Cylindromyrmex godmani

The largest species of the genus, C. godmani was long known only from the holotype gyne from Ecuador. The known queens and tentatively assigned males have yet to be collected with any workers. The queen has an unusually shaped notch on the apex of the pygidium that is presumed to facilitate the movement of the sting. (De Andrade 1998)

Identification
De Andrade (1998) - The basalmost species of the Cylindromyrmex longiceps clade differing from all others by the distance between the frontal carinae, about 2/3 of the head width instead of about l/3 and by the superficial gastric striae.

C. godmani is the largest species of the genus. A striking character shared by godmani, Cylindromyrmex antillanus and Cylindromyrmex meinerti is a notch on the apex of the pygidium, more impressed in godmani and antillanus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama.

Nomenclature

 *  godmani. Cylindromyrmex godmani Forel, 1899c: 4, pl. 1, fig. 2 (q.) PANAMA. De Andrade, 1998a: 633 (m.). Combination in C. (Metacylindromyrmex): Wheeler, 1924a: 106. See also: Brown, 1975: 38.

De Andrade (1998) - The isolate males described here as godmani are tentatively referred to this species for the following reasons: 1- frontal carinae and genitalia similar to those of meinerti; 2- tibiae partially yellowish brown (yellowish in the gyne): 3- they originate from the geographic range of godmani; 4- the males of the other species occuring in central and northernmost countries of South America, i. e. Cylindromyrmex striatus, Cylindromyrmex whymperi, Cylindromyrmex boliviae, Cylindromyrmex brevitarsus are already known, except Cylindromyrmex escobari. I exclude the possibility that the two males referred here to godmani could be attributed to the Colombian escobari because this specie belongs to another clade the male of which (brevitarsus) differs significantly from those of the longiceps clade by the frontal carinae and genitalia. If the attribution of these two males to godmani is not correct, they should represent an undescribed species.

Queen
De Andrade (1998) - TL 14.38: HL 2.18; HW 1.54; EL 0.64; SL 0.82; SW 0.31; WL 4.04; PeL 1.16; PeW 1.00; HFeL 1.16; HFeW 0.49; HTiL 1.00; HTiW 0.39; HBaL 0.71; HBaW 0.14; Cl 70.6; SI 37.8; HFeI 42.2; HTiI 39.0; HBaI 19.7.

Head ca. 1/4 longer than broad. Sides of the head behind the eyes gently converging posteriorly and in front of the eyes slightly convex. Occiput low. Vertexal angles convex. Frontal carinae about 2/3 as broad as the maximum head width. Anteriopart of the frontal carinae gently diverging posteriorly. Dorsum of the frontal carinae with an impressed median sulcus anteriorly. Frontal carinae in full face view with a deep incision antero-medially and as long as the anterior border of the clypeus. Compound eyes large, gently convex and largely on the posterior half of the head. Ocelli developed. Scapes reaching the anterior border of the eyes. Proximal third of the scapes ca 1/2 narrower than the distal parts. Mandibles massive and strong convex dorsally. Masticatory margin of the mandibles with 4-5 irregular denticles followed by an apical tooth.

Mesosoma dorsally flat and 1/4 longer than the head (mandibles included). Pronotum dorsally with the sides superficially marginate. Propleurae concave. Mesopleurae gently convex. Propodeum with the sides gently converging posteriorly. Basal and declivous faces of the propodeum subequal in size and delimited by a superficial margin.

Petiole ca. 1/3 longer than broad anteriorly truncate and dorsally gently convex. Ventral process of the petiole subround. Postpetiole subquadrate and broader posteriorly. Postpetiole in dorsal view antero-laterally angulate. Pygidium in side view truncate and postero-laterally concave. Pygidium in full face view the sides with a series of small denticles converging to a pair of large, pointed teeth separated by a deep notch over the sting.

Legs. Femora not inflated. Tibiae strongly innate. Hind basitarsi ca. 1/3 shorter than the maximum length of the hind tibiae.

Sculpture. Head covered by thick, longitudinal striae, thicker on the anterior half of the ventral part, thinner on the scrobes and on the postero-lateral half of the ventral part of the head. Head with additional thin striae between the thick ones. Dorsum of the pronotum with ca. 20 thick striae similar to those on the head dorsum, some striae separated by thin, bifurcated ones. Mesonotum medially with thin striae, fainter posteriorly: remaining part of the mesonotum and scutellum simply smooth. Dorsum of the propodeum covered with about 24 striae thinner than those on the pronotum. Pleurae covered by thin, longitudinal striae, more impressed on the metapleurae. Petiolar dorsum with ca. 20 striae similar to those on the propodeum. Declivous face of the propodeum, anterior face of the petiole minutely reticulate-punctate. Postpetiole smooth, irregularly, minutely and superficially punctate and with longitudinal striae, slightly sparsed, very thin and more impressed posteriorly. Center of the first gastric tergite with similar sculpture on the postpetiole, the striae thinner, sparser and fainter. Second gastric tergite with similar sculpture on the first tergite, the striae fainter. Remaining gastric tergites, sternites and legs punctate, denser on the two last sternites.

