Platythyrea lenca

Known only from the worker type material collected from rotten wood in a forest ravine.

Identification
De Andrade (2004) - Similar to Platythyrea prizo, but differing from it by the erect hairs on the petiole, postpetiole and gaster longer and denser, by the legs longer, by the eyes smaller and by the scapes longer and narrower.

Lenca and prizo are the sole known Recent New World Platythyrea with narrow frontal carinae and truly denticulate mandible. Lattke (2003) described from Dominican amber Platythyrea dentata, another species with denticulate mandibles. P. dentata differ from prizo and lenca mainly by its smaller size, by the hind coxae dorsally dentate and by the anterior clypeal margin straight instead of convex. Lattke (2003) considered the sharing of the denticulate mandibles of his fossil species with the recent prizo as a plesiomorphic character since there are significant differences between the fossil and the recent species.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Honduras.

Nomenclature

 *  lenca. Platythyrea lenca De Andrade, 2004: 648 (w.) HONDURAS.

Worker
(3 specimens). TL 7.72-8.38; HL 1.68-1.74; HW 1.16-1.22; EL 0.25; SL 1.52-1.60; WL 2.60-2.64; PeL 0.82-0.86; PeW 0.56-0.60; HFeL 1.78-1.84; HTiL 1.54-1.64; HBaL 1.32-1.42; FFel 1.56-1.64; FFeW 0.37-0.39; CI 69.0-70.1; SI 90.5-92.9; FFeI 23.7.

Head slightly elongate and less than 1/3 longer than broad, with weakly convex sides. Vertex at margin weakly concave medially. Vertexal angles round. Frontal lobes close to each other and rounded. Clypeus swollen medially. Anterior border of the clypeus bearing a convex semitransparent lamella. Eyes small about 1/7 of the head length and placed dorsa-laterally close to the midline of the head. Mandibles subtriangular. Masticatory margin of the mandibles with 9 teeth followed by an apical one. Mandibular sulcus superficially marked. Palpal formula 4.4, palpi not surpassing the posteromedial rim of buccal cavity. Antennae long and slender. Scapes surpassing the vertexal margin by about 0 .32 mm when directed posteriorly. First funicular joint more than half longer than broad and slightly longer than the following joints 3-10. Second funicular joint about 1 /4 longer than the first joint. Funicular joints 3-10 longer than broad. Last funicular joint lightly longer than the first joint.

Mesosoma elongate in profile. Pronotum in dorsal view with barely distinguishable humeri. Pronotal suture impressed. Propodeal dorsum gently declivous posteriorly. Area between basal and declivous propodeal face gently concave and each side with a small obtuse tooth. Declivous propodeal face marginate. Propodeal lobe rounded.

Petiole about 1/3 longer than broad. Anterior face of the petiole in dorsal view medially weakly concave and latero-ventrally superficially angulate. Posterior face of the petiole in dorsal view tumuliform medially and unarmed laterally. Postpetiole in dorsal view broader than long and shorter than the first gastric segment.

Fore femora weakly incrassate. Hind tibiae about 1/8 shorter than hind femora. Hind basitarsi about 1/7 shorter than the hind tibiae. Mid and hind tibiae with paired pectinate spur. Tarsal claws with preapical teeth.

Sculpture. Integument opaque. Head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster densely and finely punctate and with small, superficial foveae, the foveae mort impressed on the petiole, fainter and sparser on the gaster. Leg minutely punctate.

Body densely covered by very short, thin hairs. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster with erect, sparse hairs. Apex of the gaster with long hairs.

Colour. Ferruginous-brown with slightly lighter antennae and legs.

Type Material
Holotype worker from Honduras, labelled: 4 km SW Mina El Mochito, 1040 m. rotten wood Forest ravine. Depto. Santa Barbara. Hoonduras 14 March 1979. WL Brown: 2 paratype workers same data and collection as the holotype. All in the.

Etymology
This species is named after the Lenca, an Indian tribe from Honduras. The name is used here as a noun in apposition.