Discothyrea kamiteta

Discothyrea kamiteta has been collected from leaf litter in various habitats, such as primary forest, limestone forest, secondary forest and broad-leaved forest (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Kubota and Terayama (1999) - Total length of workers slightly greater than 2 mm. Body color reddish brown. Mandible covered by the protruding clypeal shelf. Antenna 9-segmented. Eye large, prominently protruding. Mesosoma 1.45 times as long as high in profile. Gastral tergites with distinct punctures that are moderately spaced.

This species similar to Discothyrea sauteri, but a little larger, antenna 9-segmented, eye large and prominently protruding, mesosoma shorter and higher than in sauteri, punctures on gastral tergites deeper and more distinct, and spaces between punctures wider.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

Nomenclature

 * . Discothyrea kamiteta Kubota & Terayama, 1999: 2, figs. 1-3 (w.) JAPAN (Ryukyu Is).
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 19 paratype workers.
 * Type-locality: holotype Japan: Okinawa Pref., Okinawa-jima, Onna-son, Yamada, 20.viii.1994 (M. Terayama); paratypes with same data.
 * Type-depository: MNHA.
 * Status as species: Imai, et al. 2003: 217; Xu, et al. 2014a: 35 (in key); Bharti, Akbar & Singh, 2015: 123 (in key); Liu, C., Guénard, et al. 2015: 33.
 * Distribution: China, Japan.

Worker
Holotype: Head length 0.80 mm; head width 0.71 mm; scape length 0.50 mm; WEBER's length of mesosoma 0.80 mm; petiole height 0.38 mm; petiolar node length 0.23 mm; dorsal petiole width 0.70 mm; total body length 2.3 mm. Head wider than long, 1.13 times as long as wide, with straight posterior margin. Mandible covered by the protruding clypeal shelf. Anterior margin of clypeal lobe straight. Antenna 9-segmented; scape 2.9 times as long as maximum width, basal 1/3 very weakly angulate; 2nd segment slightly wider than long; 3rd to 8th segments each distinctly wider than long; terminal segment large, 2.0 times as long as wide. Median lobe broadest at midlength, forming lateral dull angle; maximum width 3.3 times its width of anterior end, and 2.0 times its width of posterior end; posterior end of median lobe opened. Eye large, prominently protruding, with hairs. Mesosoma high and short, 1.45 times as long as high, with relatively weakly convex dorsum in profile; posterodorsal corner of propodeum forming an obtuse angle. Petiole high, 1.7 times as long as high, with strongly convex dorsal margin in profile; node in dorsal view rectangular, 0.5 times as long as wide, with parallel anterior and posterior margins; anterolateral corners forming an distinct angle. Subpetiolar process with convex ventral margin. Head and mesosoma coarsely punctate; the punctures ca. 0.02-0.03 mm in diameter. propodeum coarsely punctate. First gastral tergite with distinct punctures that are moderately spaced; the punctures ca. 0.02 mm in diameter; interspaces microreticulate. Second and third gastral tergites microreticulate and impunctate. Antennal scape strongly microreticulate and impunctate. Body including head covered with pubcences (TJS - pubescences???) coarsely. Body color reddish brown; legs yellowish brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Yamada, Onna-son, Okinawa-jima, Okinawa Pref., 20. VIII. 1994, M. TERAYAMA leg. Paratypes. 19 workers, same data as holotype.

Etymology
The specific epithet is the Japanese noun kamiteta, which is the name of a god of sun appearing in an ancient mythology in the Ryukyus.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Alcantara M. J., S. Modi, T. C. Ling, J. Monkai, H. Xu, S. Huang, and A. Nakamura. 2019. Differences in geographic distribution of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) between forests and rubber plantations: a case study in Xishuangbanna, China, and a global meta-analysis. Myrmecological News 29: 135-145.
 * Eguchi K., B. T. Viet, and S. Yamane. 2014. Generic Synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), Part IICerapachyinae, Aenictinae, Dorylinae, Leptanillinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Ectatomminae and Proceratiinae. Zootaxa 3860: 001-046.
 * Katayama M. 2013. Predatory behaviours of Discothyrea kamiteta (Proceratiinae) on spider eggs. Asian Myrmecology 5: 121-124.
 * Kubota M. and M. Terayama. 1999. A description of a new species of the genus Discothyrea Roger form the Ryukyus, Japan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mem. Myrmecol. Soc. Jpn 1: 1-5.
 * Liu C, B. Guénard, F Hita Garcia, S. Yamane, B. Blanchard, and E. Economo. New records of ant species from Yunnan, China. Submitted to Zookeys
 * Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
 * Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Yamane S., S. Ikudome, and M. Terayama. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp, 138-317.
 * Yamane S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp138-317.