Pilosity. Body with pointed hairs of at least three lengths and distributed as follows: (1) long, erect to suberect, sparse on the head, on the mandibles, on the anterior border of the clypeus, on the mesosoma, on the pedicel and on the gaster, dense on the pygidium; (2) shorter than the type (1) and sparsely distributed on the whole body, dense on the sternite : (3) shorter than the type (2), subdecumbent to decumbent, very sparse on the whole body, dense on the tergites. In addition, the hypostomal bridge surrounded by a layer of hairs similar to the type (1) but appressed and apically curved.

Colour black and shining. Anterior half of the head, antennae, mandibles, femora and pygidium ferrugineous, tarsi lighter. Proximal half of the last four funicular joints orange to light brown. Tibiae yellow.

Male
De Andrade (1998) - TL 10.1-10.7; HL 1.28-1.36; HW 1.20-1.26; EL 0.66-0.76; SL 0.30-0.33; SW 0.16-0.17; WL 3.04-3.44; PeL 0.80-0.96; PeW 0.60-0.72; HFeL 1.04-1.17; HFeW 0.23-0.27; HTiL 0.90-1.02; HTiW 0.20-0.23; HBaL 0.74-0.79; HBaW 0.07; CI 92.6-93.7: SI 51.5-53.3; HFeI 22.1-23.1; HTiL 22.2-22.5; HBaI 8.8-9.4.

Head slightly longer than broad. Vertexal margin convex. Ocelli Protuberant. Compound eyes broadly convex and largely on the anterior part of the head. Frontal carinae with raised borders and partially covering the antennal socket. Borders or the frontal carinae subparallel anteriorly slightly convex medially, and strongly converging, almost touching each other posteriorly. Front of the frontal carinae concave anteriorly, raised medially and declivous posteriory. Anterior border of the clypeus gently convex medially. Mandibles long; their masticatory margin edentated and with a pointed apical tooth. Scapes half longer than broad. Funicular joints thick.

Mesosoma robust. Pronotum in dorsal with subparallel sides. Mesonotum slightly convex. Pair of Mayrian carinae impressed but not connected with each other posteriorly. Parapsidal furrows impressed. Basal face of the propodeum narrowing backwards and separated from the declivous one by a marked carina.

Petiole about 1/4 longer than broad, anteriorly truncate and dorsally convex. Ventral process of the petiole subtriangular. Postpetiole broadening backward, and narrower than the first gastric tergite. Postpetiole in dorsal view antero-laterally angulate. First gastric segment broader than the postpetiole. Second gastric segment broader than the first segment. Remaining gastric segment narrowing backwards.

Legs. Femora not inflated. Mid and hind basitarsi long.

Sculpture. Head dorsum minutely punctate and with longitudinal, slightly irregular striate, the punctures more impressed on the anterior half, the striae more impressed on the posterior half and behind the clypeus. Vertexal angles with additional small, deep, piligerous foveae, continuing to the sides of the ventral part of the head. Middle of the ventral part of the head with thick, transversal rugae and piligerous foveae. Pronotum densely covered by deep, small piligerous foveae separated by thin, transversal striae. Mesonotum smooth and with sparse, minute piligerous punctures. Scutellum smooth. Basal face of the propodeum covered by thin longitudinal striae. Petiolar dorsum smooth with rare, superficial, small piligerous foveae and with short, longitudinal rugosities on the anterior part. Petiolar sides minutely reticulate and with sculpture similar to those on the anterior part of its dorsum, but sometimes with larger foveae and longer rugosities. Declivous face of the propodeum minutely and superficially punctate and with rugosities converging to the center. Pro- and mesopleurae smooth with variably impressed punctuations and with traces of longitudinal rugosities, more impressed on the posterior border of the mesopleurae. Metapleurae striated as on the basal face of the propodeum. Postpetiole, first gastric segment and legs smooth and with superficial punctures, denser and deeper on the remaining gastric segments.

Pilosity. Body covered by the pointed hairs of four types: (1) long, sparse amd suberect, denser on the last three gastric segments; (2) shorter than the type (1) and variably distributed on the body, dense on the mesopleurae; (3) mixed and shorter than the type (2) dense on the vertexal angles, on the posterior half of the ventral part of the head, on the pronotal dorsum, one the coxae, on the ventral face of the femora and tibiae, and on the gaster: (4) short and thick on the funicular joints.

Colour. Black and shining. Anterior third of the head dorsum, mandibles, antennae, tibiae and tarsi ferrugineous to dark brown, femora darker. Outer face of the mid and of the hind tibiae, and tarsomeres yellowish to light brown.

Type Material
De Andrade (1998) - Gyne. Panama. Type material: 1 gyne labelled: “V. de Chiriqui, 2-3000 ft., Champion. Holotype. B. C. A. Hym. Cylindromyrmex godmani, Forel, Type” in, examined.