Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies
Author
Kallal, Robert J.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-08-23
4658
3
401
451
journal article
25929
10.11646/zootaxa.4658.3.1
70ec409b-10b2-459d-bd98-e3e45b41f3a9
1175-5326
3375930
140EC233-D961-4705-AAF6-A6874C2B52E9
Nylanderia wardi
,
sp. nov.
Figs.97–99
(worker)
Holotype
worker,
CUBA
:
Holguin
,
6 km
S
Yamanigüey
,
20° 33’ N
,
74° 44’W
,
25 m
,
23.viii.2001
,
P.S. Ward
#14437- 23 (
NMNH
)
;
2 paratype workers
same locality data as holotype (specimens are from the same nest as holotype)
;
3 paratype workers
same locality data as holotype but different collecting code (
P.S. Ward
#14436) (
NMNH
&
MCZC
).
Worker diagnosis:
Larger brown to light brown species (HL: 0.6–0.72);
SMC
typically greater than 30 (measured range: 26–38); head in full-face view distinctly ovate with rounded posterolateral corners.
Compare with:
N. sierra
,
N. xestonota
WORKER.
Measurements (n=7)
: TL: 2.20–2.84; HW: 0.54–0.6; HL: 0.60–0.72; EL: 0.15–0.18; SL: 0.78–0.87; WL: 0.76–0.85; GL: 0.82–1.3; SMC: 26–38; PMC: 4–6; MMC: 3–4.
Indices:
CI: 83–90; REL: 24–25; SI: 141–152; SI2: 18–21.
Head
: Sides of head in full face view rounded and slightly convergent anteriad; posterolateral corners distinctly rounded; posterior margin straight; anterior clypeal margin emarginate; median ocellus present; eye well-developed.
Mesosoma
: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum raised slightly above posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area without short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex; dorsal face of propodeum lower than mesonotum in lateral view.
Color and pilosity
: color light brown to brownish-yellow; slightly darker dorsally; mesocoxae and metacoxae slightly lighter than the mesosoma; head generally without pubescence, except some sparse pubescence laterally and underneath eyes; mesosoma generally without pubescence, except some sparse pubescence on the mesonotum and a sparse fringe along dorsal face of propodeum; gastral tergites with abundant pubescence.
FIGURES 97–99.
Nylanderia wardi
worker CASENT0280582. Lateral, full-face, and dorsal view of the body.
Other material examined:
CUBA
:
Santiago de Cuba
:
Parque Nacional Gran Piedra
, near
La Isabellica
,
20.00700
,
-75.61900
+/-
150 m
,
1115 m
,
29 Jan 2012
,
R.S. Anderson
#
RSA
2012-013.
Etymology:
Named in honor of Philip S. Ward (University of California—Davis), who not only collected this species, but whose many superb contributions to myrmecology have greatly enriched the field.
Notes:
Workers of this species are very similar to
N. sierra
, but
N. wardi
is much larger and the declivity following the mesonotum to the metanotal area is distinctly longer in
N. wardi
. Additionally,
N. wardi
has much more scape macrosetae than
N. sierra
. There were individuals of
N. sierra
collected in sympatry with
N. wardi
and the morphological differences between the two species were maintained.