Harpegnathos honestoi

Collected live from web of a theridiid spider, about 1 m from ground in low vegetation. I collected both the spider and its prey as the spider was struggling to wrap the ant in silk (General 2016).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines.

Range
Harpegnathos honestoi is sympatrically distributed with Harpegnathos alperti, both having been collected in sites less than 5 km apart on Mt. Isarog, Luzon Island, Philippines.

Biology
Known only from the holotype worker.

Nomenclature

 *  honestoi. Harpegnathos honestoi General, 2016: 100, figs. 1-4 (w.) PHILIPPINES.

Worker
Holotype: TL 20.44, HL 2.81, HW 2.39, CI 85, SL 2.96, SI 124, MandL 4.11, MI 146, MLO 4.16, PW 1.98, ML 5.15, PetL 1.40, PetH 0.88, HFL 3.64, MtL 4.58, EL 1.35, EW 0.94, EI 57, MOW 0.11.

In full face view, posterior margin of head straight; scape exceeding posterior margin of head by at least width of scape; ocelli present; frontal lobes broad, covering antennal sockets; frontal carinae short, as long as about twice width of scape, diverging; clypeus narrowly inserted between frontal lobes; triangular labral lobe present; eyes extremely large, ovate, occupying anterior lateral margin of head; mandibles converging gradually from attachments; head coarsely striate; antennal scape with sparse, short erect and suberect hairs.

In lateral view, mesosoma long and cylindrical; front coxa well separated from mid- and hindcoxae; front coxa long but distal end not reaching midcoxa; promesonotal suture deeply impressed; metanotal groove obsolete; dorsal face of propodeum very long; propodeal declivity not bounded by lateral carinae; metapleural gland orifice opening laterally, not protected by guard hairs; petiole longer than tall; anterior subpetiolar process triangular; gaster long; sting present and functional; tarsal claws with median tooth.

In dorsal view, irregular striae subparallel on pronotum and mesonotum; propodeum transversely striate; petiole longer than broad; petiole reticulate dorsally and laterally; first and second gastral tergite coarsely punctate over underlying punctulation.

Sparse short hairs on body. Head, mandibles, antennae and pronotum orange; rest of body brownish black; legs yellow.

Type Material
Holotype. PHILIPPINES: Luzon Island, Camarines Sur, Naga City, Panicuason Village, Mt. Isarog, 500-550 m ± 500 m, 13°40’11” N, 123°19’47” E ± 4 km, 30.iv.2002, leg. D. E. M. General, (PNM 9021, deposited in ).

Etymology
The name of the new species is a patronym lovingly dedicated to my father, Honesto C. General, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * General D. E. M. 2016. A review of the ant genus Harpegnathos Jerdon, 1851 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Philippines, with the description of two new species. Halteres 7: 99-105.