Cephalotes crenaticeps

Identification
A member of the crenaticeps clade differing from its sister species, Cephalotes ecuadorialis, by the absence of gastral expansions. The workers of crenaticeps differ from those of ecuadorialis (its sister species) by the yellow spot on the first gastral tergite not reaching the posterior border, by the narrower membranaceous expansions of the vertexal angles, by the frontal carinae weakly upturned over the eyes and by the absence of membranaceous expansions of the first gastral tergite. The gyne from Ar. Rancho Grande (MCZC) has the foveae on the head disc slightly smaller than those of the other gynes examined during the present study. (de Andrade and Baroni Urbani 1999)

Distribution
Venezuela and Colombia.

This taxon was described from Colombia.

Nomenclature

 *  crenaticeps. Cryptocerus crenaticeps Mayr, 1866a: 515, pl., fig. 15 (q.) COLOMBIA. De Andrade & Baroni Urbani, 1999: 528 (s.w.). Combination in Paracryptocerus (Harnedia): Kempf, 1958a: 138; in Zacryptocerus: Brandão, 1991: 385; in Cephalotes: De Andrade & Baroni Urbani, 1999: 528.

Worker
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - Head subquadrate. Frons convex. Frontal carinae crenulate, little upturned above the eyes. Vertexal angles truncate, bearing a narrow, membranaceous expansion with strongly crenulate margin. Vertexal margin concave. Vertex with a pair of minute denticles better marked in larger specimens. Mandibles with a lateral carina.

Mesosoma. Scapular angles free. Anterior pronotal border gently convex. Pronotal sides with a pair of triangular, pointed, semi-membranaceous teeth and converging posteriorly in an obtuse, short tooth. Promesonotal suture in dorsal view better impressed on the sides. Propodeal suture impressed. Mesonotum with or without a minute pair of denticles. Propodeum with a small swelling or denticle between the basal and declivous faces; sides of the basal face straight; sides of the declivous face converging posteriorly.

Petiole with truncate anterior face, gently sloping anteriorly and with a small pair of minute denticles dorsally; posterior face flat. Petiolar sides diverging into a small denticle medially and strongly converging posteriorly. Postpetiolar node gently concave dorsally; postpetiolar spines directed slightly forwards at the base and curved backwards at the apex.

Gaster. Suboval without protruding lobes or membranaceous expansions.

Hind femora without angles or denticles. Hind basitarsi long, flat and slightly broader at the base.

Sculpture. Head dorsum, mesosoma and pedicel reticulate and covered by oval foveae broader then their interspaces, the foveae slightly denser on the vertexal angles and mesosoma, smaller and superficial on the pedicel, and larger and less regular on the ventral part of the head. Frontal carinae reticulate and with sparse and superficial foveae. Declivous face of the propodeum and propleurae longitudinally rugulose and with rare, superficial foveae on the proplcurae only. Meso- and metapleurae reticulate and superficially foveolate. Gaster strongly reticulate and with superficial, minute foveae. Anterior third of the first gastral sternites and sides of the remaining two thirds covered with thin, longitudinal, posteriorly concentric rugosities. Legs with the same sculpture as the gaster but with the foveae more impressed on the extensor face of femora and tibiae.

Pilosity. As in ecuadorialis.

Colour. Dark brown. Frontal carinae yellowish to light brown and semi-transparent. Membranaceous expansion of the vertexal angles, tip of the pronotal teeth and of the postpetiolar spines light brown. First gastral tergite with a pair of oval, anterolateral, orange spots shortly surpassing the stigma posteriorly. Proximal half of the femora light brown, distal half of the femora and remaining legs yellowish to ferruginous.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 4.00-4.40; HL 100-1.06; HW 1.12-1.20; EL 0.26-0.28; PW 0.95-1.08; PeW 0.47-0.48; PpW 0.54-0.56; HBaL 0.41-0.44; HBaW 0.10-0.11; CI 112.0-113.7; PI 111.1-117.9; PPeI 202.2-225.0; PPpI 175.9-192.8; HBaI 24.4-25.0.

Soldier
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - Head disc subquadrate, with strongly crenulate border and much more raised on the sides than posteriorly; sides of the disc broad anteriorly, not covering completely the eyes and strongly converging after the eyes to a short, straight carina on the vertex. Floor of the disc with a small medial tumulus. Vertexal angles obtuse to pointed, completely separate from the disc and with strongly crenulate border. Mandibles laterally carinate and laterally hidden by the frontal carinae.

