Protalaridris bordoni

This species was collected sympatrically with Protalaridris punctata, with specimens of the two species found only 10 m apart along the same sampling transect. Both species have been found in either leaf litter samples or soil samples. Differences in mandibular dentition and labral hair configuration suggest that these two species may have different feeding habits, including prey items. Additionally, most specimens of P. bordoni have the dorsal body surfaces caked with a thin layer of light colored matter that seems to accumulate more within cuticular impressed areas, such as the bottom of punctae or rugulae. In contrast most P. punctata specimens were found free of encrustations.

Identification
Lattke et al. (2018) - Worker: Cephalic dorsum with prominent transverse carina situated posteriorly at approximately three-fourths cephalic length, cephalic dorsum with brief and rough longitudinal carina extending posterad from opening of frontal carina, cephalic discal area brief longitudinal carina. Compound eye with single ommatidium. Anteromedian labral cleft deep, reaching at least to labral mid-length.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  bordoni. Protalaridris bordoni Lattke, in Lattke et al., 2018: 280, figs. 5a-d (w.q.) VENEZUELA.

Worker
Holotype (paratypes, n = 5): HL 0.63 (0.62–0.67); HW 0.67 (0.63–0.68); ML 0.35 (0.33–0.35); EL 0.05 (0.03–0.04); SL 0.35 (0.32–0.35); PW 0.38 (0.37–0.40); WL 0.62 (0.62–0.62); PH 0.18 (0.17–0.18); PL 0.28 (0.25–0.28); DPW 0.20 (0.18–0.20) mm. CI 1.05 (1.03–1.07); MI 0.53 (0.50–0.53); OI 0.08 (0.05–0.06); SI 0.53 (0.48–0.53); LPI 0.65 (0.63–0.73); DPI 0.71 (0.69–0.77).

Cephalic dorsum with well-defined, carinate borders; clypeus with broad median concavity along anterior margin, broadly convex laterally; lateral cephalic margin posterad of antennal fossa convex, head widest at posterior two-thirds, most of lateral margins converge anterad; posterior cephalic margin weakly emarginate medially, occipital lobe inconspicuous. Frontal lobe dorsally convex, width in dorsal view less than half of fossa. Eye reduced, but distinct, to apparently one ommatidium, facing anterolaterally, separated from antennal fossa along lateral cephalic margin by not more than 3 diameters, separated from dorsal face by not more than one diameter in lateral cephalic view. Cephalic dorsum mostly weakly areolate-rugulose, commonly encrusted with dirt and debris that obscure cuticle; dominated by prominently raised transverse carina, carina with median blunt angle, laterally joins with carina that defines lateral cephalic margin. Cephalic dorsum between transverse carina and posterior cephalic carina convex in lateral cephalic view. Frons with median longitudinal carina present on weakly raised swelling, both fading just anterad of transverse carina. Another longitudinal carina projects posterad from antennal fossa, longer and better developed than median carina, but failing to reach transverse cephalic carina. Cephalic dorsum with mesially pointing subspatulate to lanceolate appressed hairs; occiput areolate, posterolateral region areolate-rugulose. Cephalic ventrum mostly areolate to areolate-rugulose, posterolaterally densely punctulate and shining.

