Lordomyrma nima, Liu & Xu & Garcia, 2021

Lordomyrma nima View in CoL sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ 219DE4C2-0428-491EA6C8-FE48AA17B9C7

( Figs. 8-14 View Figs View Figs )

Type material: Holotype worker: China, Tibet Autonomous Region, Medog County, Dagmo Town, 62K, 29.7096°N, 95.5823°E, 2620 m, collected from a nest under stone in Alnus nepalensis forest, 13.V.2008, Zheng-Hui Xu leg., No. A08-325 GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 7 workers and 1 queen, from the same nest of holotype worker and with the same data; GoogleMaps 9 workers, China: Tibet Autonomous Region, Medog County, Dagmo Town , 70K, 29.7041°N, 95.5222°E, 2750 m, from a nest in soil in Abies forest, 22.VII.2011, Cheng-Lin Zhang leg., No. A 11-4196 GoogleMaps ; 2 workers, with same data as No. A 11-4196, but No. A 11-4190 and No. A11-4197 respectively GoogleMaps ; 9 workers, China: Tibet Autonomous Region, Nyingchi County, Pelung Town, Zaqu Village , 29.9292°N, 95.1561°E, 2720 m, from a nest under stone in broadleaf forest, 27.IX.2007, Zheng-Hui Xu leg., No. A 07- 532 GoogleMaps .

Description of holotype worker ( Figs. 8-11 View Figs ): TL 3.8, HL 0.83, HW 0.73, CI 88, SL 0.60, SI 83, ED 0.13, PW 0.50, WL 1.13, PL 0.45, PH 0.33, DPW 0.20, PI 72, PPL 0.25, PPH 0.25, PPW 0.25, PPI 100.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, slightly narrowed anteriorly, posterior margin slightly convex laterally and slightly concave medially, posterior corners rounded, lateral margins weakly convex. Mandibles elongate triangular, masticatory margin with 8 teeth, basal margin with 5 minute teeth. Clypeus with pair of anteriorly diverging carinae, anterior margin roundly convex with tiny tooth medially. Antennae 12-segmented, apices of scapes reaching to 9/10 of distance from antennal socket to posterior head corner, antennal clubs consisting of apical 3 antennomeres. Eyes small, located before midpoint of head, with 6 ommatidia in maximum diameter.

In profile view promesonotum moderately convex and sloping posteriorly. Promesonotal suture absent. Mesopleuron with an oblique furrow. Metanotal groove deeply notched. Propodeal dorsum straight and sloping posteriorly, propodeal spines acutely toothed, declivity weakly concave, propodeal lobes triangular and shorter than propodeal spines. Petiolar node thick, roughly trapezoidal and narrowed dorsally, with roundly convex dorsum; anterior peduncle relatively longer, about as long as the node, anteroventral corner protruding as a cuneiform ridge with bluntly angled corner. Postpetiolar node weakly inclined posteriorly, with roundly convex dorsum; ventral margin weakly concave, anteroventral corner acutely toothed. Gaster elongate oval, sting extruding.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, lateral margins moderately convex, humeral corners narrowly rounded. Promesonotal suture absent. Mesonotum narrowest, lateral margins slightly convex. Metanotal groove deeply impressed. Propodeum widened posteriorly, lateral margins almost straight. Anterior peduncle of petiole widened posteriorly, petiolar node roughly elliptical, slightly broader than long. Postpetiole widened posteriorly, lateral margins moderately convex, broader than petiolar node.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum with dense posteriorly divergent rugae, the rugae become reticulate-rugose on the sides. Clypeus relatively smooth and shining. Mesosoma longitudinally rugose; sides of pronotum obliquely rugose; mesopleura reticulate-rugose; propodeal dorsum and declivity transversely rugose, propodeal sides obliquely rugose. Petiolar node and postpetiolar node finely transversely rugose, sides of petiolar node obliquely rugose, lower portions of petiole and postpetiole densely punctured. Gaster smooth and shining.

Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, hairs on head dorsum relatively shorter and denser. Scapes with dense subdecumbent hairs and decumbent pubescence, tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Body color blackish brown; petiole, postpetiole and gaster reddish brown; mandibles, antennae and legs yellowish brown.

Description of paratype workers (n=10): TL 3.4-4.3, HL 0.75-0.93, HW 0.68- 0.80, CI 85-91, SL 0.53-0.65, SI 78-86, ED 0.11- 0.18, PW 0.48-0.56, WL 0.78-1.25, PL 0.40-0.48, PH 0.28-0.33, DPW 0.19-0.20, PI 58-75, PPL 0.20-0.28, PPH 0.20-0.26, PPW 0.24-0.28, PPI 90-105. Like holotype worker, but anteroventral corner of petiole variable, either cuneiform convexity, blunt angle or ventrally pointed acute tooth. Body color yellowish brown, reddish brown or blackish brown. Head length varies between 0.75 mm to 0.93 mm.

Description of paratype queen (n=1) ( Figs. 12-14 View Figs ): TL 5.2, HL 1.00, HW 0.90, CI 90, SL 0.70, SI 78, ED 0.25, PW 0.80, WL 1.58, PL 0.53, PH 0.38, DPW 0.28, PI 71, PPL 0.25, PPH 0.38, PPW 0.38, PPI 150.

Like holotype worker, but body much larger and with reproductive queen characteristics. Eyes relatively larger, vertex with 3 ocelli. In lateral view mesonotum massive, dorsum moderately convex anteriorly and sloping posteriorly, mesonotal groove narrowly weakly impressed, apex of scutellum rounded, tegulae present, mesopleuron with an oblique furrow. Metascutum narrow and oblique, overhang by scutellum. Propodeal dorsum steeply sloping posteriorly, about as long as declivity, propodeal spines acutely toothed, longer than propodeal lobes. Anteroventral corner of petiole narrowly rounded.

In dorsal view posterior margin of pronotum deeply roundly concave, humeral corners narrowly rounded. Mesonotum massive and broadest. Scutum large without longitudinal furrows, posterior margin roundly convex. Lateral scutum small and elongate triangular. Anterior margin of scutellum very bluntly angled, posterior margin roundly convex. Sculpture similar to that of holotype worker, but mesopleura longitudinally rugose. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect hairs and dense subdecumbent to decumbent pubescence.

Comparative notes: The new species is similar to L. bhutanensis (Baroni Urbani, 1977) ( Figs. 15-17 View Figs ), but dorsum of promesonotum longitudinally rugose; head dorsum with dense posteriorly divergent rugae; in lateral view petiolar node thick, roughly trapezoidal and narrowed dorsally, with roundly convex dorsum; anterior peduncle of petiole relatively longer, about as long as the node; head length relatively longer, varies between 0.75 mm to 0.93 mm.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to “Nima”, a common male name widely used in Tibet and Qinghai. The species epithet is a noun in apposition and thus invariant.

Distribution and ecology: China (Tibet). The specimens were collected from Medong and Nyingchi Counties, southeastern Tibet, China. Most individuals were found in undisturbed broadleaf forest and coniferous forest, with small inconspicuous colonies encountered under stone or in soil. The colonies were on sunny slope.