Rogeria prominula

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Identification
Kugler (1994) - stigmatica species group. WL 0.78mm. Basal angle of mandibles greatly reduced. Body of clypeus projects strongly over the truncate clypeal apron. Frontal region elevated and laterodorsa slightly concave. Eyes very small. Metapleural lobes and metapleural gland bulla reduced. Body almost devoid of erect hair.

This is perhaps the most aberrant Rogeria species, with its unusual head shape and pilosity. But it has the characteristic Rogeria antennae, nuchal grooves and square anteroventral corners of the pronotum. It has affinities with Rogeria ciliosa, Rogeria gibba, and Rogeria stigmatica, as described in the stigmatica-group discussion.

Distribution
Brazil and Guyana

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Castes
Only known from workers.

Nomenclature

 *  prominula. Rogeria prominula Kugler, C. 1994: 35, fig. 14 (w.) BRAZIL.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.88, HL 0.66, HW 0.56, SL 0.51, EL 0.05 (4 facets), PW 0.435, WL 0.78, SpL 0.15, PetL 0.30, PpetL 0.19mm, CI 0.85, OI 0.09, SI 0.91, PSI 0.19.

Mandibles with 5 teeth, basal angle greatly reduced (Fig. 14). Frontal lobes wide, closely approximated. Eyes small, round, sunken; facets indistinct. Nuchal groove visible laterally as a distinct notch. Pronotal shoulders well rounded. Dorsal face of propodeum wide, weakly concave. Propodeal spiracle about 2 diameters from edge of infradental lamella. Metapleural lobes reduced to low carinae. Metapleural gland bulla small. Petiolar node large, wider than long. Petiolar peduncle short, with weak keel and small, dentate inferior process. Postpetiole sub rectangular in dorsal view. Postpetiolar sternum projects shelflike under articulation with petiole. GW/WL 0.84. Terminal segments of gaster not rotated ventrad. Shaft of undissected sting slender, with slightly enlarged apex; lancets acute and appear strong.

Mandibles strongly carinulate for most of length. Frontal area impressed, smooth. Median head longitudinally rugose-areolate. Cheeks near antennal insertions microareolate. Laterodorsa, sides and posterior head densely macroareolate; cells small, u sually obscuring the effaced microareolate background. Promesonotal dorsum with same areolate sculpture as on back and sides of head. Mesosoma sides strongly microareolate and macroareolate; in different places one or the other predominates. Scrobiculate sculpture in mesosoma sutures. Dorsal face of propodeum distinctly microareolate, with branching rugulae crossing between propodeal spines. Peduncle and anterior face of petiole as well as sterna of petiole and postpetiole microareolate; rest of petiole and postpetiole macroareolate, somewhat effaced mesad. Gaster T1 densely covered with piligerous punctures; punctures weaker caudad. Other terga smooth except for vaguely roughened posterior margins.

Most of body covered with very fine, appressed pilosity. Sparse erect hairs on clypeus, frontal lobes and nearby head middorsum. A few short, decumbent hairs on mesosoma dorsum; dense erect hairs on terminal segments of gaster. No pilosity on ventral petiole.

Type Material
Holotype locality. BRAZIL: Amazonas;-Ig. Marianil, Rio Branco Road, 24km NE Manaus, 22-VIII-1962, #M-2 (W. L. Brown).

Etymology
The name prominula, meaning little prominence, describes the body of the clypeus.

Additional References

 * LaPolla, J. S. and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2006. Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana. Zootaxa. 1330:59-68.