Nesomyrmex antoinetteae

Collected from pitfall traps in Mountain Fynbos and from digging through soil in Succulent Karoo.

Identification
Mbanyana and Robertson (2008) - A member of the simoni species-group. Similar to Nesomyrmex mcgregori but distinguished from it by the dorsum of head which is entirely covered by longitudinal rugulae (smooth or reticulate in N. mcgregori), the propodeum which is armed with broad triangular teeth (acute in N. mcgregori), and the head which is narrower (CI 74–79 versus 83–84 in N. mcgregori).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa.

Nomenclature

 *  antoinetteae. Nesomyrmex antoinetteae Mbanyana & Robertson, 2008: 39, figs. 2g-i (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.

Description
Holotype. HL 1.099, HW 0.851, HW1 0.942, CI 77, SL 0.886, SI 104, PW 0.677, ML 1.380, EL 0.305, EI 36.

Mandibles with fine longitudinal striations. Clypeus with reticulate ground sculpture overlaid by a few longitudinal striations. Median portion of the clypeus convex but almost flattened anteriorly. Eyes with 16 ommatidia in the longest row. Hind margin of head in full-face view with occipital margin straight medially. Promesonotum in profile evenly convex and the metanotal groove conspicuously impressed. Propodeal dorsum slightly convex and declivity almost straight. Propodeum armed with short, triangular teeth. Metapleural lobes low and rounded. Anterior peduncle short and broad with a keel-like subpetiolar process. Petiolar node with both anterior and posterior angles rounded. Postpetiole low and rounded. Dorsum of head with punctulate to finely reticulate ground-sculpture, which is overlaid by fine, longitudinal rugulae. Promesonotal dorsum with fine predomi-nantly longitudinal rugulae, irregular in places. Propodeal dorsum with irregular rugulae and transverse rugulae on the declivity. Petiolar node and postpetiole with irregular rugulae. Base of first gastral tergite with costulae and rest of tergite with fine, superficial reticulate pattern. Head with four longitudinal lines of erect hairs running between the eyes. The venter of head with sparse short curved hairs and five long straight hairs. Promesonotal dorsum with scattered short, erect hairs. Propodeal dorsum with a pair of hairs, petiolar node with at least three pairs of hairs and postpetiole with at least five pairs of hairs. Regularly spaced erect hairs on tergites and sternites of gaster. Colour uniformly light brown.

Paratypes. HL 0.954–1.092, HW 0.724–0.851, HW1 0.806–0.934, CI 74–79, SL 0.738–0.873, SI 101–107, PW 0.541–0.680, ML 1.219–1.369, EL 0.285–0.325, EI 35–41 (12 of 17 measured).

Same as holotype with these differences: clypeus reticulate or smooth medially, bordered by a few longitudinal striations. The venter of head with 3–5 curved hairs. Eyes with 15–17 ommatidia in a longest row. Propodeum with short propodeal teeth, reduced to angulate corners in some.

Petiolar node with anterior face angled at about 125 degrees to the horizontal; dorsum rounding evenly into the posterior face. Propodeum with at least two pairs of hairs.

Type Material
Holotype: South Africa: Western Cape: Mountain Fynbos, 32°20’59”S 19°10’2”E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.1.6, SAM-HYM-C019389. Paratypes: South Africa: Western Cape: Mountain Fynbos, 32°21’8”S 19°10’4”E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.3.3, SAM-HYM-C019390; Mountain Fynbos, 32°21’14”S 19°10’4”E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.4.9, SAM-HYM-C019391; Mountain Fynbos, 32°21’19”S 19°9’13”E, CKOct02-SKop-10.2.4,16 Oc-tober 2002, A. Botes, SAM-HYM-C019399; Mountain Fynbos, 32°20’59”S 19°10’2”E, 06 March 2003 A. Botes, CKMar03-SKop-12.1.5, SAM-HYM-C019400; Rietfontein farm adjacent to Touwsberg Private Nature Reserve, 33°35’53”S 20°59’57”E, 14 April 2008, found while digging Ocymyrmex nest at about 30 cm down, nesting in medium deep hard clay soil. Nest entrance in open, N. Mbanyana & H.G. Robertson, SAM-HYM-C019804; Oudtshoorn, Fezekile High School, 33°36’16”S 22°14’8”E, 10 March 2006, collected from flat heavily disturbed Succulent Karoo, FEZ100306 1.10, B. Braschler, SAM-HYM-C019798.

Etymology
Named after Antoinette Botes who collected the holotype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Hita Garcia F., Mbanyana N., Audisio T. L., and G. D. Alpert. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique. European Journal of Taxonomy 258: 1–31.