Pogonomyrmex uruguayensis Mayr 1887
Pogonomyrmex uruguayensis Mayr, 1887: 614 (worker). Syntypes
examined: 1 worker [NMW], 1 worker [MSNG],
Pogonomyrmex uruguensis (sic) Mayr: Santschi, 1921: 95.
Worker
Diagnosis. Within the P.
inermis-group, the combination of: (1) superior propodeal spines present, (2) base of antennal scape not strongly compressed or flattened dorsoventrally, and (3) width and length of postpetiole similar to slightly longer than wide uniquely
characterize this species.
Measurements
- lectotype (n
= 21). HL 1.55 (1.28-1.62); HW 1.54 (1.24-1.61); MOD 0.33 (0.30-0.40);
OMD 0.37 (0.30-0.41); SL 1.04 (0.86-1.14); PNW 1.06 (0.88-1.15); HFL 1.31 (1.19-1.57);
ML 1.67 (1.51-2.05); PW 0.41 (0.33-0.50); PPW 0.55 (0.47-0.63). Indices: SI 67.53 (64.56-77.42); CI 99.35 (93.23-105.41);
OI 21.43 (21.15-26.28); HFI 85.06 (84.46-100.73).
Description. Head subquadrate to quadrate (CI = 93.23-105.41), widest just
posterior to eyes; posterior margin flat in full-face view. Longitudinal cephalic rugae
weak, wavy to irregular, in full face view median rugae
diverging slightly towards posterior corners of head. In side view, rugae
posterior to eyes converging near vertex, occasionally very weak to indistinct
near vertex; vertex moderately granulate or rugose, interrugal spaces weakly to moderately granulate, weakly shining
to shining. Cephalic interrugal
spaces strongly granulate, dull. Anterior margin of clypeus concave; dorsal surface with several subparallel longitudinal rugae. Mandible with six teeth; mandibular dorsum coarsely striate. MOD ranging from 0.21-0.28x
HL. Eyes in profile situated
slightly anterior to middle of head, OMD = 0.88-1.25x MOD. In full-face view, eyes protruding slightly
beyond lateral margins of head. Antennal
scapes moderately long (SI = 64.56-77.42), failing to
reach vertex by length of basal funicular segment; entire scape
with longitudinal striae. Psammophore well-developed.
Mesosomal profile
strongly convex; all mesosomal surfaces with prominent
irregular rugae to rugoreticulate. Anterior margin of pronotal
dorsum with irregular transverse rugae or moderately rugoreticulate, humeral angles and pronotal
sides rugoreticulate or with rugae
that traverse posteroventrally or longitudinally;
dorsum of mesonotum with irregular longitudinal rugae that diverge anteriorly, rugoreticulate, or vermiculate; rugae
on mesopleura longitudinal or traversing posterodorsally; dorsum of propodeum
with irregular transverse to oblique rugae or rugae lacking; rugae traverse
ventrally or anteroventrally on propodeal
sides. Interrugal spaces on pronotum and
mesonotum moderately to strongly granulate, dull to weakly
shining, those on propodeum very strongly granulate,
very dull to dull. Superior
propodeal spines moderately long, slightly shorter
than width between their bases. Inferior propodeal spine lacking. Propodeal spiracles narrowly ovate.
Legs moderately to strongly coriarious,
weakly shining.
Petiolar penduncle about 0.7x as long as
petiole, anteroventral margin with poorly developed,
broadly rounded process. In side view, petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface shorter
than posterior surface; apex of node broadly rounded. In dorsal view, petiole longer than broad,
widest near the spatulate anterior margin. Sides and dorsum of petiole
with weak wavy to irregular, transverse rugae; interrugal spaces moderately to strongly granulate-punctate, dull to weakly shining. Dorsum of postpetiole
convex in profile; in dorsal view, widest at or near posterior margin and
tapering to anterior margin, maximal width about equal to length, weakly to
strongly coriarious, dull to weakly shining; sides of
postpetiole often with weak transverse rugae. Gaster
moderately to strongly coriarious, weakly shining.
Erect
whitish to yellowish pilosity moderately abundant on
head, variable in length, longest hairs not exceeding MOD. Moderately abundant suberect to semidecumbent pilosity on scape; abundant
decumbent hairs on funicular segments.
Legs with moderately abundant suberect
to decumbent white setae. Mesosoma,
petiole, postpetiole, first gastral
tergum with moderately dense erect white setae, often
similar in length, longest hairs not approaching MOD. Body concolorous
tannish-brown to reddish-brown, head sometimes
slightly lighter than rest of body.
Queen
Diagnosis. As in
worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific morphology of the mesosoma
related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on
the head, and as illustrated in Fig. x.
This caste is diagnosed by: (1) superior propodeal
spines present, inferior propodeal spines absent, (2)
cephalic rugae wavy to irregular, interrugal
spaces distinctly wider than rugae, (3) posterior
face of petiole and usually dorsum of postpetiole rugose (usually transverse), (4) in lateral view, apex of petiolar node subangulate to angulate, and (5) body concolorous
tannish-brown.
Measurements
- (n = 12).
HL 1.64-1.76; HW 1.72-1.83; MOD 0.36-0.47; OMD 0.38-0.45; SL 1.08-1.18;
Description. As in
worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific morphology of the mesosoma
related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on
head, and as illustrated in Figure x. In
full face view, head quadrate to slightly wider than long (CI = 100.00-105.29),
widest just posterior to eyes, posterior margin flat. Longitudinal cephalic rugae
prominent, wavy to irregular; in full-face view median rugae
not diverging towards posterior corners of head, interrugal
spaces weakly granulate-punctate, sub-shining to
shining; vertex rugose, interrugal
spaces weakly granulate-punctate, weakly shining to
shining. Mandible with
six teeth, dorsal surface coarsely rugose. Psammophore well-developed.
