Paraparatrechina ocellatula

An endemic Madagascar species, Paraparatrechina ocellatula has been collected from montane rainforest and rainforest.

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2010) - Small eyes (REL <20); scapes with appressed pubescence. Compare with: Paraparatrechina glabra and Paraparatrechina myops.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  ocellatula. Paraparatrechina ocellatula LaPolla & Fisher, in LaPolla, Cheng & Fisher, 2010: 22, figs. 14,16,17 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
(n=56): TL: 1.42–2.1; HW: 0.39–0.48; HL: 0.43–0.6; EL: 0.06–0.09; SL: 0.43–0.55; PW: 0.25–0.33; WL: 0.45–0.6; PDH: 0.18–0.26; PrFL: 0.34–0.66; PrFW: 0.09–0.13; GL: 0.45–0.95. Indices: CI: 77–91; REL: 11–15; SI: 102–128; FI: 18–33.

Overall worker of P. ocellatula matches the description of Paraparatrechina myops with the following differences: 1) Overall measurements generally smaller, especially when considering morphometric comparisons (see above measurements and figures 16E); 2) scapes with appressed pubescence, compared with the more decumbent pubescence on the scapes of P. ocellatula; 3) scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 2-3 funicular segments.

Type Material
Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR: Prov. Antananarivo; R.S. Ivohibe; 6.5 km ESE Ivohibe; elev. 1575; 22°29.8’S, 46°57.3’E; 24–30.x.1997; (B.L. Fisher #1751) ; 8 paratypes, same locality as holotype (CASC, )

Etymology
The species epithet is a Latin double diminutive, adjectival in form, for meaning very small-eyed, in reference to the small eyes found in this species.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * LaPolla J. S., C. H. Cheng, B. L. Fisher. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy region. Zootaxa 2387: 1-27.
 * Lapolla, J. S., C. H. Cheng, and B. L. Fisher. "Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions." Zootaxa 2387 (2010): 1-27.