Proceratium nujiangense

The types were found on a forested slope in a river valley. Nothing else is known about the biology of .

Identification
This new species is close to Proceratium itoi, but posterodorsal corner of propodeum extrudent and bluntly angled, dorsum of body without erect hairs.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  nujiangense. Proceratium nujiangense Xu, 2006: 153, figs. 8  13 (w.q.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype. (Figs. 8-10). TL 2.5, HL 0.62, HW 0.55, CI 89, SL 0.35, SI 64, ML 0.30, ED 0.02, PW 0.38, AL 0.70, PL 0.22, PH 0.25, DPW 0.27. Head nearly square, slightly longer than broad. In full face view, occipital margin straight, occipital corners roundly prominent, lateral sides of head moderately convex. Masticatory margins of mandibles with 4 teeth, which reduced in size from apex to base. Anterior margin of clypeus with a narrow acute central projection. Antennae with 12 segments. Apices of scapes reach to 3/5 of the distance from antennal socket to occipital corner. Eyes minute, with 1 facet. In profile view, dorsum of alitrunk complete and straight, pronotum and propodeum convex, promesonotal suture and metanotal groove vanished on dorsal face. Posterodorsal corner of propodeum extrudent and bluntly angled. Lateral lobes of propodeum rounded. Petiolar node nearly triangular, anterior face long, straight and slope-like, dorsal face roundly convex, posterior face short and straight. Subpetiolar process short and small, nearly triangular. Constriction be narrow. Second gastral segment very large, gastral segments 3-5 small. Sting extrudent.

Mandibles coarsely and longitudinally striate. Head, alitrunk, petiole and gaster densely and finely punctate, dull. The whole body with dense decumbent short pubescence, dorsal face of body without erect hairs. Mandibles, anterior margin of clypeus and ventral face of body with sparse erect hairs. The whole body brown. Eyes grey. Terminal segment of antenna brownish yellow.

Paratype. Measurements in order minimum to maximum, arithmetic means in parentheses. TL 2.4-2.8 (2.5), HL 0.62-0.68 (0.64), HW 0.53-0.62 (0.56), CI 86-90 (87), SL 0.33-0.38 (0.35), SI 61-66 (63), ML 0.30-0.37 (0.32), ED 0.02 (0.02), PW 0.37-0.43 (0.40), AL 0.70-0.80 (0.74), PL 0.23-0.28 (0.26), PH 0.23-0.30 (0.26), DPW 0.25-0.30 (0.26) (7 individuals measured).

Queen
Paratypes. (Figs. 11-13). Measurements in order minimum to maximum, arithmetic means in parentheses. TL 3.1-3.3 (3.2), HL 0.70-0.72 (0.70) HW 0.62-0.63 (0.62), CI 86-90 (88), SL 0.37-0.40 (0.39), SI 58-65 (63), ML 0.33-0.37 (0.35), ED 0.12-0.15 (0.14), PW 0.47-0.52 (0.49), AL 0.97-1.03 (0.99), PL 0.30-0.33 (0.32), PH 0.30-0.32 (0.31), DPW 0.30-0.32 (0.31) (10 individuals measured). Similar to holotype, but body much larger. Eyes normal, vertex with 3 ocelli. Alitrunk thick and massive. Posterior margin of pronotum deeply emarginate. Anterior scutum of mesonotum very large, lateral scutum small and triangular, scutellum fan-like. Both mesonotum and metanotum with pteralia, lateral side with a distinct oblique furrow. Posterodorsal corner of propodeum bluntly angled. Body brown. Eyes, ocellar area and pteralia black.

Type Material
Holotype. China: Yunnan Province, Baoshan City, Lujiang Town, Bawan, Pinus yunnanensis forest on east slope of Nujiang River Valley, 1500 m, 11.VIII.1998, leg. Qizhen Long, No. A98-1964. Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 3 workers and 1 gyne; same data as holotype but No. A98-1995, 1 worker; same data as holotype but No. A98-1997, 9 gynes; same data as holotype but No. A98-2010, 1 worker; same data as holotype but No. A98-2016, 1 worker; same data as holotype but No. A98-2029, 1 worker.

Etymology
The new species is named after the big river Nujiang, also called Thanlwin. In the valley of the river the new species was discovered.