma jingpo, Liu & Xu & Garcia, 2021

Liu, Xia, Xu, Zhenghui & Garcia, Francisco Hita, 2021, Taxonomic review of the ant genus Lordomyrma Emery, 1897 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from China, with description of two new species and an identification key to the known species of the world, Asian Myrmecology (e 014007) 14, pp. 1-34 : 3-6

Lordomyrma jingpo sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ AD50766E-D541-4BB0- B61D-A91BA0A2B731

( Figs. 1-7 )

Type material. Holotype worker: China, Yunnan Province , Yingjiang County, Nabang Town , Palan Village, 24.6831°N, 97.5858 °E, 590 m, collected from a nest in soil in valley lowland rainforest, 22. III. 2015, Ying Zheng leg., No. A 15-381 . Paratypes: 11 workers, 1 queen and 3 winged females, from the same nest of holotype worker and with the same data .

Description of holotype worker ( Figs. 1-3 ): TL 4.1, HL 0.90, HW 0.83, CI 92, SL 0.63, SI 76, ED 0.16, PW 0.70, WL 1.25, PL 0.40, PH 0.35, DPW 0.29, PI 88, PPL 0.25, PPH 0.33, PPW 0.35, PPI 130.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin weakly convex, posterior corners narrowly rounded, lateral margins convex. Mandibles elongate triangular, masticatory margin with about 10 indistinct crenate denticles. Clypeus with a pair of anteriorly divergent carinae which are located close to each other, anterior margin roundly convex. Frontal lobes well developed with concealed antennal sockets. Antennae 12-segmented, apices of scapes just reaching to posterior head corners, antennal clubs consisted of the apical three segments; antennal scrobes well developed, deeply concave. Eyes small, located before midpoints of head sides.

In profile view promesonotum strongly convex, roundly arched and sloping posteriorly. Promesonotal suture absent. Metanotal groove moderately notched. Propodeal dorsum slightly convex and sloping posteriorly, slightly longer than declivity; propodeal spines long and sharp, weakly curving down posteriorly; declivity moderately concave. Propodeal lobes triangular, acutely toothed apically, about 1/3 length of propodeal spines. Petiolar node triangular, anterior margin weakly concave, posterior margin weakly convex, apex angled to right, anterior peduncle indistinct; subpetiolar process narrow and cuneiform, anteroventrally pointed, with concavity after the process. Postpetiolar node weakly inclined anteriorly, dorsum roundly convex, anterodorsal corner narrowly rounded; ventral margin with two notches, anteroventral corner acutely toothed. Gaster ovate, first segment very large and occupying 4/5 of the gaster, sting extruding.

In dorsal view, promesonotum roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, lateral margins moderately convex, humeral corners rightly angled, promesonotal suture absent. Metanotal groove impressed. Propodeum short and broad, lateral margins almost straight, propodeal spines straight and lateroposteriorly pointed. Petiole longer than broad, weakly widening posteriorly, sides of the node weakly convex. Postpetiole broader than long, and broader than petiole, narrowing posteriorly, anterior margin straight, sides weakly convex. Anterior margin of gaster deeply concave.

Mandibles smooth and shining, with very sparse elongate punctures. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole coarsely uniformly reticulate, clypeus finely reticulate. Gaster with sparse piliferous punctures, interface microreticulate and relatively shining. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect long hairs and abundant subdecumbent short pubescence, pubescence on gaster relatively denser; scapes and tibiae with sparse suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Body color blackish brown; mandibles, antennae, legs and gaster reddish brown; eyes grey.

Description of paratype workers (n=10): TL 4.1-4.3, HL 0.85-0.90, HW 0.80-0.83, CI 92-94, SL 0.65-0.68, SI 79-82, ED 0.15-0.18, PW 0.68-0.70, WL 1.20-1.28, PL 0.35-0.40, PH 0.33-0.35, DPW 0.28-0.30, PI 88-93, PPL 0.23- 0.25, PPH 0.33-0.34, PPW 0.33-0.35, PPI 130- 144. Like holotype worker, but sometimes body color reddish brown with antennae and legs yellowish brown.

