Proceratium watasei

Identification
A member of the pergandei clade. Outgroup of Proceratium compitale and Proceratium creek but differing from both species, in the worker and gyne, by the first funicular joint 1/3 longer than broad instead of 1/2 longer than broad, by the funicular joints about as long as broad instead of longer than broad and by the gastral tergite I strongly round on the curvature instead of slightly angulate. (Baroni Urbani and de Andrade 2003)

Distribution
Japan and Korea.

This taxon was described from Japan.

Biology
According to JADG (1998) watasei lives in the soil of glossy-leaved evergreen forests. Choi et al. (1985) report the presence of P. watasei in the Korean peninsula.

Nomenclature

 *  watasei. Sysphincta watasei Wheeler, W.M. 1906c: 303, pl. 41, fig. 5 (w.q.) JAPAN. Ogata, 1987: 107 (m.); Onoyama & Yoshimura, 2002: 45 (m.). Combination in Proceratium: Brown, 1958g: 248. See also: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 215.

Worker
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Head longer than broad, with sides subparallel in the two anterior thirds and strongly convex in the posterior third. Anteromedian part of the clypeus rectangular and strongly protruding anteriorly. Anteromedian part of the clypeus, dorsally, with a variably impressed inverted Y-shaped carina. Frontal carinae gently diverging posteriorly, slightly raised and not very close each other. Lateral expansions of the frontal carinae narrow. Head anterolaterally with a short, longitudinal carina. Genal carina absent. Gular area not impressed. Eyes small, composed by a dark dot below or whithin the integument. First funicular joint 1/3 longer than broad. Funicular joints 2-10 about as broad as long. Last funicular joint slightly shorter than the sum of joints 8-10. Scapcs slightly short of the vertexal margin and gently thickening apically. Antennal torulus behind the lateral border of the clypeus. Masticatory margin of the mandibles with 5-6 denticles before the pointed apical tooth. Palp formula 4,3.

Mesosoma about as long as or slightly longer than the head (mandibles included). Promesopleural and meso-metapleural sutures impressed ventrally only. Propodeal dorsum between basal and declivous faces slightly incised. Basal and declivous faces of the propodeum dorsally separated by a narrow lamella interrupted medially. Declivous face of the propodeum with a broad, semitransparent lamella on each side, the lamella slightly denticulate apically, broader on the posterior half. Propodeal spiracle round and over the mid height in lateral view.

Petiole convex in profile, with the sides diverging on the anterior third and strongly convex posteriorly in dorsal view. Anterior border of the petiole gently concave and carinate, the carina sometimes forming a denticle on each side. Ventral process of the petiole lamelliform, short and triangular. Postpetiole anteriorly as broad as the petiole; its sides diverging on the anterior half and gently convex on the posterior half. Postpetiolar sternite anteromedially with a marked subtriangular projection. Posterior half of the postpetiolar sternite convex. Constriction between postpetiole and first gastral segment impressed. Gastral tergite I strongly round and slightly recurved forwards.

Legs slender. All tibiae with a pectinate spur. Spurs of fore legs with basal spine. Fore basitarsi as long as the mid ones. Hind basitarsi about 1/7 shorter than hind tibiae. Second tarsomere of hind legs longer than the pretarsus. Pretarsal claws simple. Arolia absent.

Sculpture. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole minutely reticulate-punctate sparsely and irregularly rugulose, the reticulation broader, deeper and resembling irregular foveae in some parts of the mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole. Gaster superficially shining and covered by minute, piligerous impressions. Legs punctate.

Body covered by hairs of three main types: (1) short, dense, subdecumbent on the whole body, sparse and suberect on the funicular joints; (2) longer than type (1), sparse and suberect on the whole body, absent on the funiculi; (3) shorter than hair type (1), dense and decumbent on the funicular joints only. In addition the funicular joints bear whitish, thick, appressed, short, sparse hairs, and the scapes with sparse hairs similar to type (2) but shorter.

Colour dark fesrugineous.

Measurements in mm and Indices: TL 4.68-5.20; HL 1.04-1.12; HW 0.87-0.96; EL 0.03-0.04; SL 0.81-0.89; WL 1.32-1.44; PeL 0.41-0.48; PeW 0.37-0.41; HFeL 0.96-1.08; HTiL 0.81-0.90; HBaL 0.68-0.80; LS4 0.39-0.41; LT4 1.08-1.22; CI 83.6-85.7; SI 78.0-79.5; IGR 0.34-0.36.

Queen
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Differing from the worker in the following details: eyes about 1/7 of the head length and with well defined ommatidia. Ocular pilosity present. Ocelli present.

Mesosoma robust. Scutellum as long as the sides of the basal face of the propodeum; its lateral parts gently converging into a convex posterior border. Metanotum without denticle. Propodeal lamellae dorsally connected.

Fore wings of our type 1, hind wings of our type 2 as defined in the description of the genus.

Measurements in mm and Indices: TL 5.60; HL 1.16; HW 1.00; EL 0.16; SL 0.91; WL 1.62; PeL 0.48; Pew 0.46; WFeL 1.14; HTiL 0.95; HBaL 0.83; LS4 0.55; LT4 1.46; CI 86.2; SI 78.4; IGR 0.38.

Type Material
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Worker and gyne. Type locality Okayama (Bizen) and Kamakaur (Sagami Gulf), Japan. Type material not available for the present study.