Cardiocondyla sima

The biology of this species is unknown. Specimens were sifted from leaf litter and rotten wood. Concluded from the situation in Cardiocondyla papuana the males should be ergatoid with sickle-shaped mandibles. (Seifert, 2022)

Identification
Seifert (2022) - Worker: Medium-sized, CS 538 µm. Head short, CL/CW 1.119. Postocular distance rather low, PoOc 0.414. Overall head shape in dorsal view rather quadratic with excavated occipital margin (0.9,2.0,2.7% CL). Anteromedian vertex in profile slightly bulging. Anterior clypeal margin at level of anterior frontal carinae slightly concave. Antennae 11-segmented, antennal club 3-segmented and very long, its length 57–60% of whole funicular length. Scape extremely long, SL/CS 0.954. Eyes rather small in basal area but much protruding, with scattered or without micropilae, EYE 0.224, moderately elongated EL/EW 1.44. Frons very wide, FRS/CS 0.345, frontal carinae from FRS level caudad slightly converging, planes of frontal laminae sloping mediad by 40°, frontal carinae thus much elevating above the level of posterior clypeus. Mesosoma in lateral view compact, higher than in other species, its dorsal profile ± convex and metanotal depression almost absent (MGr/CS 0.19%). Spines with a very big basal distance (SPBA/CS 0.341), acute and rather long (SP/CS 0.209), their axis deviating by 25–30° from longitudinal mesosomal axis. Petiolar peduncle long. Petiole node higher than in Cardiocondyla papuana (PeH/CS 0.341), in lateral view in contrast to C. papuana more produced frontad, with concave anterior profile, the dorsal profile and caudal slope form a continuous convexity; petiole rather narrow (PeW/CS 0.282), its node in dorsal view distinctly wider than long. Postpetiole narrow and rather low (PpW/CS 0.449, PpH/CS 0.312), in dorsal view distinctly wider than long, the anterior sides almost conically converging to a narrow and straight anterior margin the width of which is restricted to the junction with petiole. Whole vertex with densely packed bicoronate foveolae of 13–17 µm µm diameter, the interspaces between foveolae smaller than foveolar diameter and with longitudinal rugulae; in the type sample foveolae on median and paramedian vertex sparse, the wide interspaces here shagreened-corrugated; longitudinal sculptural elements on vertex completely absent. Clypeus with densely packed bicoronate foveolae, the narrow interspaces with rugulae; in the type sample without foveolae and slightly shagreenate-corrugated with suggested rugulae. Whole mesosoma smooth and mildly shiny, finely microreticulate-microrugulose; dorsal mesosoma accessorily with scattered and very shallow foveolae of 4–9 µm diameter. Waist segments smooth and rather shiny, but finely microreticulate. Surface of dorsal gaster sclerites brilliantly shiny, but with traces of a microreticulum. Pubescence on 1st gaster tergite shorter than in C. papuana and rather dilute (PLG/CS 5.05%, sqPDG 4.10). Whole ant concolorous light yellow.

Reiskind (1965) separated Cardiocondyla sima and its sister species C. papuana from Cardiocondyla by raising Wheeler’s subgenus Prosopidris to generic level. Later, Bolton (1982) and Kugler (1984) did not see enough arguments to maintain a genus Prosopidris. Here, I maintain the subgeneric status but can confirm that C. sima and C. papuana share some characters which are not known so far in other Cardiocondyla species: In the female castes, they have only 11 antennal segments instead of 12 and a bigger antennal club. The length of the three antennal club segments is 57–63% of whole funiculus length. The same ratio is achieved by the 3 antennal club segments plus the preceding segment in the Cardiocondyla species with 12 antennal segments. It seems as if the former funiculus segments 7 and 8 have fused in Prosopidris to form a bigger antennal club. Another unique character of the Prosopidris workers is the conic anterior part of postpetiole in dorsal view.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Malaysia, Philippines. Oriental Region: Thailand.