Description of paratype queen (n=1) ( Figs. 4-6 ): TL 4.7, HL 0.95, HW 0.88, CI 92, SL 0.68, SI 77, ED 0.25, PW 0.93, WL 1.45, PL 0.50, PH 0.40, DPW 0.35, PI 80, PPL 0.33, PPH 0.39, PPW 0.40, PPI 119.

Like holotype worker, but body much larger and with reproductive queen characteristics. Eyes relatively larger, vertex with three white ocelli. In lateral view dorsum of pronotum almost straight and steeply sloping anteriorly. Promesonotal suture present. Mesonotum massive, dorsum moderately convex anteriorly and gently sloping posteriorly, mesonotal groove narrowly weakly impressed; dorsum of scutellum weakly convex, apex narrowly rounded; tegulae present, mesopleuron with an oblique furrow. Metascutum narrow and oblique, overhang by scutellum. Propodeal dorsum weakly concave and steeply sloping posteriorly, shorter than declivity, propodeal spines straight and posterodorsally pointed. In dorsal view posterior margin of pronotum deeply roundly concave, humeral corners bluntly angled. Mesonotum massive and broadest; scutum large without longitudinal furrows, posterior margin weakly convex. Lateral scutum small and elongate triangular. Anterior margin of scutellum very bluntly angled, posterior margin roundly convex. Sculpture, pilosity and body color like that of holotype worker, but metapleura obliquely rugose.

Description of paratype females (n=3) ( Fig. 7 ): TL 4.5-4.9, HL 0.93-0.95, HW 0.88- 0.90, CI 92-95, SL 0.68-0.70, SI 77-78, ED 0.23, PW 0.93-0.95, WL 1.38-1.45, PL 0.45-0.53, PH 0.38, DPW 0.33-0.35, PI 71-83, PPL 0.30, PPH 0.38, PPW 0.40-0.43, PPI 125.

Like paratype queen, but mesosoma winged. Fore wing with distinct and blackish stigma, basal cell large, with one marginal cell, two submarginal cells and two distal cells, the second submarginal cell and the second distal cell opening. Veins of hind wing very simple, only the basal cell enclosed.

Comparative notes: The new species is closest to L. reticulata Lucky & Sarnat 2008 ( Figs. 25 , 108 ), but its first gastral segment smooth and shiny, with sparse piliferous small punctures; body bicolored, head, mesosoma and waist blackish brown, gaster reddish brown; forecoxae lateral side smooth and shiny. The new species is also similar to L. idianale Taylor, 2012 ( Figs.106-107 ), but propodeal spines down-curved in profile view; head dorsum coarsely uniformly reticulate, without incorporated traces of longitudinal striae between the antennal scrobes.

Etymology: The species is named after a minority nationality called “Jingpo”, residing in the type specimen locality, Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China. The species epithet is a noun in apposition and thus invariant.

Distribution and ecology: China (Yunnan). All individuals known from this originated from a single nest containing 12 workers, 1 queen and 3 winged females found within soil, classified as latosol. The site was within a fragmented valley lowland rainforest.

Figures

Figs. 1 – 3. Lordomyrma jingpo sp. nov., holotype worker. (1) Head in full-face view; (2) body in profile view; (3) body in dorsal view. Photographs by Zhenghui Xu.

Figs. 4 – 6. Lordomyrma jingpo sp. nov., paratype queen. (4) Head in full-face view; (5) body in profile view; (6) body in dorsal view. Photographs by Zhenghui Xu.

Fig. 7. Wing of Lordomyrma jingpo sp. nov., paratype female. Photograph by Zhenghui Xu.

Figs. 24 – 26. Head in full-face view. (24) Lordomyrma furcifera (CASENT0922236, photograph by Michele Es- posito); (25) L. reticulata (CASENT0012197, photograph by April Nobile); (26) L. azumai (CASENT0172483, photograph by April Nobile). From AntWeb 2021.

Figs. 108 – 110. Body in profile (108) and gaster in dorsal view (109-110). (108-109) Lordomyrma reticulata, type worker (from AntWeb 2021, CASENT0012197, photographs by April Nobile); (110) L. jingpo sp. nov., photograph by Zhenghui Xu.

Figs.106 – 107. Lordomyrma idianale, holotype worker. (106) Head in full-face view; (107) body in profile view (Taylor 2012: figs 29-30).