Protanilla gengma

The types of this species were collected from a soil sample in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest in China while a second collection from India was made in a shaded spot with about 70% canopy cover within a tropical wet evergreen forest, using a Winkler extractor from sifted leaf litter (Aswaj et al., 2020).

Identification
This new species is close to Protanilla bicolor, but in full face view, anterior 1/2 of the head distinctly narrowed forward; in profile view, anterodorsal corner of petiolar node rounded; head light black to blackish brown; body large with TL 4.1-4.5 mm. (Xu 2012)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China, India.

Nomenclature

 *  gengma. Protanilla gengma Xu, 2012: 485, figs. 13-16 (w.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype: TL 4.1, HL 0.73, HW 0.60, CI 83, SL 0.68, SI 113, ML 0.43, PW 0.48, AL 1.20, PNL 0.38, PNH 0.48, PNW 0.26, PPNL 0.35, PPNH 0.48, PPNW 0.28.

In full face view, head longer than broad, anterior 1/2 of the head distinctly narrowed forward. Lateral sides evenly convex, anterolateral corners of head prominent and tooth-like. Occipital margin weakly concave, occipital corners rounded. Mandibles elongate and down-curved apically, dorsolateral surface without a longitudinal groove, basal corners roundly prominent, masticatory margin with about 21 peg-like teeth. Clypeus nearly trapezoidal, anterior margin evenly concave. Apex of labrum roundly convex, with 4 peg-like teeth. Antennae 12-segmented, apices of scapes surpassed occipital corners by about 1/6 of its length, flagella segments 4-9 about as broad as long.

In profile view, dorsum of pronotum nearly straight. Promesonotal suture complete but not depressed. Dorsum of mesonotum straight, slope down backward. Metanotal groove moderately notched. Dorsum of propodeum slightly convex, weakly slope down backward, posterodorsal corner evenly convex; declivity weakly convex, about 1/2 length of the dorsum. Petiolar node nearly trapezoidal, anterior and posterior faces nearly straight, dorsal face roundly convex; anterodorsal corner slightly higher the posterodorsal corner, both are rounded. Ventral face of petiole roundly convex, anteroventral corner roundly extruding, with a circular semitransparent fenestra; posteroventral corner acutely angled. Postpetiolar node strongly inclined forward, with dorsum roundly convex, anterodorsal corner bluntly prominent, anterior face straight; ventral face roundly convex, anteroventral corner bluntly angled. Sting strong and extruding.

In dorsal view, mesonotum strongly constricted. Petiolar node nearly rectangular, longer than broad, length : width = 1.4:1, lateral sides evenly convex, anterior face nearly straight, posterior face roundly convex. Postpetiolar node trapezoidal and widened backward, longer than broad, length : width = 1.3:1; lateral sides weakly convex, anterior face roundly convex, posterior face nearly straight. Anterior margin of gaster straight.

Mandibles sparsely finely punctured. Head and body smooth and shining. Dorsa of head and gaster with abundant erect to suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Alitrunk, petiole, and postpetiole with sparse erect to suberect hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence. Scapes and tibiae with abundant suberect to subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Mouthparts with abundant longer hairs, apex of mandible with a stout long hair. Head light black. Mandibles, antennae, prothorax, legs, and gastral segments 2-4 yellowish brown. Mesothorax, metathorax, propodeum, petiole, postpetiole, and first gastral segment black.

Paratype: TL 4.1-4.5, HL 0.70-0.78, HW 0.60-0.65, CI 83-87, SL 0.65-0.73, SI 104-113, ML 0.43-0.48, PW 0.48-0.51, AL 1.18-1.30, PNL 0.35-0.38, PNH 0.48-0.50, PNW 0.26-0.29, PPNL 0.33-0.35, PPNH 0.48-0.51, PPNW 0.28-0.30 (6 individuals measured.). As holotype, but head light black to blackish brown.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, China: Yunnan Province, Gengma County, Mengding Town, Nantianmen, 1760m, collected from a soil sample in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, 2011.III.10, Hai-Bin Li leg., No. A11-29.

Paratypes: 6 workers, with the same data as holotype.

Etymology
The new species is named after the type locality “Gengma”.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Song Y., Z. Xu, C. Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F. Mo. 2013. An Analysis on the Ant Fauna of the Nangun river Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Xu Z.-H. 2012. Furcotanilla, a new genus of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae from China with descriptions of two new species of Protanilla and P. rafflesi Taylor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 59: 477-491.