Mandibles form complex cradle or cage bound by the main axis of each mandible as well as prominent ventral tooth. Mandible in full length view slender, progressively tapering towards apex, mostly straight until base of apical tooth, at which it bends mesad. Base of mandible at cephalic insertion, expands into flange with smooth rim and areolate dorsal surface. Mandible mostly with scattered rugulae and appressed pilosity directed apicad; smooth and shining sculpture limited to posteroventral area, ventral tooth, and mandibular apex. Mandible apicad of crossing dark brown and sharply pointed. Mandibular dorsal margin forms broad concavity with dorsal cephalic surface in cephalic lateral view, ventral tooth tapers posteroventrally, mostly straight, its length about 1/3 that of lateral mandibular length. Dorsal mandibular margin with 2–3 preapical denticles, one may be present posterior to ventral tooth, and the rest apicad to ventral tooth; dorsal mandibular margin with decumbent slender hairs, directed anteromesad. Ventral internal mandibular margin with short stout tooth, not more than half mandibular width at that point, just apicad of ventral tooth; 2 denticles also present, one at base of apical tooth. Stout tooth sometimes with basal angle or lobe. Mandible with prominent ventromedially directed tooth, situated closer to mandibular base than apex in mandibular full length view; ventral tooth in dorsal view tapering apicad, posterior margin edentate and broadly concave; length approximately equal to length of smooth apex of mandible in full length view. In anterior view, ventral tooth relatively straight with small decumbent tooth along anterodorsal margin; apex of tooth tapering, not forked. Internal surface of ventral tooth mostly smooth and shining. With mandibles closed the apex of each ventral tooth cross; apical and ventral tooth ferruginous brown, smooth and shining. Single hair, almost as long as ventral tooth inserted just apicad of tooth and subparallel to it.

Lateral extremities of labrum not visible in dorsal view with mandibles closed, though at least one base may be visible, basal ridge weakly but distinctly sinuous; anteromedially a deep incision forms an acute angle not quite one-half the length of the labrum, dividing it into two lobes. Ventral surface mostly smooth and shining, dorsal surface sculpted, not smooth and shining. Anterolateral margin of each lobe with three long hairs, second hair from labral cleft the longest, slender and lanceolate. Other hairs weakly spatulate with apex truncate, and apical half twisted so plane of hair is directed longitudinal to cephalic axis. Labral cleft with 1 or 2 short, spatulate hairs; labral hairs parallel to ventral tooth in lateral view and of approximately same length, two internal hairs of each lobe ventrally directed in dorsal view, whilst external hair lateroventrally directed. Palpal formula unknown. Scape in dorsal view longitudinally rugulose with apical two-thirds mostly straight and parallel, anterobasal lobe weakly expanded anterad, dorsum lacking hairs. Cross-section of scape at mid-length triangular, dorsal margin broadly convex, ventral margin mostly straight. External scape margin defined by narrow longitudinal lamella, one along ventral margin and another along dorsal margin; external scape margin bears 8–9 weakly erect hairs that stem from anteroventral margin; one short ovate hair close to basal angle, with following hair slender, weakly lanceolate and the longest, remaining hairs spatulate, bluntly pointed. Head ventrolaterally punctulate.

Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view convex, dorsal propodeal margin brief; declivitous margin covered by tooth; base of tooth broadly concave, apex pointed, posterior margin briefly concave, then vertical. Mesosomal dorsum and dorsolateral one-third of pronotum rugulose, with numerous decumbent, weakly lanceolate hairs, mostly directed posteromesad; no erect hairs on dorsum of head, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole. Most of lateral pronotum, mesopleuron, and propodeum punctulate to areolate, wanting pilosity, metapleuron smooth; katepisternum lacking series of transverse rugulae. Pronotum with anterior transverse carina that separates a strongly sloped anterior facing strip and the pronotal collar; promesonotal suture marked as rough transverse carina, anteriorly broadly convex. Promesonotal surface overhanging lateral pronotal surface; propodeal dorsum not as wide as lateral surface, lateral metapleural – propodeal surface not or barely visible in dorsal mesosomal view.

