Acanthomyrmex luciolae

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Moffett (1986) - Minor workers with posterior margin of head deeply concave; head of majors with conspicuous rugae. Propodeal spines long, slender, directed upwards rather than strongly caudad, and lacking a conspicuously thickened base; node of petiole without two long lateral spines. From Sri Lanka.

Several of the Wilson specimens have longer (up to 0.25 mm) pilosity on the head and relatively hairy pronotal spines; also some specimens lack the tibial spur usually present on the middle and hind legs of Acanthomyrmex ants. PWI 57 to 76. Most of these ants are darker and more red than syntypes.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Sri Lanka. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  luciolae. Acanthomyrmex luciolae Emery, 1893a: cclxxvi (s.w.) SRI LANKA. [Also described as new by Emery, 1893f: 245.] See also: Moffett, 1986c: 76.

Worker
Moffett (1986) - Minor. The two minor worker syntypes measure HW 1.10 to 1.11, HL 0.95 (CI 116 to 117), ML 0.79 to 0.83 (MI 83 to 87), SL 1.10 to 1.11 (SI 100), EL 0.22 to 0.23, HFL 1.21 to 1.26 (FLl 128 to 132; FWI 24) mm. When viewed in full-face, head strongly concave across posterior margin, and with moderately convex lateral margins. Maximum head width virtually the same above and below the level of the eyes. Head with rounded foveae having thick walls, except walls of foveae bordering on scrobes and on vertex are thinner, more like those of Acanthomyrmex ferox; dorsally longest hairs extend about 0.18 mm. Clypeal index 111 and 113. Feeble lobe present on each side of medial clypeal hair; lateral clypeal hairs often in an enclosed fovea, although walls of fovea sometimes incomplete. A well-developed ruga extends back from each of these medial clypeal lobes, as described for Acanthomyrmex crassispinus. Mandibles lacking a ventral tooth.

Spines on trunk exceptionally long; pronotal spines straight and propodeal spines somewhat longer, slender and elegantly curved. Pronotal spines with one to three conspicuous hairs. Pronotal angle not forming a feeble tooth. Propodeal declivity bordered on each side by two adjacent rugae, as described for Acanthomyrmex basispinosus.

Petiole as in figure PWI intermediate (67 to 70). Anterior peduncle of petiole long and narrow, with lateral hairs present, but sublateral hairs lacking; subpetiolar declivity present. Postpetiole much as described for A. crassispina, except hairier, and dorsum raised into a low node anteriorly, rather than evenly rounded in profile. Femora hairy, and with ventral surfaces only feebly concave. Color light orange yellow, legs yellow.

Major. Syntype measures HW 1.80, HL 1.83 (CI 98), SL 1.03 (SI 57), EL 0.26, HFL 1.26 (FLl 69; FWI 22) mm. Head sculpture as described for A. ferox, but costate sculpture on frons extending relatively farther back towards vertex, and foveae relatively feebler on sides of head. Without a distinct cephalic hollow. No darkly pigmented medial streak dorsad on head; wide medial sulcus conspicuous, low on face. Forward margin of clypeus without a medial projection. However, two feeble lobes are present, each with a single notch along their margins. Propodeal spine relatively short and virtually straight, in contrast to condition in the minor worker. Subpetiolar declivity lacking (although present in minor caste). Head and gaster a deeper orange than in minors.

Type Material
Moffett (1986) - Sri Lanka: Kandy, two minor workers and one major (E. Simon, and  [examined]).