Cyphomyrmex foxi

A collection of workers was made by C.T. Brues in Newton, Jamaica at an altitude of 3000 feet in January of 1912.

Identification
Snelling and Longino (1992) - A distinctive species of Cyphomyrmex, being one of the few known species in the rimosus group in which the breadth of the frontal lobes is less than the distance between the inner margins of the eyes. In this respect it is approached by Cyphomyrmex podargus but in that species the width of the frontal lobes equals or slightly exceeds the interocular distance. The two differ, moreover, in that the dorso-lateral lobes of the post-petiole are elevated and somewhat spine-like in profile in C. foxi, while they are low, rounded, and inconspicuous in C. podargus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Ecuador, Greater Antilles, Jamaica.

Nomenclature

 *  foxi. Cyphomyrmex foxi André, 1892a: 55 (w.) JAMAICA. Wheeler, W.M. 1917g: 461 (q.). See also: Kempf, 1966: 186; Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 487.

Description
Kempf (1966) - This striking species, which is restricted to the Island of Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea, on account of the larger size and the salient spinulation of occiput and thorax, resembles the continental species Cyphomyrmex vorticis and Cyphomyrmex salvini. The moderately expanded frontal carinae, the prominent clypeal lobe, the very long lateral pronotal spines, the raised paired tubercles on postpetiole, the densely rugose integument of head, thorax and pedicel set foxi at once apart from its closest relatives.

Worker
Kempf (1966) - Total length 3.8-4.0 mm; head length 0.95-0.97 mm; head width 0.80-0.87 mm; thorax length 1.28-1.33 mm; hind femur length 1.17-1.23 mm. Dark reddish brown; mandibles, funiculi and tarsi yellowish brown. Integument opaque, finely and densely granulate-punctate; head, thorax and pedicel covered with dense rugae, which are predominantly longitudinal on head, sides of thorax and pedicel, but transversely arched between promesonotal armature and postpetiolar tubercles.

Head (fig 6). Mandibles densely punctate-striolate. Anterior apron of clypeus flat, prominent, anterior border strongly convex and feebly notched in the middle. Lateral teeth of clypeus acute but hidden in full-face view under tip of frontal lobes. The latter moderately expanded laterad, their maximum width scarcely matching the interocular width, exposing part of the cheeks in full-face view. Frontal carinae nearly straight and diverging caudad, reaching tip of prominent occipital spines. Front with a broad but shallow transverse impression between laterally carinate frontal area and semicircular carinae on vertex. Preocular carina gently curving mesad above eyes, visible in full-face view. Postocular carina feebler, reaching from postero-inferior orbit of eye to tip of occipital spine, bisected by the prominent supraocular tooth. Eyes with approximately 10 facets across greatest diameter. Inferior border of cheeks sharply marginate. Scape in repose surpassing apex of occipital spine by a distance equaling twice its maximum diameter. All funicular segments longer than broad, segment I shorter than II and III combined.

Thorax (fig 14). Midpronotal teeth short but acute; lateral ones long and spine-like, projecting obliquely laterad and upward, longer than the pair of stout, conical, anterior mesonotal spines. Lateral border of pronotal disc vestigially carinate. Antero-inferior pronotal corner subrectangular. Posterior pair of mesonotal spines subequal to midpronotal ones. Mesoepinotal constriction broad but rather shallow. Basal face of epinotum with a pair of longitudinal sharp carinae, which in profile form two succeeding obtuse teeth; infradental lamella of posterior tooth descending halfways down the declivous face. Oblique welt on sides of epinotum rather prominent. Hind femora moderately angulate in front of basal third; postero-ventral border vestigially carinate.

Pedicel (fig 14, 28). Petiolar node with convex sides, lacking a postero-dorsal salient laminule. Postpetiole much broader, bearing postero-dorsally a prominent, stout and bluntly tipped pair of tubercles. Tergum I of gaster with a very short and feeble antero-median groove, the lateral margination at best vestigial.

Pilosity simple, not scale-like, hairs recurved to appressed.

Queen
Wheeler (1917) - The female, hitherto undescribed, is represented by a single, dealated individual. It measures 3.4 mm. and closely resembles the worker in color, sculpture, and pilosity and in the structure of the head. The spines on the humeri of the pronotum are long and stout. The mesonotum is flattened above, as broad as long, with a pair of low longitudinal welts anteriorly and expanded postero-lateral borders, bluntly dentate anteriorly and posteriorly. The scutellum is bluntly bidentate and projecting. The epinotum is abruptly declivous, without distinct base and declivity, and with a pair of longitudinal ridges terminating behind in large, blunt, compressed teeth. Between these ridges the surface is transversely rugose. The petiole is small and similar to that of the worker, the postpetiole very large, broader than long, subrectangular when seem from above, with two short, blunt, longitudinal ridges, terminating in large blunt projections behind and separated by a deep concavity. The gaster is broadly oval, hardly longer than broad, rounded above, on the sides and behind, without longitudinal ridges and with a distinct median longitudinal groove at the base.

Type Material
Snelling and Longino (1992) - There are four cotypes of C. foxi in the Paris Museum and they are in agreement with the interpretations of Wheeler (1917) and subsequent authors. One of the four cotypes has been marked as the Lectotype; the three remaining cotypes are paralectotypes and all are in the MNHN, Paris.

Etymology
Dedicated to M.J.W. Fox from Philadelphia.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * André E. 1892. Matériaux myrmécologiques. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 11: 45-56.
 * Kempf W. W. 1966. A revision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II: Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym., Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 8: 161-200.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Snelling R. R., and J. T. Longino. 1992. Revisionary notes on the fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). Pp. 479-494 in: Quintero, D.; Aiello, A. (eds.) 1992. Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, xxii + 692 pp.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1905. The ants of the Bahamas, with a list of the known West Indian species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 21: 79-135.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1908. The ants of Jamaica. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 24: 159-163.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1917. Jamaican ants collected by Prof. C. T. Brues. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 61: 457-471.
 * Wheeler, William Morton. 1911. Additions to the Ant-Fauna of Jamaica. Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. 30:21-29.