Oxyepoecus browni

O. browni is known from central and northeastern Brasil. Specimens have been collected in pitfall traps and in litter samples.

Identification
Albuquerque and Brandao (2004) - The exclusive character that separates workers of O. browni is the very modified shape of the dorsal face of the very convex propodeum.

Oxyepoecus striatus is most similar to ''O. browni''. See the identification section of Oxyepoecus striatus for characters that can separate these two species.

Key to Oxyepoecus species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Castes

 * Queen

Nomenclature

 *  browni. Oxyepoecus browni Albuquerque & Brandão, 2004: 60, figs. 1a-c (w.) BRAZIL. Ulysséa & Brandão, 2012: 172 (q.).

Worker
Holotype, paratype within brackets t.l.= 2.29 (2.62); h.l.= 0.57 (0.58); h.w.= 0.46 (0.49); s.l.= 0.31 (0.40); m.l.e.= 0.09 (0.10); m.w.pr.= 0.42 (0.41); a.l.= 0.63 (0.74); h.f.l.= 0.38 (0.49); m.w.p.= 0.25 (0.32); m.w.pp.= 0.31 (0.34); c.i. 81 (84). Color reddish ferruginous. Integument smooth and shining, with the following exceptions: some moderately coarse costulae between the frontal carinae, obliquely prolonged caudad, surpassing the level of the superior margins of the compound eyes where the costulae become faint to vestigial, not reaching the occiput; the two patches of costulae separated by a smooth stripe; genae with few longitudinal rugae that do not reach the inferior orbit of the compound eyes; promesonotum with superficial, fine, and longitudinal costulae on disc, specially near the shoulders, reaching the sides of mesonotum; dorsal face of the propodeum with 10-12 transverse well marked costulae; meso and metapleuron covered by longitudinal irregular costulae, the costulae prolonged over the metapleural gland region. Hairs moderately abundant, short to long, suberect on head, dorsum of mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster; subdecumbent hairs also present on head disc; most hairs inclined mesad dorsally on discs, forwards on the sides; decumbent on the mandibles.

Head; mandibles elongate with a broad and relatively shallow diastema between the basal and subbasal tooth. Anterior teeth of the clypeus directed inwards with lateral external lobe-like denticles. Frontal carinae gently convex over the antennal sockets, posteriorly and obliquely prolonged laterad, the maximum width between their outer edges always less than one fourth of the head width. Compound eyes with 5-7 facets r.g.d., which is less than the distance between the anterior orbit and the mandibular insertion; total number of ommatidia not exceeding 20. Antennal scape failing to reach the occipital corner by a distance less than the scape maximum thickness. Funicular segment I longer than II-IV combined, segments II-VII distinctly broader than long, VIII and IX as long as broad.

Mesosoma. Dorsal disc of pronotum elevated and marginate, with the dorsal surface separated from the sides by well marked angles. Margination continuous until the metanotal groove. Metanotal groove shallowly to not at all impressed; distinct by a break in the sculpture before the transverse costulae of the propodeum (d.v.). Dorsal face of the propodeum immarginate on sides, curved and convex as seen from the side; posteriorly with two obliquely pointed and very small teeth. Small declivous face well marginate and carinate laterally.

Petiole, node high and convex, antero-posteriorly compressed and laterally expanded in a scalelike fashion (d.v.); subpetiolar process with the shape of a sinoidal curve in profile, in the form of a shallow sagital keel, with an anterior small blunt tooth pointing obliquely forwards (p.v.). The postpetiole is broad, a little broader than the petiole (d.v.); subpostpetiolar process in the shape of two parallel crests which when seen from the side appear as distinct swellings, with the two crests of equivalent size.

Queen
Ulysséa & Brandão (2012) - (dealate, N = 2): c.t. = 2.56‑2.57, l.c. = 0.48‑0.47, c.c. = 0.50‑0.52, c.o. = 0.16‑0.16, c.e. = 0.34‑0.34, c.m. = 0.16‑0.14, w.l. = 0.78‑0.78, m.w.pr. = 0.41‑0.41, m.w.p. = 0.27‑0.23, m.w.p.p. = 0.33‑0.31, h.f.l. = 0.41‑0.41, c.i. = 96‑90.38.

Resembling the con-specific worker with the modifications appropriate to the caste. Body color dark brown; mandibles, antennae, legs and posterior extremity of gaster yellowish. Integument, when observed under the stereomicroscope, smooth and shining, with the exceptions of frontal carinae with has regular and sub-parallel longitudinal costulae reaching the ocelli; these carinae diverge posteriorly separated by a smooth median region; genae with few longitudinal rugae that reaches the inferior margin of the compound eyes; promesonotum with superficial, fine and longitudinal costulae; scutellum with few fine and longitudinal rugae; propodeum with well marked transversal costulae, regularly and sub-parallel; metapleuron covered by longitudinal irregular costulae, the costulae prolonged over the metapleural gland region.

Hairs moderately abundant, long, suberect to subdecumbent with varied orientation on head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster; antennae and legs with short and decumbent hairs.

Head with relatively elongate mandibles, basal tooth not separated from the sub-basal by a broad or a relatively shallow diastema; frontal carinae gently convex over the antennal sockets, short and not surpassing the level of the superior margins of the compound eyes, prolonged posteriorly but diverging caudad – the maximum width between their outer edges always less than one fourth of the head width; compound eyes with about 11‑13 ommatidia in a row across the greatest diameter, length of compound eyes bigger than those of the workers, greater than the distance between the inferior margin of compound eye and the mandibular insertion; the three ocelli with similar size, their diameter equal to minimum antennal scape width; funicular segment I longer than II‑V together, segments II‑VIII combined, distinctly broader than long and segments IX and X longer than broad.

Mesosoma with promesonotum marginated laterally; scutum shining; propodeum with a well marked angle between the dorsal and slope faces in lateral view.

Petiolar node higher than that of the postpetiolar node, compressed antero-posteriorly and little expanded laterally; in lateral view, subpetiolar process with the shape of a sinusoid curve, with an expansion in the anterior extremity similar to a keel. Postpetiolar node broader than long, compressed antero-posteriorly and with a conspicuous subpostpetiolar process.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Brasil: Minas Gerais: Atalaia [18°03’S 41°06’W], 27.i.[19]94, I[van] Cardoso col., deposited in (coated with gold for SEM examination). Paratype: same data as holotype, deposited in (coated with gold for SEM examination).

Etymology
In memory of the late myrmecologist William (Bill) L. Brown Jr.