Dilobocondyla fouqueti

Dilobocondyla fouqueti is distributed in Vietnam and China. All recent Hong Kong records are from mature patches of lowland forest. The species is uncommon, with only a handful of records from well-surveyed areas, and is at least partly arboreal (Bharti & Kumar, 2013).

Identification
There is noticeable colour variation in D. fouqueti and worker length is quite variable, ranging from 4.5 to 7.04 mm. (Bharti and Kumar 2013)

The species can be distinguished from other species of Dilobocondyla by the imperceptible hexagonal micro-reticulations. Its micro-reticulations on gasteral dorsum are also much more subtiler than other species, which can be easily observed (Chen, Li & Zhou, 2019).

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

Nomenclature

 *  fouqueti. Dilobocondyla fouqueti Santschi, 1910h: 283 (w.) VIETNAM. Bharti & Kumar, 2013: 40 (q.m.). Senior synonym of lighti: Wang & Wu, 1992b: 562.
 * lighti. Dilobocondyla fouqueti var. lighti Wheeler, W.M. 1927d: 6 (w.) CHINA. Junior synonym of fouqueti: Wang & Wu 1992b: 562.

Worker
Bharti and Kumar (2013) - HL 1.30-1.51; HW 1.33-1.51; ED 0.30-0.33; SL 0.80-0.95; MFC 0.62-0.73; PRNW 0.95-1.11; ML 1.90-2.37; PTL 0.68-0.79; PTW 0.28-0.37; PTH 0.31-0.37; PPTL 0.51-0.62; PPTW 0.40-0.50; PPTH 0.37-0.47; GL 1.44-1.75; CI 100.00-102.31; SI 60.15-63.70; PTWI 41.18-46.83; PPTWI 77.42-80.65; TL 5.83-7.04 (4 measured)

Head as long as broad, slightly broader posteriorly than in front, sides barely convex, posterior head margin with broad emargination; posterior corners blunt; mandibles with 6 teeth, masticatory margin of mandibles with large apical, preapical and basal tooth; clypeus flat, anterior border emarginate with a clear notch in the middle, sinuate at the corners; frontal area indistinct; antennae slender, 12-segmented with distinct 3-segmented club; scape slender, curved at the base, reaching up to 3/4 of head length; eyes large, placed at midlength of the head; mesosoma not broader than head; pro-mesonotal dorsum weakly convex, pro-mesonotal suture indistinct; pronotum broader than long, its anterior lateral angles acute; metanotal groove broad, shallow; dorsal face of propodeum gradually slanting towards declivity, basal part longer than declivitous part, propodeal lobes rounded; petiole elongate, length more than twice its width, with parallel sides, arcuate in profile, with a strong antero-ventral tooth; postpetiole longer than broad, posterior part broader than anterior part and forming a node; gaster broadly oval in dorsal view; legs with femora strongly incrassate and tibiae slightly thickened.

Head longitudinally rugose up to vertex, behind which more rugoreticulate, with 12 strong rugae between frontal carinae at the level of eyes; interrugal space punctured and shiny; frontal carinae divergent, long, prominent, continuing to posterior corners of the head; antennal scrobes deep; mandibles longitudinally costulate and rugulose, interrugal space smooth and shiny; clypeus with tiny rugulae posteriorly, shiny, with strong median and a pair of lateral carinae; sides of the head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole strongly rugoreticulate; anepisternum and metapleuron smooth and shiny, katepisternum rugoreticulate; propodeal declivity smooth and shiny; gaster smooth and shiny with the basal part of the first segment longitudinally striate; legs shiny, coxae punctured with transverse rugulae on fore coxae, femora smooth and tibiae finely longitudinally striate.

Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole castaneous; head and gaster blackish brown, scape and legs yellowish brown; whole body covered with abundant, long, obtuse, whitish pilosity.

Queen
Bharti and Kumar (2013) - HL 1.53-1.59; HW 1.51-1.57; ED 0.33-0.35; SL 0.91-0.97; MFC 0.71; PRNW 1.28-1.33; ML 2.59-2.66; PTL 0.84-0.93; PTW 0.40-0.42; PTH 0.40; PPTL 0.70-0.73; PPTW 0.55-0.57; PPTH 0.50-0.51; GL 1.62-2.29; CI 98.74-98.69; SI 60.26-61.78; PTWI 45.16-47.62; PPTWI 75.34-81.43; TL 7.28-8.20 (2 measured)

Similar to worker except head slightly longer than broad, with three ocelli; mesonotum, katepisternum and scutellum longitudinally rugose while pronotum, anepisternum and metapleuron rugoreticulate; gaster yellowish brown except 1st and 2nd segment blackish brown.

Male
Bharti and Kumar (2013) - HL 1.06; HW 1.28; ED 0.39; SL 0.24; PRNW 1.04; ML 2.35; PTL 1.00; PTW 0.35; PTH 0.35; PPTL 0.86; PPTW 0.44; PPTH 0.46; GL 2.80; CI 120.75; SI 18.75; PTWI 35.00; PPTWI 51.16; TL 8.07 (1 measured)

Head much broader than long, sides convex, posterior head margin barely emarginate, with three ocelli; mandibles with well developed pointed teeth; clypeus convex, anterior margin rounded and entire; frontal area distinct, triangular; antennae 13-segmented, longer and without distinct club, funicular segments cylindrical and longer than broad; scape longer than 2nd segment but shorter than the rest of the segments; antennal scrobes deep; eyes large, convex and slightly below midlength of head; pronotum not broader than head, its anterior lateral angles acute; scutum broader than pronotum and divided into three plates, scutellum somewhat rounded; dorsal face of propodeum flat and vertical; petiole longer, almost 2.9 times its width, with small blunt antero-ventral tooth; gaster convex, elongate; femora and tarsi less incrassate than in workers.

Head and mesosoma longitudinally rugoreticulate and spaces between them punctured and shiny; mandibles, clypeus and frontal area longitudinally rugose; frontal carinae short and not continuing to the posterior corners of the head; petiole and postpetiole faintly reticulate; gaster smooth; legs finely punctured and shiny; wings transparent.

Head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and coxae blackish; antennae, legs and gaster yellowish brown; body covered with long erect and subdecumbent hairs except antennae, 1st gastral tergite, coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae with short suberect hairs.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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