Male genitalia of the fungus-growing ants Mycocepurus goeldii (Forel, 1893) and Mycocepurus smithii (Forel, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) Author Santos, Carlos Daniel Assis Dos Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570 - 900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Author Chaul, Júlio Cezar Mário Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570 - 900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Author Serrão, José Eduardo Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570 - 900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. & Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570 - 900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. & Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570 - 900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. text Zootaxa 2024 2024-06-20 5471 4 496 500 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5471.4.9 journal article 298856 10.11646/zootaxa.5471.4.9 e44b27b0-b0bb-4c84-9ea3-798b85cb7a8b 1175-5326 12190447 FEFEDFA4-7DA4-46ED-AA3B-A2FEC39C23B8 Mycocepurus goeldii ( Forel, 1893 ) Measurements . (5 measured) HW 1.03–1.05, HW2 0.70–0.73, HL 0.79–0.84, SL 0.72–0.77, MssctmL 0.72–0.87, MssctmW 0.73–0.84, Mssctm+MssctlL 1.07–1.28, WL 1.72–1.82, PetW 0.21–0.29, PpetW 0.57–0.61, GW 1.17–1.31, G1L 0.97–1.03. Pilosity and Sculpturing . Body opaque, with reticulate-punctate sculpture. Pilosity appressed. Head ( Figure 1.A ). Mandible with oblique striations on the dorsal surface; masticatory margin with four to five teeth. Anterior margin of the clypeus convex, without an anteromedial notch; clypeus surface slightly elevated, with a pair of tiny median tubercles. Frontal lobes subquadrate. Frontal carina short, laterally directed. Eyes occupying at least half of the head in profile view; strongly bulging. Ocelli protruded from short projections. Scape extends beyond the vertexal margin by approximately ¼ of its length; flagellomere I (antennomere 3) 2.5x as long as pedicel. Occipital corners toothed. Mesosoma ( Figure 1.B–C ). Pronotum with two pairs of small spines. Notauli shallow, medially united, fainting posteromedially. Scutoscutellar sulcus deep. Mesoscutelum posterior margin with a pair of thick projections. Propodeum with a pair of projections, with upper projection triangular, low, lamellate. Metasoma . Petiole with developed peduncle; rounded petiolar node without projections, with only some rugose on its surface. Postpetiole subtrapezoidal in dorsal view, slightly wider posteriorly, with some rugose on its surface. First tergum of gaster as long as wide. Wings ( Figure 2.A ). Infuscated wings covered with microtrichia. Forewings with four closed cells (basal, costal, submarginal, and marginal 1+2). Semi-complete cubitus+anal vein, almost forming a subbasal cell. Pterostigma strongly pigmented. Hindwings without closed cells, with 1 single complete vein (subcostal), and 2 incomplete visible veins (anal and media+cubitus); eight hamuli. Genitalia . Parameres basally wide, internal face slightly concave, apex subquadrate and spatulate ( Figure 2.C–D ). Digitus of volsella elongate, L–shaped, inner margin strongly curved; cuspis not evident ( Figure 2.J ). Penisvalve with a serrated ventral margin that has four to five denticles ( Figure 2.G , black triangle), apex with a broad, round lobe ( Figure 2.G , red triangle), separated from the serrated margin by a deep notch; fin–like dorsomedial extension of the valviceps ( Figure 2.G , gray triangle). Comments. In the review of the genus, the male of M. goeldii is only briefly described, with an illustration of the penisvalve and few data about the external morphology ( Kempf, 1963 ). The parameres, volsella, and penisvalve showed standard features of Mycocepurus species , such as the apex of the valviceps separated from the ventral margin by a deep notch and the presence of a dorsomedial extension. The male of Mycocepurus castrator Rabeling & Bacci, 2010 , a social parasite of M. goeldii , also has the apex of the valviceps lobed. One male of M. goeldii (ANTWEB1047383) presented a slight variation in the morphology of the penisvalve with five denticles on the ventral margin instead of four, it was in accordance with other M. goeldii males in other respects of the external morphology. Material examined. BRA: ES , Sooretama , Faz. São Francisco , -19.133333 , -40.150000 , 1–XII–2014 , Lopez, J. I. B. ( ANTWEB1047383 ). BRA: MG , Dionísio , -19.840055 , -42.683192 , 13-21-XI-89 , Armad. Malaise, Área B1, de Campos W. G . ( Five specimens with the following codes: ANTWEB1047344 and ANTWEB1047309 ). BRA: MG , Viçosa , Mata da Biologia , -20.758220 , -42.865435 , 15–XII–2012 , Chaul, J . ( UFV–LABECOL–004883 ). BRA: MG, Passos , -20.726040 , -46.600053 , 1962–X–4–10 , Claudionor, E. ( ANTWEB1047371 ) .