Brachymyrmex degener

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Brachymyrmex degener morphologically resembles Brachymyrmex coactus as both species have scapes that surpass the posterior margin of the head, they have faint sculpture on the mesosoma, a mesonotum that is inflated and that bulges dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view, a wide metanotal groove, metathoracic spiracles that are slightly protruding dorsally, and their gasters have sparse pubescence. However, B. degener has a uniformly brownish body, whereas the gaster is conspicuously darker than the rest of the body in B. coactus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia , French Guiana, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago.

Nomenclature

 * . Brachymyrmex coactus subsp. degener Emery, 1906c: 177 (w.) BRAZIL (Mato Grosso).
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1923b: 670; Emery, 1925b: 42; Borgmeier, 1927c: 141; Kempf, 1972a: 38; Bolton, 1995b: 82; Fernández & Ortiz-Sepúlveda, 2019: 728; Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of incisus: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.
 * Senior synonym of luederwaldti: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.
 * Senior synonym of niger: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.
 * incisus. Brachymyrmex incisus Forel, 1912i: 63 (w.m.) COLOMBIA, BRAZIL (Bahia).
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1923b: 672; Emery, 1925b: 42; Borgmeier, 1927c: 141; Kempf, 1972a: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 82.
 * Junior synonym of degener: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.
 * luederwaldti. Brachymyrmex luederwaldti Santschi, 1923b: 672, figs. 36, 66 (w.) BRAZIL (São Paulo).
 * [Misspelled as leuderwaldti by Wild, 2007b: 27.]
 * Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 43; Borgmeier, 1927c: 142; Kempf, 1972a: 40; Bolton, 1995b: 82; Wild, 2007b: 27.
 * Junior synonym of degener: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.
 * niger. Brachymyrmex admotus r. niger Forel, 1912i: 62 (w.) BRAZIL (Ceará).
 * [Brachymyrmex admotus r. niger Forel, 1908e: 63. Nomen nudum.]
 * Subspecies of degener: Santschi, 1923b: 671; Emery, 1925b: 42; Borgmeier, 1927c: 141; Kempf, 1972a: 38; Bolton, 1995b: 82.
 * Junior synonym of degener: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 488.

Worker
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype and paralectotypes (n = 3). HL1 0.51–0.55; HL2 0.35–0.41; HL3 0.16; HW 0.49–0.55; SL 0.37–0.53; EL 0.12–0.14; WL 0.55–0.68; PnL 0.16–0.20; PnW 0.31–0.37; ML 0.12–0.16; MW 0.20–0.23; Indices CI 96.15–100.00; SI1 76.00–96.43; SI2 105.56–135.00; OI1 21.43–25.93; OI2 28.57–30.77. Additional material (n = 24). HL1 0.53–0.70; HL2 0.29–0.49; HL3 0.12–0.20; HW 0.51–0.73; SL 0.55–0.68; EL 0.12–0.20; WL 0.60–0.79; PnL 0.14–0.23; PnW 0.33–0.50; ML 0.12–0.21; MW 0.20– 0.31; Indices CI 87.50–112.50; SI182.22–117.86; SI2137.04– 233.33; OI1 20.00–30.30; OI2 22.22–33.33.

Head. Slightly longer than wide in full face view; posterior cephalic margin slightly concave. Dorsum of the head has scattered appressed hairs. Clypeus with a rounded anterior margin and five long, erect hairs of which a single, usually conspicuous hair is near the anterior margin, two hairs are in mediolateral position, and two more near the toruli; other hairs on the clypeus are markedly shorter and appressed or decumbent. Toruli surpassing the posterior clypeal margin in oblique anterodorsal view. The scapes surpass the posterior cephalic margin by a length smaller or equal to the maximal diameter of the eye, and they bear appressed and decumbent hairs. Three ocelli are present. The eyes are positioned on the cephalic midline and have 8–14 ommatidia along their maximal diameter.

Mesosoma. Typically with two erect hairs on the pronotum and two on the mesonotum; sometimes with additional suberect hairs, mainly on the pronotum. The mesonotum is inflated and bulges dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view. Metanotal groove wider than the diameter of the metathoracic spiracles. Metathoracic spiracles in dorsolateral position, slightly protruding, and not touching any sutures. Dorsum of the propodeum strongly convex and shorter than the posterior slope. Propodeal spiracles conspicuous and circular, positioned on the propodeal margin or just dorsal of it, at the anterior margin of the propodeal slope. Legs with appressed hairs. Petiole short and inclined forward.

Gaster. With scattered pubescence and several scattered long erect hairs.

Color and sculpture. Body shiny and uniformly brownish in color. Head and gaster smooth whereas the dorsum of the mesosoma usually bears imbricate sculpture.

Type Material
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype worker (: USNMENT00757208) and paralectotype workers (: USNMENT 00757207, : M.C.Z. Cotype 01435; here designated): four workers [examined]. BRAZIL: Matto Grosso: Cuiaba.

The lectotype of B. degener is the top specimen on pin USNMENT00758155, whereas the others on that pin are paralectotypes.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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