Dinoponera snellingi

Known only from the male caste, the types were collected at lights from a house.

Identification
Lenhart et al. (2013) - Male. Specimens of this species are distinct in several respects. The combination of a bicolored body and head possessing bulging compound eyes and ocelli is unique to this species. More definitive is the shape of the aedeagus which possesses a large ventral lobe and finger-like serrated flange. The short broad digitus volsellaris with finely toothed basal lobe is distinctive, as well as the paramere shape.

Keys

 * Key to Dinoponera workers / Clave para la identificación de las obreras de Dinoponera / Chave para identificação de operários de Dinoponera
 * Key to Dinoponera males / Clave para la identificación de los machos conocidos de Dinoponera / Chave para identificação de machos de Dinoponera

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Castes
Known only from the male caste.

Nomenclature

 *  snellingi. Dinoponera snellingi Lenhart, Dash & Mackay, 2013: 152, figs. 4D, 4I, 4N, 5B, 7, 9B, 10B, 11B, 13 (m.) BRAZIL.

Male
(mm) (n=3) TBL: 16.14–17.09 (16.58); HL: 1.90–2.05 (1.98); HW: 2.36–2.51 (2.44); SL: 0.62–0.72 (0.65); EL: 1.23–1.38 (1.32); EW: 0.72–0.82 (0.79); WL: 5.54–6.05 (5.77); FWL: 13.33–13.63 (13.43); HWL: 9.93–10.46 (10.25); PL: 1.44–1.54 (1.49); PH: 1.13–1.23 (1.16); PW: 0.92– 1.13 (1.04); GL: 6.66–7.18 (6.94); HFL: 4.20–4.92 (4.54).

Integument: smooth and shining; head, mesosoma and petiole dark brown to black; gaster light brown. Head: Mandibles reduced, rounded, lacking teeth, rounded lobe on ventro-basal edge, high lateral ridge running along axis; palps elongated; labrum reduced, deeply emarginated on distal margin, covered with setae. Clypeus large, triangular, bulging medially, covered in appressed to subdecumbent setae; anterior tentorial pits large; frontal carinae reduced to slight ridge along antennal socket; antennal sockets close, located at posterior apex of clypeus. Antennae: black; funiculus covered in minute, dense, stiff subdecumbent setae; scape shorter than second funicular segment, 1st funicular segment reduced. Compound eyes large, along lateral side of head, deeply emarginated border medially. 3 ocelli at posterior margin of head, bulging beyond margin of head, depressed area between posterior ocelli. Entire head covered in short decumbent to erect setae. Mesosoma: covered in short suberect to decumbent white setae; pronotum triangular, exposed narrowly dorsally anterior to scutum; scutum large, bulging antero-dorsally, with 3 longitudinal carinae; small tegula over insertion of forewing; scutellum domed, with sparse erect setae, sides with vertical carina, dorsal surface smooth; basilar sclerite under hind wing reduced; fused mesopleuron, separated by furrow with mesosternite; metanotum exposed between scutellum and propodeum, reduced; mesoepimera, mesoepisternite and propodeum fused, rounded; coxa large, conical, covered in dense subdecumbent to decumbent setae. Wings: covered in dense minute setae, venation as shown in Fig. Legs: black, covered in minute subdecumbent to decumbent stiff setae; one well-developed, antennae cleaning, pectinate spur on the fore tibia; spine-like and less developed denticular comb on meso-thoracic tibia; spine and comb-like spur on hind tibia; tarsal claws bidentate. Petiole: narrow attachments at base to the propodeum and gaster; petiole humped dorso-posteriorly; subpetiolar process reduced, bulging slightly posteriorly. Gaster: large, cylindrical; covered in fine silvery suberect to subdecumbent setae; first gastric tergite broadly rounded; pygidium terminating in short, broad, triangular, spine; cerci short, as long as pygidial spine, covered in erect setae; tabular subgenital plate with posterior end rounded. Genitalia: basal ring with thick dorso-anterior loop structures, reduced; parameres short, broad, rounded, large lobe on dorsal edge, emarginated ventro-basal edge; volsella with rounded cuspis volsellaris with raised rounded bumps on medial-ventral surface, digitus volsellaris with numerous small circular bumps on lateral distal face, tuft of setae on ventro-distal edge, lobe on basal ventral corner, covered in minute teeth; penis valve of aedeagus with long lateral arm of aedeagal apodeme at anterior border, ventral concavity under ridge at base of apodeme, dorsal edge broadly rounded, ventral tooth projecting into thin anteriorly folded flange with heavy serration, rounded notch at base, large triangular ventral lobe with finely serrated edge and vertical ridge running through middle of lobe, edge of lobe continuing into lateral apical fold with serrated edge.

See also Tozetto & Lattke (2020).

Type Material
Holotype deposited in, BRAZIL, Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, 12 Oct 1989, W.P. Mackay #12404, 2 paratypes, same locality, 8 Oct 1989, #12359 collected at house light (deposited in the and ).

Etymology
Named in honor of the late Roy Snelling who made considerable contributions to the field and spirit of myrmecology.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Lenhart, P. A.; Dash, S. T.; and Mackay, W. P. 2013. A revision of the giant Amazonian ants of the genus Dinoponera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 31: 119-164