Cephalotes supercilii

Identification
A member of the fiebrigi clade differing from its next outgroup species, Cephalotes fossithorax, in the worker by the sides of the frontal carinae with erect, long, pointed hairs, and, in the soldier and in the gyne, by the same type of hairs but extended from the sides of the frontal carinae to those of the head. The unique soldier of supercilii has the mesonotal sides with the same integumental pits as fossithorax, although much smaller. (de Andrade and Baroni Urbani 1999)

Key to Cephalotes Workers

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Ecuador.

Nomenclature

 *  supercilii. Cephalotes supercilii De Andrade, in De Andrade & Baroni Urbani, 1999: 639, fig. 299 (w.q.) ARGENTINA.

Worker
Head broader than long. Vertexal angles round. Vertexal margin concave. Frontal carinae not upturned over the eyes. Mandibles laterally carinate.

Mesosoma gently convex in side view. Scapular angles visible in dorsal view. Pronotum with a narrow lateral lamella with three pairs of irregular teeth, the first pair more pointed and the second and third ones more angulate. Sides of mesonotum with a pair of small teeth. Promesonotal suture superficially impressed. Propodeal suture weakly impressed. Propodeum with differentiate basal and declivous faces and with the sides narrowing backwards; sides of the basal face with two pairs of teeth, the first pair simply angulate and the second one larger and pointed; sides of the declivous face unarmed or with a pair of minute denticles.

Petiole anteriorly truncate; its anterior border superficially concave medially. Petiolar spines arising from the anterior face of the petiole, pointed and curved backwards. Postpetiole as broad as the petiole; its lateral expansions broad, developed anteriorly, curved and pointed backwards.

Gaster suboval, with a pair of broad, anterolateral lobes.

Mid and hind femora not angulate; mid and hind basitarsi flat and with subparallel sides.

Sculpture. Body minutely reticulate, the reticulation less impressed on the posterior half of the first gastral sternite which is shining. Head, mesosoma, pedicel, gaster and outer face of the femora and of the tibiae foveolate, the foveae larger on the posterior third of the head dorsum and on the pronotum, sparser on the frons, shallower on the frontal carinae, irregular on the ventral part of the head, absent on the upper pleurae, more oval and superficial on the pedicel, on the gaster and on the legs. Ventral part of the head and lower propleurae with additional irregular, longitudinal, thin rugosities.

Pilosity. Body with three types of hairs: (1) appressed and generally originating from each fovea, of size proportional to the one of the respective fovea, i.e. larger on the posterior third of the head dorsum and on the pronotum, shorter and thinner on the body parts without foveae; (2) pointed, long on the border of the frontal carinae, sparse on the gastral sternites, rare on the coxae and on the ventral face of the femora; similar but slightly longer and rare hairs on the posterior borders of the second and third gastral sternites; (3) short, truncate and rare on the posterior border of the remaining gastral tergites and on the legs.

Colour. Black, gaster and legs lighter. Frontal carinae, mesosomal and peduncular spines and outer face of the tibiae yellowish to light brown.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 4.48-4.52; HL 1.04-1.06; HW 1.12; EL 0.29-0.30; PW 1.00; PeW 0.56-0.58; PpW 0.54-0.59; HBaL 0.39; HBaW 0.10; CI 105.7-107.7; PI 112.0; PPeI 172.4-178.6; PPpI 169.5-185.2; HBaI 25.6.

Queen
Differing from the soldier, besides than in the usual caste-dependent traits, in the following details:

Head almost as broad as long. Floor of the disc more convex posteriorly and flat anteriorly. Vertexal angles simply angulate medially. Humeral angles simply angulate. Pronotal sides straight. Mesonotum and scutellum flat. Sides of the basal face with a small pair of short, round denticles and with a pair of large, stout teeth, slightly diverging and directed backwards. Petiolar sides with a pair of very small denticles. Postpetiolar spines less developed and smaller. Gaster longer and with more protruding lobes.

Sculpture. Foveae denser on the ventral part of the head, less regular and sparser on the mesosoma Propleurae with denser rugosities.

Pilosity. Head dorsum with hair types (1) and (2) almost in the same proportions. Mesosoma, pedicel, first gastral tergite and legs with rare, subtruncate hairs of type (2). Posterior border of the gastral tergites with denser hairs of type (4).

Colour. As in the soldier except for the presence of a pair of yellow spots close to the posterior border of the first gastral tergite.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 9.06; HL 1.70; HW 1.72; EL 0.38; PW 1.72; PeW 0.69; PpW 0.85; HBaL 0.50; HBaW 0.16; CI 101.2; PI 100.0; PPeI 249.3; PPpI 202.3; HBaI 32.0.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, Argentina, Rosario, W. M. Davis. Paratype: 1 gyne, same data as the holotype MCZ.

Etymology
This species is named from the Latin supercilium (= eyebrow), referred to the long hairs on the border of the frontal carinae.