Rogeria scobinata

All specimens were taken as strays in tropical forest below 1000 m, mostly by Berlese or Winkler sampling of leaf litter, rotten wood, or moss.

Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. As in Rogeria alzatei, except the following: Clypeal apron truncate (none emarginate). MHI 0.96- 1.14. Posterior head with tuberculate macrosculpture. Erect hair usually absent from head dorsum; if present, it is short and usually confined to posterior margin.

Rogeria alzatei is a sibling species of scobinata, with which it is sympatric in Peru, Brazil, and Paraguay, but can be distinguished by characters in the diagnosis and key. The pair of columnar tubercles on the pygidium may also be distinctive.

Key to Rogeria workers

Distribution
Rogeria scobinata ranges from the north coast of South America to Paraguay at elevations below 1000m.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.

Castes
Males have not been collected.

Nomenclature

 *  scobinata. Rogeria scobinata Kugler, C. 1994: 54, figs. 61-62, 100 (w.q.) PERU.

Worker
Holotype and Paratype. TL 1.9-2.5 (2.2), HL 0.50-0.60 (0.55), HW 0.42-0.52 (0.475), SL 0.31-0.40 (0.35), EL 0.06-0.09 (0.07) (10-14 facets), PW 0.30-0.40 (0.35), WL 0.50-0.67 (0.585), SpL 0.08-0.12 (0.095), PetL 0.19-0.26 (0.23), PpetL 0.12-0.16 (0.14)mm, CI 0.82-0.86 (0.86), OI 0.14-0.18 (0.15), SI 0.74-0.78 (0.74), PSI 0.16-0.19 (0.16), MHI 0.96-1.09 (1.00). N=5

Nontypes. TL 1.9-2.5, HL 0.50-0.61, HW 0.44-0.52, SL 0.31-0.40, EL 0.06-0.09 (7-15 facets), PW 0.30-0.40, WL 0.51-0.68, SpL 0.08-0.13, PetL 0.19-0.28, PpetL 0.12-0.17mm, CI 0.84-0.85, OI 0.14-0.18, SI 0.70-0.78, PSI 0.16-0.20, MHI 1.00-1.14. N=32

Mandibles sub triangular, 5-toothed (sometimes with 1-2 additional basal denticles), decreasing in size basad; basal tooth small. Palpal formula 2,2. Median clypeus of some nontype workers from Colombia like that of alzatei, but type specimens with less prominent corners and other nontypes (Bolivia, some Brazil) have an almost evenly convex clypeal apron. Body of clypeus not projecting over clypeal apron. Posterior outline of head weakly concave medially to weakly convex. Nuchal groove clearly visible in side view. Eye oval to elliptical. Anterior and dorsal faces of pronotum may join smoothly, or in a weak angle. Metanotal groove broad, slightly less to slightly more impressed than shown in Fig. 61, bordered behind by a transverse carina. Propodeal spines inclined. Metapleural lobes moderately prominent; corner varies from sharply angular (Ecuador, some Peru) to rounded as in Fig. 44 (some Paraguay). Ventral petiolar peduncle usually with a weak, nonlamellate keel, but some Ecuadorian specimens with distinct keel. Postpetiolar node in dorsal view subrectangular as in Fig. 58. Pygidium with a pair of median, columnar, piligerous tubercles near caudal edge (barely visible in dissection microscope at 50X).

Laterodorsa and sides of head densely areolate. Posterior head with short triangular, blunt tubercles in more or less distinct rows. Tuberculate sculpture usually extends across posterior quarter of head, but in a few specimens from Leticia, Benjamin Constant, and Paraguay, the ridges between the tubercles are not always completely lost, so the posterior head appears mostly fragmented-rugose, with only a few of the triangular tubercles. Interstices on most of head somewhat dulled by indistinct areolate icrosculpture, but smoother and quite shiny between tubercles on back of head; sides sometimes rather strongly microareolate. Anterior edge of pronotal disc with 1-4 more or less transverse rugae. Rest of promesonotum longitudinally rugose with frequent incomplete lateral spurs. Mesosoma sides weakly and sparsely rugose to rugose-areolate, but more strongly microareolate than on pronotal disc. Dorsal face of propodeum usually lacking macro sculpture, but rather strongly microareolate. Rest of mesosoma with indistinct microareolate sculpture. Petiolar node with broken vestigial macrosculpture. Postpetiole without macrosculpture; nearly smooth on top. Sides of nodes with weakmicroareolate sculpture that imparts a granular appearance; microsculpture usually weaker on postpetiole.

Workers from Leticia have 8-10 erect hairs along posterior rim of head and those from Benjamin Constant have sparse, short erect hairs on the posterior rim and along the midline.

Color brown to golden brown. Legs and antennae generally lighter than rest of body; gaster sometimes darker.

Queen
TL 2.4-2.6, HL 0.55-0.58, HW 0.46-0.52, SL 0.34-0.38, EL 0.1 1-0.13, PW 0.41-0.45, WL 0.68-0.74, SpL 0.1 1-0.14, PetL O.25-0.27, PpetL 0.14-0.16mm, CI 0.84-0.90, SI 0.70-0.75, PSI 0.16-0.19, MHI 0.64-0.69. N=7

Habitus shown in Fig. 62. Parapsidal furrows indistinguishable from grooves in sculpture. Anterior pronotum transversely rugose to rugoseareolate, becoming longitudinal on sides. Mesoscutum with longitudinal, often diverging rugae; mesoscutellum rugose or rugose-areolate.

Type Material
Holotype locality. PERU: Madre de Dios Department, 3km N Puerto Maldonado, 260m, primary forest remnant by side of road, berlesate of leaf litter and rotten wood, 13-16-VI-1981 (c. Kugler and R. R. Lambert).

Paratype localities. PERU: 2 workers, 1 queen, holotype locality [MCZ]; 22 workers, 2 queens, 5km E Puerto Maldonado on Río Tambopata, Finca Medina, 260m, primary forest berlesate, 13-16-VI-1981 (c. Kugler and R. R. Lambert) [mouthparts, sting, 1 worker coated for SEM], , , MCZ, , ,.

Etymology
The name scobinata, meaning having the nature of a rasp, refers to the sculpture on the posterior head, which has rows of teeth like a rasp.