Cephalotes bloosi

One of a number of Cephalotes fossil species that are known from Dominican amber.

Identification
A member of the coffeae clade characterised, in the worker, by the vertex without denticles, by the pronotum with a broad, continuous lamella and by the propodeum with three small, lateral denticles. (de Andrade and Baroni Urbani 1999)

Key to Cephalotes Workers

Distribution
This taxon was described from Dominican Amber (Miocene).

Nomenclature

 * † bloosi. †Cephalotes bloosi Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, in De Andrade & Baroni Urbani, 1999: 549, figs. 14C, 258 (w.) DOMINICAN AMBER (Miocene).

Worker
Head slightly broader than long. Frontal carinae with superficially crenulate border. Vertexal angles round and with crenulate border. Vertex without denticles. Vertexal margin concave. Mandibles laterally angulate.

Mesosoma flat in profile. Scapular angles visible in dorsal view. Pronotal sides with a broad, long, continuous lamella. Promesonotal suture absent Sides of the mesonotum armed with a pair of truncate teeth. Propodeal suture impressed. Propodeum with differentiate basal and declivous faces; propodeal sides with three small denticles.

Petiole slightly narrower than the postpetiole. Anterior face of the petiole truncate; petiolar dorsum almost flat; petiolar sides with a small weakly pointed tooth. Postpetiole gently convex, slightly concave medially; postpetiolar sides anteriorly with a broad, round tooth.

Gaster suboval and with a pair of narrow, anterolateral lamellae

Fore coxae angulate. Mid and hind femora angulate. Mid and hind basitarsi flat and with slightly broad base.

Sculpture. Head minutely reticulate and with superficial foveae variably clumped, small on the anterior and posterior fourths of the head and on the propodeum. Ventral face of the head superficially reticulate and with dense foveae on the anterior half. Peduncular segments reticulate and with dense foveae of variable size. Pleurae, first gastral tergite, sides of the first gastral sternite and legs strongly reticulate; middle of the first gastral sternite, remaining tergites and sternites superficially reticulate and shining. First gastral tergite with additional, minute, superficial foveae.

Pilosity. Each fovea with a thin, apprcssed hair; similar hairs not originating from foveae on the first gastral sternite. Border of the frontal carinae, of the vertexal angles, of the propodeum, of the peduncular segments, first gastral tergite and sternite, posterior border of the remaining tergites and sternites and legs with rare clubbed hairs slightly longer on the gaster. First gastral sternite with additional rare, suberect, pointed, long hairs.

Colour. Frontal carinae, vertexal angles, border of the pronotal lamellae and gastral lamellae brown.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 4.54; HL 1.04; HW 1.27; EL 0.28; PW 1.04; PeW 0.50; PpW 0.52; HBaL 0.40; HBaW 0.12; CI 122.1; PI 122.1; PPeI 208.0; PPpI 200.0; HBaI 30.0.

Type Material
Holotype worker (unique) in Dominican amber sample H 10-119 in the.

Etymology
This species is named after Dr. Gert Bloos, the Editor of this and of most of our papers on amber ants for the numerous, necessary corrections he made on our manuscripts and for the self-control with which he called our attention on our faults.