Nesomyrmex clypeatus

This species is endemic to the Malagasy region. It is known to occur in tropical dry forests and littoral forests of the northern, dry area of Madagascar

Identification
Csősz and Fisher (2016) - This species cannot be confused with other taxa in this revisionary work based on the dark antennal club and the conspicuous median notch on the anterior clypeal border.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  clypeatus. Nesomyrmex clypeatus Csösz & Fisher, 2016: 20, figs. 8A-8C (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Body color: yellow; brown. Body color pattern: concolorous, only clava darker. Absolute cephalic size (mm): 898 [850, 946] (n D 12). Cephalic length vs. maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.076 [1.057, 1.105]. Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.434 [0.423, 0.444]. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view orientation: converging posteriorly. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view shape: feebly convex. Vertex contour line in frontal view shape: straight; feebly convex. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture rugoso-reticulate, ground sculpture areolate. Gena contour line in frontal view shape: convex. Genae contour from anterior view orientation: strongly converging. Gena sculpture: rugoso-reticulate with areolate ground sculpture. Concentric carinae laterally surrounding antennal foramen: absent. Eye length vs. absolute cephalic size (EL/CS): 0.210 [0.193, 0.225]. Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.310 [0.300, 0.328]. Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons: absent. Smooth median region on frons count: absent. Antennomere count: 12. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.758 [0.736, 0.835]. Facial area of the scape absolute setal angle: setae absent, pubescence only. Median clypeal notch: present. Median clypeal notch depth vs. absolute cephalic size (Cdep/CS): 0.021 [0.013, 0.027]. Ground sculpture of submedian area of clypeus: present. Median carina of clypeus: present. Lateral carinae of clypeus: present. Median anatomical line of propodeal spine angle value to Weber length in lateral view: 50-60°. Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS): 0.361 [0.335, 0.385]. Minimum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPBA/CS): 0.349 [0.326, 0.386]. Apical spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPTI/CS): 0.463 [0.438, 0.489]. Propodeal spine shape: straight; slightly bent. Anterolateral pronotal corner: present. Apical distance of pronotal spines vs. absolute cephalic size (PSTI/CS): 0.773 [0.733, 0.801]. Metanotal depression count: absent. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: rugose with areolate ground sculpture. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Mesopleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Metapleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Petiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PEW/CS): 0.460 [0.428, 0.512]. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture rogoso-reticulate. Postpetiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PPW/CS): 0.493 [0.472, 0.521]. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose.

Type Material
Holotype worker: Madagascar: Prov. Antsiranana, Rés. Spéc. Ankarana, 22.9 km 224° SW Anivorano Nord, 12°55’S, 49°07’E, 80 m, 10-16.ii.2001, collection code: BLF3004; CASENT0422552, Fisher et al. (CASENT0422552, ). Paratypes: four workers with the same locality data under (CAS).

Etymology
The name (clypeatus) refers to the presence of an antero-median clypeal depression in this species, the characteristic found to be unique in this revisionary work.