Cryptopone Emery, 1893

Cryptopone Emery, 1893 View in CoL

( Figs 1B View Fig , 3A View Fig , 5A View Fig , 7A View Fig )

Recognition. Pale-colored and relatively small ants measuring 3.6–4.2 mm in total body length; mandible with basal pit; petiole node-like, with well-defined lamellate subpetiolar process that lacks fenestra; ventral apices of mid- and hindtibiae with pectinate spur only; midtibia with strong bristles on outer surface.

Description. Relatively small ants measuring 3.6–4.2 mm in total body length; head width varies from 0.70 to 0.82 mm. Head longer than broad, with posterior margin nearly straight, lateral margin shallowly convex, and posterolateral corner broadly round; median line distinct, starting at anterior ocellus and reaching level of antennal insertion. Clypeus with anterior margin evenly and shallowly convex. Malar space much shorter than half major diameter of eye. Eye large with 14–16 ommatidia along its longest axis, with rather dense short hairs; with head in full-face view outer margin of eye slightly breaking lateral margin of head. Mandible with basal pit; distinct teeth present along its masticatory margin.Antennal scape fails to reach posterior margin of head. With mesosoma in dorsal view promesonotum narrower than head; scutoscutellar suture very ‘narrow’. With mesosoma in profile view deep furrow (excavation) present between lower part of mesopleuron and metapleuron. Propodeal spiracle elongate. Petiole node-like, with well-defined lamellate subpetiolar process that lacks fenestra ( Fig. 1B View Fig ). Prora inconspicuous, represented by small swelling with lateral carinae. Constriction between gastral segments I and II weak; pretergite of gastral segment II occasionally exposed but presternite always extensively exposed in mounted samples; both sclerites very minutely punctate; cinctus differentiated, cross-ribbed (forming chain of elongate punctures). Ventral apices of mid- and hindtibiae with pectinate spur only; midtibia with strong bristles on outer surface. Hindwing without jugal lobe.

Caste differences. Workers are smaller than queens with total body length 3.0– 3.5 mm and head width 0.64–0.78 mm (3.6–4.2 mm and 0.70–0.82 mm, respectively, in the queen). The eye is very small comprising one to a few illdefined ommatidia. The upper portion of the metapleuron is extensively deeply impressed. The subpetiolar process is often less developed than in the queen. See also OGATA (1976: 118).

Remarks. In the two Japanese species the queen has a dark blotch around ocelli (sometimes the blotch extending to the vertex), while the worker lacks this. They are similar to Parvaponera darwini (Forel, 1893) in size and general habitus but quite different from the latter in a number of structural characters (see Remarks for Parvaponera ).

Species examined (2/2). Cryptopone sauteri (Wheeler, 1906) and C. tengu Terayama, 1999 .