Castes

 * Queen

Nomenclature

 * . Cardiocondyla (Prosopidris) sima Wheeler, W.M. 1935b: 41, fig. 1 (w.q.) PHILIPPINES (Lanao I.).
 * Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Reiskind, 1965: 85), 7 paralectotype workers, 4 paralectotype queens.
 * Type-locality: lectotype Philippines: Mindanao, Lanao I., Dansalan (L.M. Morato); paralectotypes with same data.
 * Type-depository: MCZC.
 * Combination in Prosopidris: Reiskind, 1965: 84;
 * combination in Cardiocondyla: Bolton, 1982: 309.
 * Status as species: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 83; Reiskind, 1965: 84 (redescription); Baltazar, 1966: 249; Bolton, 1995b: 133.
 * Distribution: Philippines (Mindanao).

Type Material
Described from eight workers and four females collected by Mr. L. M. Morato at Dansalan, on Lanao Island, Philippines, and received from Dr. J. W. Chapman.

Seifert (2022) - This taxon has been described from the Philippines. Investigated were 5 worker syntypes, labelled “Dansalan, Lanao 12/21/25 L.M.Morato”, “Gift of W.M.Wheeler”, “Syntypes of Cardiocondyla sima Wheeler S P Cover 5-00” and “M.C.Z. Cotype 20798”; depository MCZ Cambridge.

Worker
Length 2-2.2 mm.

Head subrectangular, longer than broad, nearly as broad in front as behind, with straight, subparallel sides, broadly rounded posterior corners and feebly sinuate posterior border. Eyes moderately large and convex; somewhat longer than their distance from the clypeus. Mandibles convex, 5-toothed, the two apical decidedly larger than the basal teeth. Clypeus projecting over the bases of the mandibles, its anterior truncated surface flattened, its posterior portion extending back between the frontal carinae large, convex, subtriangular, its anterior border transverse, feebly sinuate in the middle and more deeply sinuate on each side. Frontal area small, triangular, impressed and rather indistinct; frontal groove distinct anteriorly. Antennae slender, scapes nearly straight, extending somewhat beyond the posterior corners of the head; second funicular joint longer than broad, joints 3-7 as long as broad, the two basal joints of the club longer than broad, subequal, together shorter than the distinctly swollen terminal joint. Pronotum with the neck as long as broad, with broadly rounded humeri; mesonotum broader than long, narrowed posteriorly where the pleurae are distinctly compressed; epinotum longer than broad, slightly narrowed anteriorly, its posteriorly sloping base one and two-thirds times as long as the perpendicular declivity, which is concave in the middle and marginate on the sides, metasternal angles prominent but rounded, the spines straight, blunt and stout, nearly as long as the distance between their bases but shorter than the declivity, directed backward and outward and slightly upward. Peduncle of petiole as long as the node, which is as high as long, rounded above and distinctly broader than long. Post-petiole transversely elliptical, lower and nearly twice as broad as the petiolar node, convex anteriorly, with its straight posterior border. Gaster broadly elliptical, convex, with broadly concave anterior border. Legs rather long.

Thorax, pedicel and gaster distinctly shining, microscopically and superficially reticulate or punctulate; mandibles, clypeus, head and appendages more opaque, the head and anterior portion of pronotum more sharply and coarsely punctulate and also covered dorsally with shallow and not very distinct foveolae.

Pilosity and pubescence yellowish, the former consisting of a few short, sparse, erect hairs on the clypeus and mandibles, the latter fine, dilute, appressed, longer and more distinct on the gaster and appendages.

Dull yellowish brown or pale ferruginous, the head very slightly darker, the mandibles, clypeus, peduncle of petiole and appendages slightly paler. Mandibular teeth dark brown.

Queen
Length 2.7-2.8 mm.

Very similar to the worker; joints 3-7 of funiculi distinctly broader than long; thorax short, as broad as the head; pronotum somewhat flattened, broader than long, subtriangular anteriorly; epinotal spines shorter and stouter than in the worker, subparallel; petiole and postpetiole not enlarged as compared with the worker.

Sculpture and pilosity as in the worker except that the whole thorax above is foveolate-punctate like the head, and the thorax, nodes of pedicel and gaster are darker and less yellowish, being as dark as the head. Wings grayish; veins brown, pterostigma dark brown.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * General D. M., and G. D. Alpert. 2012. A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines. Zookeys 200: 1-111.
 * Reiskind J. 1965. A revision of the ant tribe Cardiocondylini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). I. The genus Prosopidris Wheeler. Psyche (Cambridge) 72: 79-86.