Cylindromyrmex boliviae

Known from widely ranging samples of queens and males.

Identification
De Andrade (1998) - The sole member of the boliviae clade. A Cylindromyrmex species differing from all the others by the postpetiole smooth or almost with traces of superficial, short striae on the the posterior half.

C. boliviae is known only on the sexuals. The gyne of boliviae is easily distinguished from all other species by the characters already listed before and by the very broad frontal carinae reaching the internal border of the eyes. In body shape the gyne of boliviae resembles the one of Cylindromyrmex godmani of the longiceps clade and the worker of Cylindromyrmex escobari of the brevitarsus clade. boliviae, godmani and escobari have broad frontal carinae and large convex mandibles. boliviae and godmani share also a broad and large ventral process of the petiole, and boliviae an escobari have mandibles with more than 11 denticles, and no gastric striae.

The male of boliviae can be distinguished from the other Cylindromyrmex males by the legs dark brown or black. boliviae males, in addition, have the frontal carinae more similar to males of the brevitarsus clade than to males of the striatus or longiceps clades.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  boliviae. Cylindromyrmex (Metacylindromyrmex) boliviae Wheeler, W.M. 1924a: 104, fig. 20 (q.) BOLIVIA. De Andrade, 1998a: 613 (m.). See also: Brown, 1975: 38.

Queen
De Andrade (1998) - TL 9.64-10.28; HL 1.60-1.64; HW 1.241-1.28; EL 0.50-0.54; SL 0.65-0.67; SW 0.23-0.24; WL 2.72-2.76; PeL 0.90-1.00; PeW 0.80-0.81; HFeL 0.88-1.02; HFeW 0.37-0.45; HTiL 0.80-0.92; HTiW 0.241-0.29; HBaL 0.60-0.65; HBaW 0.10-0.11: CI 77.5-78.0; SI 35.4-35.8; HFeI 42.0-43.1; HTiI 30.0-32.5; HBaI 16.4-16.9.

Head ca. 1/4 longer than broad, with parallel sides. Occiput slightly higher than in the species of the striatus clade. Frontal carinae ca. 1/3 narrower than the maximum head width. Sides of the frontal carinae diverging backwards and reaching at least the middle of the compound eye posteriorly. Dorsum of the frontal carinae with an impressed, median sulcus anteriorly. Frontal carinae reaching the anterior border of the clypeus. Compound eyes large, gently convex and largely on the posterior half of the head. Ocelli well developed. Scapes reaching the anterior border or the compound eyes. Proximal third of the scapes ca. 1/2 narrower than the remaining parts. Mandibles massive and strongly convex dorsally. Masticatory margin of the mandible each with a set of 10-12 irregular, minute denticles followed by an apical tooth.

Mesosoma dorsally flat and slightly more than 1/3 longer than the head (mandibles included). Pronotal dorsum with the sides superficially marginate. Propleurae concave. Mesopleurae gently convex. Propodeal sides converging posteriorly. Basal and declivous face of the propodeum subequal in size and delimited by a superficial margin.

Petiole ca. 1/5 longer than broad, anteriorly truncate and the dorsally gently convex. Petiolar side diverging backwards. Ventral process of the petiole large, subround or obliquely truncate. Postpetiole subquadrate and slightly broader posteriorly. Postpetiole in dorsal view antero-laterally angulate. Postpetiolar sternite antero-medially only with superficial traces of a triangular “lip.” Pygidium in side view subtruncate. Pygidium in dorsal view with the sides bearing many irregularly distributed small denticles converging to 4-6 small teeth over the sting.

Legs. Femora and tibiae not strongly inflated. Hind basitarsi 1/4 shorter than the maximum length of the hind tibiae. Outer apical edge of the hind and of the mid basitarsi with 5 spine-like setae.

Sculpture. Head covered by longitudinal striae, thicker on the posterior half of the head dorsum. Striae close to the antennal scrobes thinner than those on the remaining parts of the anterior half of the head. Dorsum of the pronotum with about 18-21 striae similar to those on the posterior part of the head dorsum. Center of the mesonotum with about 9-12 striae, thinner than those on the pronotum: remaining parts of the mesonotum and scutellum smooth, or sides of the mesonotum with thin, superficial, short striae. Dorsum of the propodeum with about 21-24 striae similar to those on the mesonotum. Propleurae, lower mesopleurae, metapleurae and sides of the petiole minutely and superficially reticulate-punctated and with longitudinal striae similar to those close to the antennal scrobes. Upper mesopleurae smooth. Petiolar dorsum with about 15-17 striae similar to those on the propodeum. Declivous face of the propodeum and anterior face of the petiole minutely reticulate-punctate. Postpetiolar dorsum smooth and sometimes with very thin, short superficial striae on the center of the posterior half. Postpetiolar sternite and gaster smooth and with variable impressed punctuations, denser and larger on the postpetiolar sternite. Last three gastric sternite, and sides of their corresponding tergites minutely and superficially reticulate-punctated. Coxae not striated. Legs with very superficial, minute punctures.

