Stenamma siculum

Known from the sexual castes collected from malaise traps. Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Rigato (2011) - A relatively slender species with moderately elongate scape. The male has fully developed mandibles and reticulate-punctate propodeal dorsum. Both gyne and male bear several standing (subdecumbent to suberect) hairs along the dorsal edge of the scape mixed with the ordinary subdecumbent pubescence.

Initially I was unaware of this new species and thought these specimens could belong either to Stenamma sardoum or to Stenamma msilanum (sensu DuBois, 1998). In fact, they seem to share many features with both, especially relatively elongate appendages and shape of the petiole. The unique striking difference from them is the presence of several raised hairs on  the  appendages. This feature is shared with very different taxa such as Stenamma petiolatum and Stenamma zanoni. Unfortunately, the worker is still unknown, but I am confident it will exhibit the same distinctive feature.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Italy.

Nomenclature

 *  siculum. Stenamma siculum Rigato, 2011: 12, figs. 5, 41, 47, 48, 54, 58, 63, 68 (q.m.) ITALY (Sicily).

Queen
Holotype: TL 4.8; HL 0.95; HW 0.78; CI 82; SL 0.77; SI 99; PCI 35; AL 1.40; PSI 1.64; ScW 0.67; MnL 1.05; PeL 0.51; PPL 0.30; PeH 0.24; PPH 0.24; PeW 0.20; PPW 0.26; PI1 59; PI2 65; MTL 0.73; TI 94.

TL 4.6–5.1; HL 0.94–1.02; HW 0.77–0.84; CI 82–84; SL 0.77–0.82; SI 97–100; PCI 29–33; AL 1.32–1.50; PSI 1.5–1.8; ScW 0.66–0.74; MnL 0.95–1.11; PeL 0.49–0.54; PPL 0.30–0.34; PeH 0.24–0.27; PPH 0.23–0.26; PeW 0.18–0.21; PPW 0.24–0.28; PI1 59–68; PI2 62–66; MTL 0.72–0.79; TI 90–96 (11 measured).

Mandibles longitudinally rugose with distinct piligerous pits, 8-10 toothed. Anterior clypeal border shallowly concave in the middle. Head distinctly longer than wide, with moderately convex sides, narrower at occipital angles than at mandibular insertion; its surface mostly areolate with longitudinal rugulation prevailing on the front, reticulate-punctate ground sculpture moderately developed. Scape moderately long, usually just reaching the posterior margin of the head when laid back. The latter weakly convex in full face view.

Mesosoma in profile with weakly convex mesoscutum; propodeal dorsum steep. Pronotum mostly transversely irregularly rugose. Mesonotum with an irregular median carina and mostly longitudinally irregularly rugose. Sides of mesosoma irregularly longitudinally rugose, except for the largely smooth anterior mesopleuron. Propodeal dorsum transversely rugose; its declivity faintly transversely rugulose and shining. Propodeal spines strong and sharp. Waist reticulate-punctate with scattered short irregular rugulae; nodes mostly smooth and shining. Petiole in profile with a bluntly triangular node, its sternite distinctly concave at node level and with no anterior subpetiolar process. Postpetiole in profile relatively elongate; its sternite weakly concave and with a slightly protruding anterior process. In dorsal view petiolar peduncle just behind the protruding spiracles about parallel-sided. Gaster almost completely smooth and shining, except at its basalmost portion, which is weakly reticulate-punctate with superimposed diverging short rugulae.

Appressed to subdecumbent pubescence moderately long and occurring above most surfaces, more abundant on head and appendages. Standing, subdecumbent to erect, hairs as usual: abundant on head (especially dorsomedially, laterally and ventrally), dorsum of mesosoma and gaster. Scape dorsally with several standing (subdecumbent to suberect) hairs raised above the level of the pubescence; extensor surface of mid and hind tibiae with few, sparse subdecumbent setae besides the ordinary decumbent pubescence. All of these appendage setae often are not clearly distinguishable from pubescence hairlets, but they are basally straighter and raised above pubescence level.

Colour mostly ferrugineous throughout, with a more testaceous gaster. Wings appearing faintly infuscated.

Male
TL 3.4–4.5; HL 0.65–0.73; HW 0.54–0.62; CI 82–85; SL 0.29–0.36; SI 53–64; AL 1.19–1.43; ScW 0.58–0.71; MnL 0.79–0.97; PeL 0.44–0.50; PPL 0.24–0.27; PeH 0.17–0.22; PPH 0.18–0.21; PeW 0.16–0.19; PPW 0.21–0.26; PI1 54–59; PI2 78–82; MTL 0.82–0.99; TI 151–163 (6 measured).

Mandibles fully developed, superfi cially rugulose and shining, 6- to 7-toothed. Head in full face view with moderately convex sides; mostly finely reticulate-punctate, with superimposed, chiefly longitudinal, rugulae. Pronotum mostly superficially reticulate-punctate with scattered rugulae. Mesoscutum mostly smooth and shining, especially anteriorly between the wellmarked notauli; the remaining portions irregularly reticulate-rugose. Scutellum strongly sculptured, reticulate-punctate with irregular rugosity. Propodeal dorsum with a similar, but more superficial sculpturation. Mesosoma in profile with prevailingly smooth mesopleuron and rugose propodeum. The propodeal dorsum distinctly longer than the declivity, which is finely transversely rugulose and shining. Waist chiefly reticulate-punctate, longitudinally rugulose, with smooth nodes.

Pilosity mostly as in gyne.

Colour mostly piceous, with brown appendages and paler mandibles, tarsi and apical half of the funiculi. Wings as in gyne.

Type Material
Holotype (gyne): ITALY, SICILY, Corleone (Palermo), fraz. Ficuzza, 680 m, UTM 33 S 357272 4194090, 9.xii.2003-24.II.2004, malaise trap (D. Birtele, P. Cerretti,M. Tisato). 

Paratypes. 21 gynes and 5 males with the same data as the holotype. 10 gynes and 4 males: ITALY, SICILY, Bosco della Ficuzza (Palermo), Torretta Torre, 940 m, UTM 33 S 357671 4194110, malaise trap I-II.2005, (A. Gatto). 1 male: ITALY, SICILY, Bosco della Ficuzza (Palermo), Torretta Torre, 940 m, Plot Conecofor SIC 1, UTM 33 S 357671 4194110, malaise trap ix.2005 (A. Gatto). (, CNBF,, )