Rasopone breviscapa

This species is only known from a single dealate queen.

Identification
Mackay and Mackay (2010): The female of Rasopone breviscapa is very similar to that of Rasopone rupinicola, but can be easily separated by the short scape. The scape of the female of R. rupinicola extends well past the posterior lateral corner of the head. Rasopone breviscapa is much larger than the females of other members of the ferruginea species complex. The worker of R. breviscapa would be expected to be similar to those of R. rupinicola, but have shorter scapes than the female (based on the relative scape length of the females and workers of R. rupinicola), which would allow R. breviscapa to be easily recognized.

Longino and Branstetter (2020) - This species is known only from the type queen. Rasopone breviscapa, Rasopone rupinicola, and Rasopone titanis are the largest species in the genus, with HW ~1.7. Rasopone breviscapa has the anterior clypeal margin truncate, mandibles striate, and petiole intermediate between cuboidal and scale-like. It is differentiated from R. rupinicola by the shorter scapes (SI 79 vs 106), and from R. titanis by the truncate clypeal margin and striate mandibles.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia.

Nomenclature

 * . Pachycondyla breviscapa Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 220, figs. 347, 349 (q.) BOLIVIA.
 * Type-material: holotype queen.
 * Type-locality: Bolivia: La Paz, Tumupasa, xii., Mulford Biological Expd., 1921-22 (W.M. Mann).
 * Type-depository: USNM.
 * Combination in Rasopone: Schmidt, C.A. & Shattuck, 2014: 210.
 * Status as species: Longino & Branstetter, 2020: 10.
 * Distribution: Bolivia.

Worker
No workers known for this species.

Queen
The female is a moderate sized (total length 12 mm) ferrugineous red specimen. The mandible has approximately 9 teeth alternating in size. Some of the teeth are tiny and poorly developed. The anterior medial border of the clypeus is concave with two lateral angles. The head length and width are 1.7 mm. The maximum eye diameter is 0.3 mm and the eye is located slightly less than one diameter from the anterior margin of the head. The ocelli are tiny (0.06 mm diameter). The scape (1.35 mm) nearly reaches the posterior lateral corner of the head. The propodeal  spiracle  is circular and  the posterior face of the propodeum is outlined by a poorly defined carina. The petiole is narrowed toward the apex, but has a definite dorsal face; the subpetiolar process has a posteriorly directed lobe. The anterior face of the postpetiole is nearly straight and meets the dorsal face at nearly a right angle. The stridulatory file on the second pretergite is absent.

Erect hairs are present on the mandibles, posterior margin and sides of the head, anterior margin of the clypeus, along the shaft of the scape, on the dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole, posterior edge of the subpetiolar process and all surfaces of the gaster. The hairs on the tibiae are sparse and suberect to erect. Appressed silver pubescence is present on all surfaces.

The mandibles are finely striate; the remainder of the surfaces is mostly finely punctate and dull, except for the gaster, which is punctate, but slightly shining.

Male
No males known for this species.

Type Material
Tumupasa, BOLIV., WM MANN; Dec.; MULFORD Biological Exploration, 1921-1922. Holotype dealate female

Etymology
From Latin, brevis, meaning short and scapus meaning stalk, referring to the relatively short antennal scape.