Anochetus hohenbergiae

The largest species in the genus, Anochetus hohenbergiae is an arboreal nesting ant.

Identification
Feitosa & Delabie (2012) - Size very large in comparison to the Neotropical species known in the genus (TL > 12.70); HL + ML > 4.30; posterior margin of head strongly concave; mandibles with a row of 13–16 teeth in the masticatory margin; propodeum unarmed; petiolar node with a single, reduced apical tooth.

Anochetus hohenbergiae shares its large size, elongate body and serially dentate mandibles with members of the emarginatus group, a Neotropical species-complex proposed by Brown (1978). This species can be guided to the couplet 3 of Brown’s key (1978: 572) where it is stranded due the petiolar characteristics which do not fit any of the alternatives. In fact, A. hohenbergiae is unlikely to be confounded with any other Anochetus species. This is the largest species in the genus, and the combination of abundant pilosity, posterior margin of head strongly concave, mandibles with a row of 13–16 teeth in the masticatory margin, propodeum unarmed, and petiolar node with a single, reduced apical tooth is unique in the genus. This species shares the exceptionally large body size with Anochetus elegans (TL 12.24–12.51 mm); however A. hohenbergiae is even larger (TL > 12.70) and lacks the pair of blunt petiolar spines of A. elegans.

Distribution
Anochetus hohenbergiae is known only from three localities in southern state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  hohenbergiae. Anochetus hohenbergiae Feitosa & Delabie, 2012: 254, figs. 1-5 (w.q.) BRAZIL.

Worker
Holotype: HL 2.39; HW 2.10; ML 1.95; SL 2.83; EL 0.49; WL 4.05; PL 0.93; GL 3.46; TL 12.78; CI 87.76; SI 134.88; OI 23.26. Color dark brown with head and gaster slightly darker than mesosoma and petiole; legs yellowish in the coxae and grading to dark brown towards tarsi. Pilosity whitish and relatively dense; body covered by long, flexuous, suberect hairs, except for the mesopleura which is entirely glabrous; antennae and legs with short, suberect hairs along a fine appressed pubescence in antennal funiculi and tarsi. Mandibles shiny, finely and densely covered by minute punctuation; cephalic capsule mostly smooth and shining, with oblique striae fanning out from frontal carinae to about two-thirds of head length, cleft medially by the posteromedian longitudinal impression; antennal scapes with the same pattern of sculpture that mandibles. Pronotum with anterior and lateral portions irregularly costulate, central disc smooth and shiny; central disc of mesonotum and mesopleura entirely smooth and shiny; metapleura with a smooth central area and coarse regulation along the margins; propodeal dorsum transversely costulate, except by its anterior area which presents short, irregular, longitudinal costulae; legs smooth and shiny; petiolar node sparsely rugose, with anterior and posterior faces predominantly smooth; gaster shiny and devoid of any conspicuous sculpture (figs. 1, 3).

Head subquadrate, with vertexal margin strongly concave, virtually U-shaped; posteromedian incision shallow, but conspicuous. Masticatory margins of mandibles with a row of 13–16 teeth (fig. 3B); intercalary tooth one fifth of the ventral apical tooth (fig. 3A). Antennal scapes thickened in midlength and fairly surpassing the posterolateral margins of vertex; funicular segments gradually thickened distally. Compound eyes well developed.

Mesosoma noticeably elongate. Pronotum evenly convex in lateral view, without projections; promesonotal suture relatively narrow and well impressed. Mesonotum elliptical in dorsal view; mesopleura forming a unique plate, without a transverse incision separating anepisternum and katepisternum; mesopleural tooth absent. Metanotal groove broad and well marked; metanotal spiracle distinct; metapleura ending in a rounded lobe, not projecting over petiolar peduncle; metapleural tooth vestigial.

Propodeum unarmed; dorsal face meeting the declivous face in a slight curve; in lateral view, dorsal profile only minimally convex; propodeal spiracle minute, elliptical, and directed posterad. Legs long and slender; pretarsal claws with a short basal lobe (fig. 3C).

Petiole subtriangular and thick, slightly inclined posteriorly; in lateral view, anterior and posterior faces gently convex medially; node with a single, reduced apical tooth, faintly curved posterad, but not overhanging posterior face of petiole in dorsal view; anterior ventral process rounded and weakly developed.

Gaster elongate. First gastral segment (abdominal III) evenly convex dorsally and laterally, with sternite nearly straight; constriction between segments I and II of gaster (abdominal III and IV) only feebly impressed.

Queen
Paratypes (n=5): HL 2.49–2.63; HW 2.15–2.24; ML 1.95–2.05; SL 2.83–2.93; EL 0.49–0.59; WL 4.20–4.39; PL 1.02–1.12; GL 4.29–4.93; TL 14.05–15.02; CI 83.33–88.46; SI 128.89–131.82; OI 22.22–26.09. Similar to conspecific worker, but not ergatoid. Body size larger and color slightly darker than in worker. Dorsal surface of head with three distinct ocelli; eyes moderately larger than in worker. Pronotum relatively narrow; scutum large and rounded; notauli indistinct; parapsidial lines feebly visible and subparallel; regulae reduced and lighter than adjacent integument; scutoscutellar sulcus broad and weakly impressed; scutellum rounded and placed at the same level as the scutum; axillae subtriangular; anepisternum clearly separated of katepisternum by a S-shaped suture; propodeum only moderately convex.