Nesomyrmex retusispinosus

This species is known to occur in rain forests and montane forests in lowlands between 918 m and 1080 m in central Madagascar.

Identification
A member of the sikorai species-group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  retusispinosus. Leptothorax retusispinosus Forel, 1892l: 267 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Combination in L. (Goniothorax): Emery, 1896g: 58 (footnote).
 * Combination in Nesomyrmex: Bolton, 2003: 272.
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 126; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1030; Bolton, 1995b: 243; Csösz & Fisher, 2016b: 22 (redescription).

Worker
Csösz and Fisher (2016) - Body color: yellow; brown. Body color pattern: concolorous. Absolute cephalic size: 812 μm [731, 921]. Cephalic length vs. maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.17 [1.07, 1.233]. Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.483 [0.464, 0.498]. Postocular sides of cranium contour, anterior view orientation: converging posteriorly. Postocular sides of cranium contour, anterior view shape: convex. Vertex contour line in anterior view shape: straight; feebly convex. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture rugoso-reticulate, ground sculpture areolate. Gena contour line in anterior view shape: convex. Gena contour from anterior view orientation: strongly converging. Gena sculpture: rugoso-reticulate with areolate ground sculpture. Concentric carinae laterally surrounding antennal foramen: present. Eye length vs. absolute cephalic size (EL/CS): 0.237 [0.225, 0.251]. Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.294 [0.285, 0.302]. Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons: present. Smooth median region on frons: absent. Antennomere count: 12. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.838 [0.812, 0.862]. Median clypeal notch: present. Median carina of clypeus: present or absent. Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS): 0.43 [0.4, 0.459]. Minimum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPBA/CS): 0.24 [0.219, 0.259]. Apical spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPTI/CS): 0.322 [0.293, 0.332]. Propodeal spine shape: slightly or strongly bent. Apical distance of pronotal spines vs. absolute cephalic size (PSTI/CS): 0.659 [0.621, 0.678]. Metanotal depression: present. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: rugulose with areolate ground sculpture. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, main sculpture rugoso-reticulate. Mesopleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Metapleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Petiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PEW/CS): 0.24 [0.219, 0.262]. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose. Postpetiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PPW/CS): 0.39 [0.358, 0.415]. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose.

Type Material
Csösz and Fisher (2016) - Holotype worker: “L. retusispinosus, type, Forel, For d'andrangoloaca [Antananarivo, -18.91 N, 47.55 E], Madagascar (Sikora)”, (, CASENT0101616).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.