Mesosoma. Anterior pronotal border straight. Scapular angles free. Humeral angles diverging to a broad, triangular, pointed spine where they continue into the pronotal crest. Posterior half of the pronotal sides strongly converging. Pronotal carina high, superficially crenulate and diminishing in height only in the middle where it is notched. Pronotal suture variably impressed. Promesonotal suture deeply impressed. Mesonotal sides with a small pair of broad, round or apically pointed teeth. Propodeum with differentiate basal and declivous faces; sides of the basal face with two pairs of teeth, the first pair in the middle, the second pair between the two faces and curved upwards. Declivous face of the propodeum narrowing posteriorly.

Petiole and legs as in the worker.

Gaster oval, little protruding anterolaterally and with a faint margin not surpassing the stigma posteriorly.

Sculpture. Head dorsum superficially reticulate and covered with round foveae broader than their interspaces. Ventral face of the head reticulate and with broad, dense, deep, oval foveae forming few, irregular rugosities. Mesosoma and pedicel reticulate and covered by oval foveae, larger on the pronotum, denser and smaller on the mesonotum and propodeum, superficial on the pedicel. Declivous face of the propodeum reticulate only. Pleurae reticulate and with oval foveae, sparser on the propleurae. Propleurae with few, irregular rugae. Gaster reticulate and with minute, superficial foveae. Legs with the same sculpture as on the gaster but with the foveae better impressed on the extensor face of the femora and tibiae. Anterior third of the first gastral sternite and sides of the two posterior thirds with thin, irregular rugosities. Middle of the first sternite shining.

Pilosity. Each fovea with an appressed, broad hair. Sides of the frontal carinae, of the vertexal angles, of the mesosoma, of the pedicel and first gastral tergite with clubbed hairs. Similar hairs or slightly longer on the border of the remaining gastral segments and on the legs. First gastral sternite and border of the remaining ones with sparse, long, pointed hairs.

Colour. Dark brown. Frontal carinae, border of the vertexal angles, of the pronotal and postpetiolar spines reddish. First gastral tergite anterolaterally with a pair of oval, orange spots shortly surpassing the stigma posteriorly. Proxima half of the femora light brown, distal half and remaining legs yellowish to ferruginous.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 6.04; HL 152-1.56; HW 1.68-1.72; EL 0.30; PW 1.74-1.80; PeW 0.62; PpW 0.69-0.72; HBaL 0.48-0.50; HBaW 0.14; CI 107.7-113.1; PI 93.3-98.8; PPeI 280.6-290.3; PPpI 250.0-252.2; HBaI 28.0-29.2.

Queen
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - Head disc present. Head dorsum flat with gently concave frontal carinae. Frontal carinae strongly crenulate, expanded anteriorly, not covering the eyes, strongly converging posteriorly and connected by a short, straight carina on the vertex. Vertexal angles obtuse and with crenulate margin. Ocelli close to the posterior border of the head disc. Mandibles with a lateral carina and partially hidden by the frontal carinae.

Mesosoma. Anterior pronotal border straight. Scapular angles short but visible. Humeral angles with a triangular spine converging posteriorly and connected to the pronotal crest which is developed. Pronotal sides posterior to the angles straight. Promesonotal suture impressed. Lower mesopleurae with a denticle. Mesonotum and scutellum flat. Propodeum with differentiate basal and declivous faces; sides of the basal face with two pairs of teeth, the first pair obtuse, the second pair thin, smaller than the first and curved forwards. Declivous face with the sides converging posteriorly.

Pedicel as in the soldier but with the spines less developed.

Legs and gaster as in the soldier, but the gaster longer.

Sculpture. Head dorsum superficially reticulate and covered with round foveae, broader than their interspaces. Mesosoma reticulate and with oval foveae, denser and smaller on the scutellum and on the propodeum, sparser on the mesonotum. Ventral face of the head reticulate and with broad, dense, deep, oval foveae forming few, irregular rugosities. Declivous face of the propodeum reticulate only. Pleurae reticulate and with foveae, dense on the mesopleurae, sparser on the propleurae and rare on the metapleurae. Metapleurae with few, thin, longitudinal rugosities. Gaster reticulate and with minute, superficial foveae. Legs with the same sculpture as on the gaster but with the foveae deeper on the extensor face of the femora and tibiae. First gastral sternite shining in the middle.

Pilosity. As in the soldier but with the clubbed hairs sparse on the whole body.

Colour. As in the soldier.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 8.04-8.32; HL 160-1.68; HW 1.64-1.72; EL 0.33-0.37; PW 1.60-1.70; PeW 0.58-0.64; PpW 0.75-0.80; HBaL 0.56-0.64; HBaW 0.15-0.17; CI 102.4-102.5; PI 97.6-105.0; PPeI 258.1-293.1; PPpI 210.5-224.0; HBaI 26.6-28.6.

Type Material
Gyne. Type locality: Colombia. Type material: holotype gyne labelled "Columb., Typ., Collect. G. Mayr, crenaticeps G. Mayr, Type" in, examined. (de Andrade and Baroni Urbani 1999)