Cardiocondyla rugulosa

Cardiocondyla rugulosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Cardiocondyla
Species group:	batesii
Species:	C. rugulosa
Binomial name
	Cardiocondyla rugulosa; Seifert, 2003 Specimen Labels

Known only from the holotype worker from Yemen, nothing is known about the biology of Cardiocondyla rugulosa.

Identification

Seifert (2003) - A member of the Cardiocondyla batesii group. Cardiocondyla rugulosa is morphometrically similar to Cardiocondyla nigra. The highly diagnostic character of C. rugulosa is the presence of strongly developed longitudinal rugulae or carinulae on the vertex, which are much denser than in any related species. By the much denser and stronger sculpture the surface of head, mesosoma and petiole appears mat. The shallower metanotal groove and the more massive waist segments (with larger PEH/CS, PPH/CS, and PP/CS) provide additional criteria for separation from C. nigra.

Seifert (2023) - Rather large, CS 576 µm. Head moderately elongated, CL/CW 1.168. Postocular index low, PoOc/CL 0.344. Median third of hind margin of head notably concave. Scape rather short, SL/CS 0.789. Eye large, EYE/CS 0.267. Frons moderately broad (FRS/CS 0.249), frontal carinae slightly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.027). Mesosoma in lateral view characteristic: dorsal profile of promesonotum only weakly convex, metanotal depression shallow (Mgr/CS 2.1 %) and dorsal profile of propodeum more strongly convex and more strongly sloping down to spine base than in related species. Spines short (SP/CS 0.101), acute and weakly erected, their axis in profile deviating by about 33° from longitudinal axis of mesosoma, their bases more approached (SPBA/CS 0.240). Petiole distinctly higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.276, PeH/CS 0.329), in profile with a short peduncle, a rather straight to weakly convex anterior face and an ample node with the anterior slope less steep than the caudal slope, petiole in dorsal view with elongated node that gradually merges with the anterior peduncle. Postpetiole wide (PpW/CS 0.537, PpW /PeW 1.95, PpH/CS 0.286), in dorsal view suggestively heard-shaped, with a concave anterior margin and convex sides; postpetiolar sternite completely flat. Clypeus and frontal laminae finely longitudinally rugulose. Whole vertex densely and finely longitudinally rugulose, the numerous foveolae of 14–18 µm diameter are not eye-catching because of being embedded within the rugosity, foveolar interspaces on paramedian vertex about as wide as foveolar diameter and glabrous (Fig.69). Dorsal promesonotum with scattered foveolae and weakly microreticulate between superimposed longitudinal rugulae. Propodeum irregularly microreticulate. Lateral pronotum moderately shiny but on whole surface microreticulate. Lateral mesonotum and mesopleuron reticulate and longitudinally rugulose. Lateral metapleuron with 5–7 weak, longitudinal carinae. Petiole irregularly microreticulate. Postpetiole more shiny, with very delicate microreticulum. Pubescence on gaster tergites moderately long and moderately dense, PLg/CS 5.41 %, sqPDg 5.48. Head, gaster, femora, and tibiae dark brown to blackish brown. Mesosoma and postpetiole dark brown with reddish component. Petiole orange brown.

C. rugulosa is morphometrically similar to Cardiocondyla nigra. The most diagnostic character of C. rugulosa is the strong longitudinal rugulae or carinulae on whole surface of dorsal head. The much more dense and stronger sculpture produces a mat surface appearance on head, mesosoma and petiole. The mesosomal shape is also characteristic: a feebly convex dorsal profile of promesonotum is contrasted by the more strongly convex dorsal profile of propodeum which is more strongly sloping down to spine base than in related species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

So far only known from the type locality, Sana’a, Yemen (15.37°N, 44.19°E, 2265 m) (Seifert, 2023).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Yemen (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Biology

Castes


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Seifert (2023), Figs. 66–69. Cardiocondyla rugulosa, holotype; Fig. 66: head in dorsal view; Fig. 67: lateral view (flipped horizontally); Fig. 68: dorsal view; Fig. 69: head surface between inner eye margin and paramedian vertex. Yemen: Sanaa, 1991.05

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

rugulosa. Cardiocondyla rugulosa Seifert, 2003a: 244, fig. 25 (w.) YEMEN.
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Yemen: Sana’a, v.1991 (A. van Harten).
- Type-depository: SMNG.
- Status as species: Borowiec, L. 2014: 48; Seifert, 2023a: 43 (diagnosis).
- Distribution: Yemen.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Scape rather short, SL/CS 0.789. Postocular distance smaller than in related species, PoOc/CL 0.344. Occipital margin notably excavated. Eyes large, EYE 0.267. Clypeus and frontal laminae finely longitudinally rugulose. Frontal carinae immediately posterior of FRS level parallel. Whole vertex densely and finely longitudinally rugulose. Foveolae of 14 - 18 mm diameter present on paramedian vertex, barely visible and embedded within rugulae (Fig. 25). Dorsal area of promesonotum with scattered foveolae, and weakly microreticulate between superimposed longitudinal rugulae. Propodeum and petiole irregularly microreticulate. Postpetiole more shining, with very delicate microreticulum. Pronotum laterally moderately shining and microreticulate. Lateral areas of mesonotum and mesopleuron reticulate and longitudinally rugulose. Metapleuron laterally with 5 - 7 weak, longitudinal carinae. Metanotal groove rather shallow. Spines steep, short and acute. Petiole node in dorsal and lateral aspect similar to Cardiocondyla batesii but more massive. Postpetiolar sternte without any flat bulge. Head, gaster, femora, and tibiae dark brown to blackish brown. Mesosoma and postpetiole dark brown with reddish component. Petiole light-orange brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker labelled “Yemen, Sana'a, 1991.05, leg. A. van Harten”, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.

References

Sharaf, M.R., Al Dhafer, H.M., Abdel-Dayem, M.S., Aldawood, A.S. 2024. Cardiocondyla hashemi sp. n., a new species of the C. batesii species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Saudi species. Zoology in the Middle East]] (doi:10.1080/09397140.2024.2321640).