Brachymyrmex fiebrigi

Specimens have been collected from below stones (: USNMENT00757549); Forel (1908) suggested that this species nests in dry branches of bushes.

Identification
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Brachymyrmex fiebrigi morphologically resembles Brachymyrmex depilis, because they both have short scapes that do not or just reach the posterior margin of the head, a gaster with dense pubescence, a yellowish body, and eyes that are positioned on the cephalic midline. Brachymyrmex fiebrigi differs from B. depilis by its mesosoma, which usually bears several erect hairs, two on the pronotum and two on the mesonotum and by its geographic distribution, which ranges from the South of Mexico until Paraguay, including Cuba.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Paraguay , Suriname.

Nomenclature

 * . Brachymyrmex fiebrigi Forel, 1908c: 400 (w.) PARAGUAY.
 * Santschi, 1922d: 260 (q.m.).
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1922d: 260; Santschi, 1923b: 661; Emery, 1925b: 42; Santschi, 1933e: 122; Kempf, 1961b: 522; Kempf, 1972a: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 82; Wild, 2007b: 27; Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 496.
 * Senior syonym of fumidus: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 496.
 * Senior synonym of funicularis: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 496.
 * fumidus. Brachymyrmex fiebrigi var. fumida Santschi, 1923b: 661 (w.) ARGENTINA (Buenos Aires, Córdoba).
 * Subspecies of fiebrigi: Emery, 1925b: 42; Kempf, 1972a: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 82.
 * Junior synonym of fiebrigi: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 496.
 * funicularis. Brachymyrmex fiebrigi var. funicularis Santschi, 1922d: 260 (w.) ARGENTINA (Córdoba).
 * Subspecies of fiebrigi: Emery, 1925b: 42; Kempf, 1972a: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 82.
 * Junior synonym of fiebrigi: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 496.

Worker
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype and paralectotypes (n = 3). HL1 0.35–0.37; HL2 0.23; HL3 0.08–0.10; HW 0.31; SL 0.25–0.29; EL 0.08–0.10; WL 0.27–0.31; PnL 0.12; PnW 0.20–0.25; ML 0.06; MW 0.16–0.20; Indices CI 87.21– 88.89; SI1 81.25–93.75; SI2 108.33–125.00; OI1 25.00– 31.25; OI2 21.05–27.78. Additional material (n = 12). HL1 0.32–0.46; HL2 0.22–0.34; HL3 0.07–0.13; HW 0.27–0.41; SL 0.22–0.36; EL 0.08–0.10; WL 0.26–0.40; PnL 0.09–0.14; PnW 0.20–0.28; M 0.06–0.11; MW 0.15–0.20; Indices CI 75.71–88.46; SI1 80.00–93.75; SI2 96.77– 115.38; OI1 21.74–33.33; OI2 20.00–28.85.

Head. Slightly longer than wide in full face view; posterior cephalic margin flat. Dorsum of the head with appressed hairs. Clypeus with a rounded anterior margin and five long, erect hairs of which a single, usually conspicuous hair is near the anterior margin, two hairs are in mediolateral position, and two more near the toruli; other hairs on the clypeus are markedly shorter and appressed or decumbent. Toruli surpassing the posterior clypeal margin in oblique anterodorsal view. The scapes are short, usually approximately reaching the posterior margin of the head, and they bear appressed and decumbent hairs. Ocelli apparently absent. Eyes are positioned on the cephalic midline and have 6–9 ommatidia along their maximal diameter.

Mesosoma. Typically with two erect hairs on the pronotum and two on the mesonotum. The mesonotum is not inflated and does not bulge dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view. Metanotal groove absent or narrower than the diameter of the metathoracic spiracles. Metathoracic spiracles dorsolateral in position, not protruding, and touching the propodeal suture. Dorsum of the propodeum flat and much shorter than the posterior slope. Propodeal spiracles circular, small and inconspicuous, positioned on the posterior propodeal margin slightly posterior of the middle of the propodeal slope. Legs with appressed hairs. Petiole short and inclined forward.

Gaster. With dense pubescence and scattered suberect hairs at the eges of the segments.

Color and sculpture. Body usually smooth, shiny and yellowish.

Type Material
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype worker (: USNMENT00757164) and paralectotype workers (MHNG: USNMENT00757164–00757165; here designated): four workers [examined]. PARAGUAY: San Bernandino, Fiebrig leg.

The lectotype is the second ant from the top on pin USNMENT00757164, whereas the other specimens on that pin are paralectotypes.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Forel A. 1908. Ameisen aus Sao Paulo (Brasilien), Paraguay etc. gesammelt von Prof. Herm. v. Ihering, Dr. Lutz, Dr. Fiebrig, etc. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 58: 340-418.
 * Kempf W. W. 1961. A survey of the ants of the soil fauna in Surinam (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 4: 481-524.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Ortiz-Sepuvelda C. M., B. Van Bocxlaer, A. D. Meneses, and F. Fernandez. 2019. Molecular and morphological recognition of species boundaries in the neglected ant genus Brachymyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): toward a taxonomic revision. Organisms Diversity & Evolution https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-019-00406-2
 * Santschi F. 1923. Revue des fourmis du genre Brachymyrmex Mayr. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires 31: 650-678.
 * Santschi F. 1933. Fourmis de la République Argentine en particulier du territoire de Misiones. Anales de la Sociedad Cientifica Argentina. 116: 105-124.