All mesosomal surfaces with subparallel,
regular, wavy, or irregular rugae; interrugal spaces on mesoscutum
and mesoscutellum weakly coriarious,
weakly shining to shining, those on propodeum
moderately to strongly granulate-punctate, dull; propodeum with short superior spines; inferior spines
absent. Petiolar
peduncle long, anteroventral margin with weakly to moderately
well developed triangular proces. In side view, petiolar
node asymmetrical with anterior surface notably shorter than posterior surface,
apex of node rounded to weakly angulate. Posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole with irregular transverse rugae;
those on postpetiole weaker and often become faint to
absent medially; interrugal spaces on posterior face
of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole weakly
granulate-punctate, weakly shining. Gastral terga weakly coriarious,
shining to strongly shining. Most
body surfaces with moderately abundant suberect to
erect, medium-length, white to yellowish setae; moderately abundant suberect to erect hairs on first tergite,
those on second and third gastral terga
restricted to dense band along posterior margin. Body mostly concolorous tannish-brown.
Male
Diagnosis. This caste
is diagnosed by: (1) first gastral tergum lacking striae, (2) in
full face view, external margin of apical tooth curved inward, (3) dorsum of postpetiole strongly granulate, dull, to occasionally very
weakly rugoreticulate-vermiculate, interrugae dull, (4) rugae on
head weak, usually rugoreticulate to vermiculate, (5)
pronotal sides and mesopleura
with occasional rugae, and (6) interrugae
on head, pronotal sides, and mesopleura
moderately to strongly granulate, dull.
Measurements
- (n = 3). HL 1.32-1.42; HW
1.38-1.51; MOD 0.50-0.54; OMD 0.26-0.29; SL 0.37-0.40; HFL 1.56-1.68; ML
2.60-2.68; PW 0.52-0.57; PPW 0.68-0.72.
Indices: SI 24.50-27.54; CI 104.55-109.49; OI 34.67-36.23; HFI
103.31-121.01.
Description. Mandibles with three teeth on suboblique cutting margin; mandibular
dorsum weakly to moderately rugose medially, smooth
and shining to weakly coriarious laterally; in full
face view, apical tooth enlarged, external margin curved inward. Anterior margin of clypeus broadly and
shallowly concave, dorsum with several weak longitudinal striae,
interrugae strongly granulate, dull to weakly shining. Antennal scapes
with weak longitudinal rugae, strongly granulate, dull to weakly shining. Cephalic rugae poorly
developed, longitudinal to oblique, wavy to irregular, interrugae
strongly granulate-punctate, dull.
In profile,
anterior face of mesonotum meeting pronotal collar at about 45o; juncture between propodeum and propodeal declivity
angulate, superior propodeal
spines consisting of a longitudinal crest.
Sides of pronotal collar and mesopleura with faint to weak irregular longitudinal rugae; interrugae strongly
granulate, dull. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum
with weak irregular longitudinal to oblique rugae, notauli strongly impressed. In dorsal view, dorsum of propodeum
weakly concave with weak longitudinal to oblique rugae
that traverse anteroventrally on sides, interrugae strongly granulate, dull. Ventral margin of petiolar
peduncle with well-developed, elongate, semi-transparent process that is strongly
granulate, dull. In
side view, petiolar node weakly rounded, anterior surface
shorter than posterior surface; posterior face and sides coarsely rugoreticulate-vermiculate, weakly shining. In dorsal view, postpetiole
wider than long, dorsum and sides strongly granulate, occasionally weakly rugoreticulate-vermiculate, dull. Head, mesosoma,
petiole, postpetiole with moderately abundant,
sometimes flexuous yellowish hairs, longest about 0.5x MOD; hairs on dorsum of gaster short, restricted to posterior margins of terga. First gastral tergum
weakly to moderately coriarious, dull to weakly shining. Head and mesosoma black; mandibles, antennae, legs, peduncle, postpetiole, gaster dark
ferruginous orange to brownish-orange (Figure x).
Additional material examined. ARGENTINA:
Chaco: Rt
11 at 26.6 km S Resistencia, 170’, Jan. 19, 2011 (RAJC); 42 km SW Resistencia,
Dec. 18, 2005 (CSC). Córdoba: Rt
2 at 18.9 mi E Villa María, 470’, Dec. 21, 2005 (CASC;
CSC; RAJC); Rt
9 at 6.5 mi E Bell Ville, 390’, Dec. 21, 2005 (CSC; RAJC); Rt
65 at 22.4 km E Villa Maria, Dec. 18, 2005 (CSC). Corrientes: Rt 12 at 10.2 km E
Santa Ana, 210’, Jan, 18, 2011 (RAJC); no loc., no date (USNM). Entre
Ríos: Rt 130 at 2.7 mi
Etymology.
The specific epithet, uruguayensis is derived from C. Berg collecting the syntype series of workers in
Discussion.
Pogonomyrmex uruguayensis sometimes
co-occurs with P. inermis. The two species are easily distinguished as P. uruguayensis
has superior propodeal spines while those of P. inermis are
lacking or reduced to a small denticle or tubercle. Pogonomyrmex uruguayensis is distinguished from other sympatric congeners
by the combination of a moderately well developed psammophore
and dorsum of the postpetiole lacks transverse rugae.
REFERENCES