Cataulacus catuvolcus

Cataulacus catuvolcus forms small colonies of less than 100 workers. Their nests are formed within small dead twigs (Maschwitz and Moog 2000).

Identification
Bolton (1974) - The species belongs to the small complex in the taprobanae-group centering on reticulatus, It is distinguishable from Cataulacus reticulatus and its immediate allies by the combined presence of a sharp occipital crest which is not raised medially, a marginate first gastral tergite, and by the form of the sculpturation upon the dorsal alitrunk.

Distribution
The type-series is from Romblon Is, but it seems that the species is also present upon Luzon as a damaged male from Benguet, Luzon Is. collected by C. F. Baker is almost certainly referable to this species.

This taxon was described from Philippines.

Nomenclature

 *  catuvolcus. Cataulacus catuvolcus Bolton, 1974a: 74, figs. 4, 37 (w.q.m.) PHILIPPINES.

Worker
Holotype. TL 4.8, HL 1.12, HW 1.32, CI 118, EL 0.44, OI 33, IOD 1.04, SL 0.60, SI 45, PW 1.10, AL 1.20, MTL 0.64.

Occipital crest well developed, sharp, not denticulate, shallowly concave. Sides of head behind eyes weakly denticulate, terminating at the occipital corner in a small, triangular tooth. Margins of frontal carinae sinuate, not jagged nor denticulate, the preocular tooth low and very broad. Lateral margins of pronotum uneven, not denticulate but with four or five small prominences which give the margin a minutely wavy appearance. Margins of mesonotum unarmed, with a narrow but conspicuous notch between the mesonotum and propodeum which gives the latter a short, free anterior face on each side. Sides of propodeum and outer margins of the spines with a few small prominences, the spines themselves long, broad basally and tapering to an acute apex. Petiole subconical in profile, the anterior face sloping steeply backwards and meeting the confluent, sloping dorsal and posterior face in an acute angle. This angle is visible as a weak transverse ridge in dorsal view, with a short and steeply sloping face in front and a longer and more gradually sloping face behind. Sides of first gastral tergite marginate throughout their length.

Head and body everywhere finely and densely reticulate-punctate, this sculpturation overlying any rugation which is present. Dorsum of head with a fine, rather loose rugoreticulum, faint traces of which also occur on the pronotal dorsum. The remainder of the dorsal alitrunk is equipped with numerous low, rounded, regular and virtually parallel longituuinal rugae which do not extend onto the propodeal declivity. Dorsum of first gastral tergite with numerous short, faint longitudinal rugulae, more obvious towards the sides of the sclerite than on the disc.

Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk without erect hairs, but the margins of the frontal carinae and of the head behind the eyes support a row of laterally projecting, short hairs. Lateral margins of alitrunk with a few short, very small hairs. Dorsal surfaces of legs, postpetiole and posterior half of first gastral tergite 'with erect hairs, often minute.

Paratypes. TL 4.2 – 4.8, HL 1.06 – 1.14, HW 1.26 – 1.32, CI 114 - 119, EL 0.42 – 0.46, OI 33 - 35, IOD 0.98 – 1.04, SL 0.54 – 0.60, SI 43 - 45, PW 0.98 – 1.10, AL 1.16 – 1.22, MTL 0.58 – 0.64 (7 measured).

As holotype but with the pronotal sculpturation somewhat variable. In most the rugoreticulum is more or less distinct, but the cross-meshes may be effaced or partially effaced, leaving the sclerite longitudinally sculptured as the remainder of the dorsal alitrunk. In many specimens the longitudinal rugae of the dorsum tend to continue for a short distance onto the propodeal declivity.

Queen
Paratypes. TL 5.1 – 6.0, HL 1.12 – 1.24, HW 1.30 – 1.40, CI 113 - 116, EL 0.44 – 0.48, OI 32 - 34, IOD 1.04 – 1.10, SL 0.56 – 0.60, SI 42 - 43, PW 1.18 – 1.30, AL 1.46 – 1.60, MTL 0.68 – 0.70 (3 measured).

As worker but denticulation of sides of head further reduced. Pronotum and propodeum constructed much as in worker but the spines of the latter proportionately shorter and broader. Lateral margination of the first gastral tergite absent or with the side portions of the sclerite meeting the dorsum in an obtuse angle. Sculpturation of head as in worker, pronotum longitudinally rugose with some reticulation at the sides. Mesoscutum with a faint, regular, more or less parallel longitudinal rugulation. The rest of the alitrunk similarly but more coarsely sculptured, usually with some weak cross-meshes on the scutellum and with the rugae diverging on the propodeum.

Male
Paratypes. TL ca 5.1, HL 0.84 – 0.90, HW 1.06 – 1.10, CI 118 - 130, EL 0.40 – 0.42, OI 36 - 40, IOD 0.82 – 0.88, SL 0.50 – 0.52, SI ca 47, PW 0.90 – 0.98, AL 1.36 – 1.50, MTL 0.66 – 0.70 (2 measured).

Occipital crest sharp and distinct, unarmed. Sides of head behind eyes denticulate, the occipital corners with a small tooth. Frontal groove visible as a polished strip of cuticle, not reaching the median ocellus. Sides of pronotum and propodeum irregular but without denticles; propodeal spines strongly developed, broad and acute. Notauli almost or quite absent. In the larger specimen the path of the anterior arms is visible, but in the smaller only a very weak indentation marks their former position; the posterior arm is not developed. Sides of first gastral tergite marginate for about two thirds of their length, the margination most distinct anteriorly, gradually fading out behind. Sculpturation of dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk a fine rugoreticulum with punctate interspaces, the rugae tending to have a longitudinal direction on the scutum. Gaster and the strongly sclerotized apical portions of the parameres finely reticulate-punctate.

Type Material
Holotype worker, PHILIPPINES: Romblon Island, 2.V.1924 (J. W. Chapman) (MCZ, Boston).

Paratypes. 8 workers, 3 alate females (one with gaster missing) and 2 males, with same data as holotype (MCZ, Boston; BMNH).

Additional References

 * [[Media:Bolton 1974a.pdf|Bolton, B. 1974a. A revision of the Palaeotropical arboreal ant genus Cataulacus F. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 30: 1-105 PDF]]


 * Maschwitz U. and Moog J, 2000. Communal peeing: a new mode of flood control in ants. Naturwissenschaften. 87(12):563-565.