Stigmatomma awa

The type material was collected from soil and decayed wood samples in various forest types.

Identification
Xu & Chu (2012) - This new species is close to Stigmatomma silvestrii, but in profile view, anterodorsal corner of petiolar node rightly angled, anterior face straight, dorsal face weakly convex; body smaller with TL 3.6-4.2 mm.

Bharti and Rilta (2015) - India This species is remarkably different from the other known Indian species with following combination of characters: mandibles with 7 teeth; anterior clypeal margin with 8 dentiform setae; eyes small, each with 3 facets; subpetiolar process with elliptical sub-transparent fenestra.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India. Palaearctic Region: China.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  awa. Amblyopone awa Xu & Chu, 2012: 1192, figs. 51-56 (w.q.) CHINA. Combination in Stigmatomma: Yoshimura & Fisher, 2014: 15; Bharti & Rilta, 2015: 508.

Worker
Holotype: TL 3.8, HL 0.80, HW 0.68, CI 84, SL 0.40, SI 59, ED 0.03, ML 0.55, PW 0.45, AL 1.05, PL 0.38, PH 0.43, DPW 0.43, LPI 113, DPI 113.

In full-face view, head roughly trapezoidal, widened forward and longer than broad. Occipital margin widely weakly concave, occipital corners bluntly angled. Lateral sides weakly convex, anterolateral corners acutely toothed. Mandibles elongate, masticatory margin with a long apical tooth, a short subapical tooth, and 3 pairs of curved teeth; inner margin about as long as masticatory margin, with a pair of curved teeth, a short subbasal tooth, and a large basal tooth. Anterior clypeal margin with 8 teeth, which combined into 4 pairs. Antennae short, 12-segmented; apices of scapes reached to about 2/3 of the distance from antennal sockets to occipital corners; funiculi incrassate toward apex. Eyes very small, each with 3 facets, and located well behind the midpoints of the lateral sides of head.

In profile view, pronotum weakly convex. Promesonotal suture distinctly notched. Mesonotum short and convex. Metanotal groove absent. Propodeal dorsum straight, about 2 times as long as declivity, posterodorsal corner rounded, declivity weakly convex. Petiole trapezoidal, dorsal and anterior faces nearly straight, anterodorsal corner close to a rightly angle; ventral face oblique, nearly straight; subpetiolar process roughly rectangular, with a large elliptical sub-transparent fenestra, ventral face straight, posteroventral corner rightly angled.

In dorsal view, mesothorax constricted. Propodeum slightly widened backward. Propodeal declivity longitudinally concave. Petiole broader than long, width : length = 1.25:1, anterior and lateral sides weakly convex.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head densely punctured, interfaces appear as micro-reticulations. Pronotum densely punctured, the narrow longitudinal middle strip without punctures. Dorsa of mesonotum and propodeum abundantly punctured. Lateral sides of mesothorax and metathorax finely longitudinally striate. Petiole and gaster finely sparsely punctured. Dorsal surfaces of head and body with sparse suberect short hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Scapes with sparse suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence, but without suberect hairs. Color reddish brown. Eyes black. Antennae and legs yellowish brown.

Paratype workers: TL 3.6-4.2, HL 0.78-0.90, HW 0.65-0.75, CI 81-90, SL 0.40-0.48, SI 57-63, ED 0.03-0.04, ML 0.53-0.60, PW 0.43-0.50, AL 1.03-1.20, PL 0.38-0.45, PH 0.43-0.48, DPW 0.41-0.48, LPI 106-113, DPI 103-113 (5 individuals measured). As holotype, but eyes with 3-6 facets; posteroventral corner of subpetiolar process toothed or bluntly angled; head and alitrunk reddish brown to blackish brown.

Queen
Paratypes: TL 4.0-4.1, HL 0.80-0.85, HW 0.70-0.75, CI 88, SL 0.40-0.43, SI 57, ED 0.13, ML 0.55-0.68, PW 0.53-0.55, AL 1.18-1.25, PL 0.40-0.45, PH 0.45-0.48, DPW 0.45-0.48, LPI 106-113, DPI 106-113 (2 individuals measured). Similar to holotype worker, but body feebly larger, vertex with 3 ocelli. Eyes large, each with about 45 facets. Mesonotum large in volume, tegulae present. In dorsal view, anterior margin of mesonotum roundly convex, scutum with a pair of posteriorly convergent longitudinal furrows, posterior margin roundly convex. Scutellum rhombus, both anterior and posterior margins roundly convex. Metascutum narrow and posteriorly arched. In profile view, posteroventral corner of subpetiolar process acutely toothed.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, China: Yunnan Province, Cangyuan County, Banlao Town, Huguang Village, 1720m, 2011.III.17, collected from a soil sample in the monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest, Yong-Qiang Hao leg., No. A11-855.

Paratypes: 1 worker, 1 queen, with the same data as holotype; 1 worker, China: Yunnan Province, Cangyuan County, Banhong Town, Nanban Village, 1250m, 2011.III.17, collected from a ground sample in the monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest, Yong-Qiang Hao leg,. No. A11-927; 1 worker, China: Yunnan Province, Ximeng County, Lisuo Town, Nankang Village, 740m, 2011.III.22, collected from a soil sample in the valley tropical rainforest, Li Zhang leg., No. A11-1671; 2 workers, 1 queen, China: Tibet, Linzhi County, Lulang Town, Zhaqu Village, 2380m, 2007.IX.25, collected inside decayed wood in the broad-leaf forest, Zheng-Hui Xu leg., No. A07-432.

Etymology
The new species is named after an intimate call “Awa” of the minority nationality “Wa” people who commonly live in the area of the holotype locality.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fontanilla A. M., A. Nakamura, Z. Xu, M. Cao, R. L. Kitching, Y. Tang, and C. J. Burwell. 2019. Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along tropical, subtropical, and subalpine elevational transects in southwest China. Insects 10, 128; doi:10.3390/insects10050128
 * Song Y., Z Xu, C Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F Mo. 2013. An analysis on the ant fauna of the Nangun River Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Song Y., Z. Xu, C. Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F. Mo. 2013. An Analysis on the Ant Fauna of the Nangun river Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Xu Z.-H., and J. J. Chu. 2012. Four New Species of the Amblyoponine Ant Genus Amblyopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Southwestern China with a Key to the Known Asian Species. Sociobiology 59(4): 1175-1196.