Hylomyrma lispectorae

This species occurs in tropical rainforest areas at altitudes below 600 m. Specimens were collected in leaf-litter with winkler extractors and Berlese-Tüllgren funnels, which suggests that nests are located in fallen logs, rotten wood, between leaves, or inside natural cavities of the superficial soil layers. (Ulyssea & Brandao, 2021)

Identification
Vermicular striae on head dorsum diverge towards posterior margin, interspaces between thicker striae filled with thinner striae; mesosoma covered with irregular to vermicular striae of variable thickness, interspaces indistinguishable; dorsal and ventral teeth of propodeal lobe blunt; mesosoma notably convex, metanotal groove discernible by a slight depression (LV) and altered sculpture (DV); dorsal margin of petiole continuous, convex, with irregular, longitudinal and anastomosed striae on dorsum; postpetiole smooth; subpostpetiolar process smooth, weak, convex; profemur posterior surface and protibia extensor surface smooth; striation on tergum of first gastral segment restricted to base; striae very short.

This species is easily distinguished from most of its congeners, but it is very similar to Hylomyrma montana regarding the shape of mesosoma, and the sculpture and shape of the procoxa, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster. Also, the two species are sympatric, co-occuring in two Ecuadorian localities: Centro Científico Río Palenque, and 4 km E of Santo Domingo de los Colorados (Figs. 83, 84). Hylomyrma lispectorae can be distinguished from H. montana (characteristic in parentheses) in the dorsum of head and mesosoma by the vermicular striae of variable thickness with indistinguishable interspaces (vs. irregular striae of uniform thickness with distinguishable interspaces), and the notably convex dorsal margin of mesosoma (vs. somewhat straight).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia, Ecuador.

Nomenclature

 * . Hylomyrma lispectorae Ulysséa, in Ulysséa & Brandão, 2021: 55, figs. 39, 40, 80D, 81E, 84 (w.q.) ECUADOR, COLOMBIA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 27 paratype workers, 7 paratype queens.
 * Type-locality: holotype Ecuador: Pichincha, 4 km. E Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 8.vii.1976 (S. & J. Peck); paratypes: 4 workers, 4 queens with same data, 1 queen with same data but no date and no collector’s name, 13 workers, 2 queens with same data but 520 m., 22.vi.1975, B-304 (S. & J. Peck), 10 workers Pichincha, 4 km. SE Santo Domingo, 1976, berl. 42 (S. & J. Peck).
 * Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); CASC, DZUP, IAVH, MCZC, MZSP, USNM (paratypes).
 * Distribution: Colombia, Ecuador.

Type Material

 * Holotype: ECUADOR: Pichincha: 4km E Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 8.vii.1976, J. & J. Peck [leg.] (1W) (MCZENT00524651) [MCZC].
 * Paratypes: same locality, [no date and collector], (1Q) (MCZENT00524649) [MCZC]; same data as holotype (1W) (MCZENT00524652 MZSP67343) [MZSP]; (1Q) (MCZENT00524647 MZSP67345) [MZSP]; (3W 3Q) (MCZENT00524641, MCZENT00524642, MCZENT00524643, MCZENT00524646, MCZENT00524648, MCZENT00524650) [MCZC]; same except 520m, 22 June 1975, S. & J. Peck [leg.], rainfor., B-304 (1W) (MCZENT00524670) [CASC]; (1W) (MCZENT00524667) [DZUP]; (1W) (MCZENT00524669) [IHVL]; (7W 1Q) (MCZENT00524654, MCZENT00524655, MCZENT00524656, MCZENT00524658, MCZENT00524660, MCZENT00524661, MCZENT00524663, MCZENT00524668) [MCZC]; (1W) (MCZENT00524653 MZSP67346) [MZSP]; (1W, one covered with gold) (MCZENT00524659 MZSP67347) [MZSP]; (1Q) (MCZENT00524662 MZSP67344) [MZSP]; (1W) (MCZENT00524666) [USNM]; 4km SE Santo Domingo, 1976, for., litter, berl.42, S. & J. Peck [leg.] (9W) (MCZENT00524649) [MCZC]; same data (1W) (MZCENT00525534 MZSP67349) [MZSP].