Pilosity. Body with pointed hair, of at least three lengths, and distributed as follows: (1) long, erect to suberect, rare on the head, on the mandibles, on the anterior border of the clypeus, on the mesosoma, on the pedicel, on the ventral process of the petiole and on the gaster, dense on the pygidium: (2) shorter than the type (1) rare and suberect on the whole body except on the sternite, these hairs are sub- or decumbent. (3) shorter than the type (2), erect to suberect on the whole body except on the posterior half of the ventral pan of the head, on the gaster and on the legs these hairs are sub- or decumbent. In addition. the hypostomal bridge surrounded by a row of hairs similar to those of type (1) but appressed and apically curved.

Colour black and shining. Legs dark orange-brown with darker tarsi and black coxae. Immature specimens with mandibles, antennae, coxae and pygidium reddish-brown, last funicular joints orange.

Male
De Andrade (1998) - TL 8.22-9.54; HL 1.16; KW 1.16; EL 0.60-0.62; SL 0.25-0.27; SW 0.18-0.19; WL 2.64-2.74; PeL 0.76; PeW 0.70-0.74; HFeL 1.02-1.09; HFeW 0.23-0.25; HTiL 0.89-0.92; HTiW 0.18-0.19; HBaL 0.71-0.74; HBaW 0.08; CI 100.0; SI 66.7-73.1; HFeI 21.1-24.5; HTiI 19.8-20.6; HBaI 10.8-11.3.

Head as broad as long. Ocelli protuberant. Compound eyes broadly convex and largely on the anterior half or the head. Frontal carinae high. Borders of the frontal carinae broad, convex on the anterior third and subparallel posteriorly. Frons anteriorly concave, medially gently convex and posteriorly loping to the impair ocellus. Anterior border of the clypeus convex medially. Mandibles long; their masticatory margin edentated and with a pointed apical tooth. Scapes short and thick. Funicular joints stout; first joint about 1/2 shorter than the second one. Second and last two funicular joints thinner than joints 3-10.

Mesosoma robust. Pronotum in dorsal view with diverging sides. Mesonotum convex. Parapsidal furrows superficially impressed. Scutellum subround and as high as the mesonotum. Basal face of the propodeum narrowing backward and separated from the declivous one by a marked carina. Posterior border of the basal face of the propodeum with a short sulcus in the middle.

Petiole slightly longer than broad, broader on the posterior half. Anterior face of the petiole truncate and separated from the dorsal one by a marked carina. Ventral process of the petiole subtriangular. Postpetiole with the sides gently convex and narrower than the first gastric tergite.

Legs not inflated. Hind basitarsi about 1/4 shorter than the hind tibiae. Mid basitarsi slightly more than 1/2 of the length of the hind basitarsi.

Sculpture. Head dorsum minutely punctate and striated, the punctures more impressed on the anterior half, the striae thicker on the posterior half, slightly longitudinal and short on the frons, concentric and irregular close to the internal border of the eyes, and converging from the posterior border of the compound eyes to the pair ocelli. Vertexal angle and sides of the ventral part of the head with small, deep. Piligerous foveae, larger on the vertexal angles. Middle of the ventral part of the head with tranversal striae. Pronotum smooth and with sparse piligerous foveae on the center; some specimens with additional irregular, transversal rugosities between the foveae. Mesonotum and scutellum smooth, with rare, small foveae. Basal race or the propodeum and petiole covered by thick, irregular, longitudinal striae, sometimes missing on the center of the petiole. Declivous face of the propodeum punctate and with rare, very thin, transversal rugosities close to the borders. Pro- and mesopleurae smooth. 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 three last gastric segments.

Pilosity. Body covered by pointed hairs of four types: (1) long, sparse and suberect: (2) shorter than the type (1), sparse and suberect, dense, decumbent on the gaster and on the femora: (3) shorter than the type (2) dense, decumbent on the vertexal angles, on the posterior half of the ventral part of the head, appressed on the mandibles on the scapes, on the first funicular joints, on the coxae, on the tarsi and tarsomeres; (4) very short, thick and dense on the 2-12 funicular joints.

Colour. Black and shining. Mandibles, antennae and legs lighter.

Type Material
De Andrade (1998) - Gyne. Mapiri, Bolivia. Type material: 1 alate gyne (head missing) labelled: “Mapiri, Bolivia: Cotype: Gift of W. M. Wheeler: M.C.Z. Cot) pc. 20336”, in, examined.