Paramycetophylax

A monomorphic genus, the fungus gardening Paramycetophylax bruchi is found in southern South America.

Identification
Paramycetophylax bruchi, the only species in the genus, is defined by the following set of characters: the wide triangular frontal lobes; long setae at the mandibles and at the anterior margin of clypeus, forming a psammophore, and distinct pronotal spines.

a key to the Mycetophylax group of Genera

Distribution
Southern South America

Nomenclature

 *  PARAMYCETOPHYLAX [Myrmicinae: Attini]
 * Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956: 23 (diagnosis in key). Type-species: Sericomyrmex bruchi, by original designation.
 * Paramycetophylax junior synonym of Mycetophylax: Weber, 1958d: 262.
 * Paramycetophylax revived from synonymy: Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009: 26.

Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009:

Worker
Monomorphic. Integument reticulate, the mandibles longitudinally striate, the head, gaster and legs (particularly over the frontal face of the coxae) with appressed fine short whitish hairs. Long setae at the anterior margin of clypeus, forming a psammophore, mandibles glabrous.

Head quadrate, compound eyes at the middle of head. Mandibles subtriangular, with irregularly developed teeth. Anterior margin of clypeus straight, almost concave, posterior portion attaining the antennal insertions level in a rounded suture. Triangular frontal lobes developed. Vertexal margin strongly concave.

Pronotum with a pair of lateral low tubercles; lateral pronotal margin with an attenuated obtuse angle, mesonotum with a very low antero-median protuberance. Metapropodeal impression distinct and flat; propodeum basal face convex in side view, meeting of faces armed with a pair of small sharp triangular spines; declivous face straight. Petiole without distinct node, half the width of the postpetiole, which bears a large impression posteriorly, dividing the postpetiole posterior area in two lobes.

Gaster smooth, without carinae, spines or protuberances.

Queen
Color, pilosity and sculpture like conspecific workers. Head as in the workers, but with three equally developed ocelli in the posterior fourth of head. Mesosoma with a well developed scutum, scutumscutellar sulcus and scutellum. Prescutellum straight at middle portion anterior, posterior margin not attached, and axilla well developed. In dorsal view, scutum rounded anteriorly and with its widest part at the tegulae. Parapsides almost indistinct, mostly observable due darker surrounding color, set between parapsidial lines and latero-posterior margin of the scutum, limited by a darker carina. Scutum-scutellar sulcus concave anteriorly. Anepisternum and katepisternum divided by a suture. Anterior border of katepisternum sinuous. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster like those of the workers; gaster with the same width as the head.

Male
Color brown. Head quadrate, big compound eyes occupying anterior half of lateral margin of head, in full face view. Mandibles elongated. Anterior margin of clypeus straight with long setae. Frontal lobes reduced, covering only half of antennal insertions. Vertexal margin straight. Antennae 13-segmented; antennal scapes surpassing vertexal margin. In lateral view, scutum covering entire pronotum. Scutellum strongly bulging in side view. Postpetiole posterior margin with a median impression, gaster smooth.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Klingenberg & Brandao 2009.pdf|Klingenberg, C. & Brandão, C.R.F. 2009. Revision of the fungus-growing ant genera Mycetophylax Emery and Paramycetophylax Kusnezov rev. stat. and description of Kalathomyrmex n. gen. Zootaxa 2052: 1-31. PDF]]