Tatuidris

A monotypic genus, the species Tatuidris tatusia is also the only member of the subfamily Agroecomyrmecinae. Their biology is largely a mystery, with collections typically consisting of a single worker being found in a litter sample.

Identification
Worker with a shield-like head having a broad vertex,, ventrally-turned heavy mandibles which do not overlap at full closure, deep antennal scrobes with eyes at or close to their apex, compact and fused mesosoma, 7-segmented antenna, first gastral segment ventrally directed, and an antenna socket apparatus sitting upside down on the roof of the expanded frontal lobe. Reddish brown. (Donoso 2012).

Distribution
Neotropics, northern Mexico to central Brazil, French Guiana and Amazonian Peru. Most specimens and collections are currently known to occur in localities west of the Andes, with more collections tending to occur towards Central America and Mexico.

Biology
See Tatuidris tatusia

Nomenclature

 *  TATUIDRIS [Agroecomyrmecinae]
 * Tatuidris Brown & Kempf, 1968: 186. Type-species: Tatuidris tatusia, by original designation.

Worker
Donoso (2012) - HW = 0.56–1.10mm. Body short and compact. Color ferruginous to dark red. Integument thick and rigid. Body covered by hairs, which are variable in length and inclination. HEAD. Head shape pyriform, broadest behind. Maxillary palps one-jointed. Labial palps two-jointed. Labrum bilobed, broader than longer, capable of full reflexion over the buccal cavity. Mandibles opposing in most of their border (except in the tips of the masticatory margin). Masticatory margin with two blunt apical teeth overlapping at closure. Setae (mandibular brush) abundant, present on the ventral side of mandibles. Antenna 7-segmented. Antennal club two segmented, well developed. Scape clavate, gently downcurved at base. Torulus with hypertrophied dorsal lobe and strongly curved downwards. Antennal scrobe present. Antennal socket and antennal scrobe confluent. Antenna socket apparatus sitting upside down on the roof of the expanded frontal lobe. Eyes present, small (REL= 5.41–11.48), located at the posterior apex of antennal scrobe. MESOSOMA. Promesonotal suture fused. Metapleural gland orifice round. Metapleural gland opening visible. Metapleural gland bulla separated from annulus of propodeal spiracle by more than the diameter of the spiracle. Katepisternal oblique groove absent. Lower mesopleuron with longitudinal costulae. Propodeum unarmed. Propodeal spiracle, in profile, located at about mid-length of sclerite. PETIOLE and POSTPETIOLE. Petiole short and sessile. Petiolar ventral process large and rounded. Petiole dorso-ventrally fused. Petiole broadly attached to postpetiole (abdominal segment III). Postpetiolar tergum and sternum overlapping at junction. Postpetiole in dorsal view wider in posterior half. GASTER. Articulation between postpetiole and gastral segment 1 (abdominal segment IV) broad. Postpetiolar postsclerites not set in a concavity or depression. Pretergite of first gastral segment with neck-like constriction. Stridulitrum present on first gastral segment. Limbus (i.e. anterior transverse cuticular ridge of the first gastral segment) absent. Suture between first gastral tergite and sternite anteriorly rounded. First gastral tergosternal suture strong, but not fused. Base of the first gastral sternum in profile rounded. First gastral sternite length is reduced, such that tergite is much larger than the sternite and strongly vaulted. First gastral tergum and sternum smooth or with scattered puncta. Sting present. LEGS. Mid and hind tibial spurs present.

Queen
Donoso (2012)- Gyne: HW = 1.28mm. Body short and compact, with exterior morphology and characters similar to workers. Body covered by hairs. Color yellow, paler than workers. Integument thick and rigid. HEAD. Head shape pyriform, broadest behind. Vertex straight, not concave. Labrum bilobed, broader than long, capable of full reflexion over the buccal cavity. Mandibles opposing in most of their border, except in the tips of the masticatory margin. Masticatory margin with two blunt apical teeth overlapping at closure. Mandibular setae present but less abundant than in workers. Antennal joints 7-segmented. Antennal club two segmented, well developed. Scape clavate, gently downcurved at base. Antennal scrobe present. Antennal socket and antennal scrobe confluent. Antenna socket apparatus sitting upside down on the roof of the expanded frontal lobe. Eyes present, EL = 0.20mm, eyes larger than in workers (REL = 22.63), located laterally at posterior border of antennal scrobes. Lateral ocelli and median ocellus present. WINGS. WingL=4.60mm, about 60% longer than total body length. Forewing well developed, with costal cell, basal cell (radial), sub-basal cell (cubital), no vein present between sub-marginal cell 1 and sub-marginal cell 2, R1 vein surrounding sub-marginal cell 3, discal cell 1 and discal cell 2 present, divided by cubital vein which extends a distance similar to the inferior edge of discal cell. Hindwing well developed, with Cu-a vein present. Basal cell completely surrounded by M-Cu and and rs-m+M veins. MESOSOMA. Promesonotal suture present, not fused. Scutellum broad. Anepisternum and katepisternum broad and shiny, not sculptured. Propodeum armed with a small posteriorly directed spine. Propodeal spiracle in profile at about one-diameter from posterior edge. Metapleural gland present, metapleural spiracle big, longer than broader, within a dorsally directed fold. PETIOLE and POSTPETIOLE. Petiole broadly attached to postpetiole (abdominal segment III). Postpetiole in lateral view much shorter than gaster (abdominal segment IV). GASTER. Shiny. Vaulted. Constriction between postpetiole and gaster present. Abdominal sternum IX simple, triangular in shape, without spines or lobes. Sting present. LEGS. Mid and hind tibia with pectinate spurs present.

Male
Donoso (2012) - HW = 0.88mm. Body compact, with exterior morphology (except head) similar to workers. Body covered by decumbent setae. Color dark. HEAD. Dorsum with scrabrous-strigate sculture. Lateral ocelli and median ocellus present. Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal sockets exposed, not covered by frontal carinae, at mid-length from the anterior border of clypeus and the head posterior vertex margin. Antennal scrobes absent. Antennal carinae absent. Scape very short, about 1.3 times as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment relatively short, about the same length as pedicel, slightly curved at base. Antennal club absent, but apical segment is at least 2 times longer than preceding segment. Mandibles reduced, falcate, without differentiated masticatory and basal margins. Mandible edentate, with no visible apical tooth. Clypeus broad, with straight anterior margin. Clypeus does not extend to space between eyes. EL = 0.32mm, eyes larger than in workers (REL = 48.44) located at mid-length at lateral margin. WINGS. WingL = 3.6mm, about 50% longer than total body length. Venation and cell composition of both fore- and hind-wings similar to that of gyne. MESOSOMA. Oblique mesopleural furrow close to but not reaching pronotum. Mesonotum notauli absent. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum mostly shiny, with small foveae. Pronotum with rugae. PETIOLE and POSTPETIOLE. Constriction between petiole and postpetiole (abdominal segment III)present. Petiole and postpetiole similar in shape to worker petiole and postpetiole. Petiole broadly attached to postpetiole. Postpetiole, in lateral view, much shorter than gaster (abdominal segment IV). GASTER. Shiny. Vaulted. Constriction between postpetiole and gaster present. Abdominal sternum IX simple, triangular in shape, without spines or lobes. LEGS. Hind tibia with 1 pectinate spur.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Donoso 2012.pdf| Donoso, D. A. 2012. Additions to the taxonomy of the armadillo ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Tatuidris). Zootaxa 3503:61-81. PDF]]