Acropyga parvidens

LaPolla (2004): Acropyga parvidens appears to be endemic to Hispaniola, having been found in leaf litter in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Weber (1944) reported Acropyga parvidens was found associated with (unidentified) mealybugs. No males are known for Acropyga parvidens and the only other species of this genus known from Hispaniola is Acropyga dubitata. It is only known from males. It is possible these two species are actually one.

Identification
LaPolla (2004): Worker: 9-11 segmented antennae; mandible with 4 prominent teeth; mesonotum much higher than propodeum, with a layer of appressed hairs at apex. Queen: As in worker with modification expected for caste.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Haiti. It is also found in the Dominican Republic.

Castes
The males are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  parvidens. Rhizomyrma parvidens Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1914: 46 (w.) HAITI. Combination in Acropyga (Rhizomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 30. Senior synonym of mesonotalis: LaPolla, 2004a: 56.
 * mesonotalis. Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) mesonotalis Weber, 1944: 111, fig. 13 (w.q.) HAITI. Junior synonym of parvidens: LaPolla, 2004a: 56.

Worker
Length 1.8-2 mm.

Head subrectangular, a little broader than long, as broad in front as behind, with straight sides and a slight angular excision in the middle of the posterior border. Eyes minute, consisting of about 4 small ommatidia, situated at the anterior third of the head. Mandibles oblique but with distinct basal and apical borders, the latter with 4 small sub equal teeth, much smaller than in any of the known species of the genus. Clypeus short and convex, with the anterior border entire, straight and transverse in the middle. Frontal area distinct, triangular; frontal and occipital grooves distinct. Antennae 10-jointed; scapes reaching to the posterior corners of the head; first funicular joint longer than broad, second joint small, as long as broad; joints 3-5 much broader than long, joints 7-8 as long as broad, terminal joint as long as the 3 preceding joints together. Thorax shaped much as in Rh. goeldii Forel, but shorter and stouter, at least behind, where it is as broad as in front; seen from above the sides are rather concave in the middle; pronotum much broader than long, with less convex humeri than in goeldii, mesonotum not longer than broad, as it is in goeldii, fitting into the semicircular excavation of the posterior portion of the pronotum, convex and rising above the latter in profile, abruptly sloping behind to the mesoepinotal constriction which is pronounced but very short. Epinotum distinctly broader than long, in profile lower than the mesonotum, with rather straight base and declivity meeting at a rounded, obtuse angle, the base. distinctly longer than the declivity. Petiole with an erect, well-developed scale, which is a little more than half as broad as the epinotum, but not as high, compressed anteroposteriorly, with flattened anterior and posterior surfaces and rather blunt, entire, broadly rounded superior border. Gaster rather large, elliptical. Legs stout.

Body shining, finely shagreened and sparsely punctate. Mandibles and clypeus somewhat more opaque.

Hairs and pubescence whitish or pale yellow, the former rather long, unequal, erect and confined to the body, the latter rather dense and short, covering both body and appendages, but not obscuring the shining surface.

Pale brownish yellow throughout; legs and antennae a little paler, head in some specimens a little darker, only the eyes and mandibular teeth brown.

Measurements (La Polla 2004) (n=4): TL: 1.99-2.19; HW: 0.496-0.55 1; HL: 0.489-0.54; SL: 0.339-0.408; ML: 0.527-0.589; GL: 0.941-l.09; CI: 98.61-104.7; SI: 66.21-74.05.

Queen
LaPolla (2004): As in worker with modification expected for caste and with the following differences: mesosomal dorsum covered in thick layer of appressed hairs, with scattered erect hairs; longest mesosomal hairs typically on scutellum.

Measurements (n=3): TL:2.83-2.87; HW: 0.576-0.597; HL: 0.55-0.591 ; SL: 0.431-0.495; ML: 0.841-0.915; GL: 1.34-l.48; CI: 100.85-104.73; SI: 74.83-82.9l.

Type Material
Lapolla (2004) examined 2 syntype workers and designated a worker labeled JSL TYPE #121 as the lectotype.

Type Locality Information
HAITI. Described from three workers, two taken at Petionville and one at Diquini.

Additional References

 * Biinzli, G.H. 1935. Untersuchungen iiber coccidophile Ameisen aus den Kaffeefelden von Surinam. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 16:455-593.


 * Brown, W.L., Jr. 1945. An unusual behavior pattern observed in a Szechuanese ant. Journal of the West China Border Research Society 15:185-186.


 * Buschinger, J., J. Heinze & K. Jessen. 1987. First European record ofa queen ant carrying a mealybug during her mating flight. NatUlwissenschaften 74:139-140.


 * Eberhard, W.G. 1978. Mating swarms ofa South American Acropygia [sic.] (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News 89(1 & 2):14-16.


 * Eisner, T. 1957. A comparative morphological study ofthc proventriculus of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin ofthe Museum of Comparative Zoology 116:439-490.


 * Holldobler B . & E.O. Wilson. 1990. The Ants. Belknap Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 732 pp.


 * Johnson, c., D. Agosti, J.H. Delabie, K. Dumpert, OJ. Williams, M. von Tschimhaus & U. Maschwitz. 2001 . Acropyga and Azteca Ants with Scale Insects: 20 Million Years ofIntimate Symbiosis. American Museum Noviates 3335:1-18.


 * LaPolla, J.S., S.P. Cover & U.G. Mueller. 2002. Natural history of the mealybug-tending ant Acropyga epedana, with descriptions of the male and queen castes. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 128(3):367-376.


 * Prins, AJ. 1982. Review of Anoplolepis with reference to male genitalia, and notes on Acropyga. Annals of the South African Museum 89:215-247.


 * Weber, N.A. 1944. The Neotropical coccid-tending ants of the genus Acropyga Roger. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 37:89-122.


 * Wheeler, G.C. & J.C. Wheeler. 1953. The ant larvae of the subfamily Formicinae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 46:126-171.


 * Wheeler, W.M. 1935b. Ants of the genus Acropyga Roger, with description ofa new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 43:321-329.


 * Williams, D J . 1998. Mealybugs of the genera Eumyrmococcus Silvestri and Xenococcus Silvestri associated with the ant genus Acropyga Roger and a review of the subfamily (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Pseudoccidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History)(Entomology) 67:1-64.