Petiolar node convex to subquadrate in lateral view, anterior petiolar margin mostly straight to weakly concave, anteroventral process lacking or present as low swelling at best, postpetiolar dorsal margin in lateral view mostly flat, posterior margin convex. Postpetiole transverse in dorsal view, slightly shallower medially than laterally, anterior margin concave and shorter than convex posterior margin, dorsum of petiolar node and postpetiole areolaterugulose with posteriorly directed appressed, weakly lanceolate- shaped hairs. Dorsal margin of abdominal tergum IV broadly convex in lateral view, ventral margin markedly convex, with greatest height just anterad of gastral midlength; densely punctulate, space between depressions less than their diameters; pilosity consisting of sparse arched subdecumbent lanceolate hairs, and some 25–30 suberect, truncate hairs forming 6–8 ill-defined longitudinal rows, hairs are spatulate along anterior of tergum IV and become progressively linear towards posterior of tergum IV, pilosity not obscuring sculpturing.

Abdominal tergum IV with transverse carina along anterodorsal margin that separates dorsum from brief transverse anterior surface. First gastral ventrum with dense, scalloped punctures, abruptly impressed anterad and gradually impressed posterad, sparsely clothed by decumbent hairs pointing posterad, and sparse suberect simple hairs. Sting stout. Tarsal claws simple, long and slender; legs stout, not elongate; protibial apex with spatulate hair anterolaterally, plus two flattened linear hairs, one lateral the other posterolateral, posterolateral hair longest; rest of hairs on protibia short, arched. Lateral surface of meso- and metatarsi each with two longitudinal rows of spatulate hairs, apex of lateral surface of meso- and metatibia each with single spatulate hair, apically wider than that of protibia. Body mostly ferruginous, darker tint on transverse cephalic carina and cephalic dorsum posterad of carina, apex of mandible and ventral mandibular tooth, mesosomal dorsum and propodeal lamella, including tooth, and gaster throughout.

Queen
HL 0.78; HW 0.78; ML 0.50; EL 0.17; SL 0.45; PW 0.60; WL 0.95; PH 0.20; PL 0.38; DPW 0.25 mm. CI 1.00; MI 0.64; OI 0.21; SI 0.57; LPI 0.52; DPI 0.65.

Only the measurements and indices are offered as the specimen was measured but left in by the senior author upon relocating from Venezuela before he could write a description. The present conditions in Venezuela preclude sending specimens through the mail. Images of this gyne can be accessed in Antweb using the unique specimen identifier CASENT0248768.

Type Material
Type material. Holotype worker: VENEZUELA. Aragua: Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, Rancho Grande, La Cumbre, 10°21´34˝N, 67°41´06˝W, 1450 m, 12.ix.2007, M. Riera 100, C. Rodriguez, J. Valera leg. Point-mounted worker found by soil washing. Property of [unique specimen identifier MIZA0021677] but presently in. Paratypes: VENEZUELA. Aragua: Pq. Nac. Henri Pittier, Rancho Grande, La Cumbre, 10°21´34˝N, 67°41´06˝W, 1400 m, 4.xi.1986, C. Bordon leg., 1 queen in with two unique specimen identifiers MIZA0021727, CASENT0248768 (flight intercept trap); Pq. Nac. Henri Pittier, Rancho Grande via La Cumbre, 10°21´17˝N, 67°40´55˝W, 1225 m, 26.i.2008, M. Riera 161, R. Lujan, J. Valera leg., 1 worker in ; Pq. Nac. Henri Pittier, Rancho Grande, La Cumbre, 10°21´34˝N, 67°41´06˝W, 1450 m, 12.ix.2007, M. Riera 100, C. Rodriguez, J. Valera leg., 1 worker in MIZA; Pq. Nac. Henri Pittier, Rancho Grande via La Cumbre, 10°21´17˝N, 67°40´55˝W, 1225 m, 10.iii.2007, M. Riera 33, J. Lattke, O. Riera, C. Cardona, C. Rodriguez leg., 1 worker in ; same data as previous except M. Riera 34, 1 worker in DZUP, 548781.

Etymology
The species epithet is a patronym honoring Carlos Bordon (1921–2012), an amateur entomologist that avidly collected insects in Henri Pittier National Park (Venezuela). He generously shared his time and material resources with and budding entomologists as well, including the senior author.