Paraparatrechina subtilis

Little is known about the biology of . One collection of this species was made from coastal lowland rainforest.

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2010) - Metanotal area distinct, with raised metanotal spiracles; head and scapes with decumbent pubescence; cephalic pubescence longer lateroposteriorly.

Compare with: Paraparatrechina oreias. This is a light colored species that can be distinguished by the presence of short, decumbent pubescence on the head and scapes, an uncommon character state for Paraparatrechina species. P. umbranatis also has decumbent pubescence on the head and scapes (although the pubescence is not as long), but can easily be distinguished from P. subtilis by the dark gaster contrasting with the lighter head and mesosoma.

Key to Paraparatrechina of the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Gabon, Rwanda, Senegal.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  subtilis. Prenolepis (Nylanderia) subtilis Santschi, 1920g: 174 (w.) SENEGAL. Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Paraparatrechina: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 128. Senior synonym of termitophila: LaPolla, Cheng & Fisher, 2010: 13.
 * termitophila. Prenolepis (Nylanderia) subtilis st. termitophila Santschi, 1921c: 122 (w.) CAMEROUN. Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Paraparatrechina: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 128. Junior synonym of subtilis: LaPolla, Cheng & Fisher, 2010: 13.

Worker
LaPolla et al. (2010) - (n=10): TL: 1.45–1.65; HW: 0.37–0.42; HL: 0.46–0.50; EL: 0.08–0.11; SL: 0.43–0.48; PW: 0.27–0.29; WL: 0.49–0.54; PDH: 0.22–0.25; PrFL:0.35–0.39; PrFW: 0.1–0.11; GL: 0.46–0.7. Indices: CI: 77–87; REL: 17–22; SI: 110–122; FI: 25–32.

Head yellow to light brown; cuticular surface shining. Short, decumbent pubescence covers head, especially lateroposteriorly, where it is longer than remainder of head. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first funicular segment. Scapes covered in short, decumbent pubescence across their length. Mesosoma yellow to light brown and compact; fine pubescence covers entire mesosomal dorsum, although pubescence sparser on dorsal face of propodeum. Pronotum rises very steeply from anterior margin to dorsum. Mesonotal area distinct, with prominent mesonotal spiracles. Dorsal face of propodeum short, gently rounded, with longer declivitous face. Legs same color as remainder of the body; gaster yellow, covered in a dense layer of pubescence.

Type Material
LaPolla et al. (2010) - Holotype worker, SENEGAL: Casamance (C. Paveau) [examined].

Unfortunately, type specimens of P. subtilis termitophila could not be located for this study (they were not found in NHMB by curator Daniel Burckhardt, pers. comm.). Based on the written description by Santschi (1921) there seems to be little to distinguish it from P. subtilis, thus our placement as a synonym.