Cardiocondyla shagrinata

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Seifert (2003) - A member of the Cardiocondyla wroughtonii group. Cardiocondyla shagrinata seems to have a restricted distribution and it is easily distinguished from the cosmopolitan sister species Cardiocondyla wroughtonii and Cardiocondyla obscurior by its characteristic sculpture and dorsal aspect of mesosoma. Morphometrically, C. shagrinata is most similar to C. obscurior from which it differs by the larger FRS/CS and much smaller dFov.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  shagrinata. Cardiocondyla shagrinata Seifert, 2003a: 275, figs. 53, 55 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Small size CS 426. Head extremely short, CL/CW 1.099. Scape short, SL/CS 0.760. Postocular index smaller than in C. wroughtonii, PoOc/CL 0.427. Eyes small, EYE 0.222. Frons very wide, FRS/CS 0.285, frontal carinae immediately behind FRS level slightly diverging caudad. Anteromedian clypeal margin notched, median occipital margin in 2 of 3 specimens notched. Whole body surface without any carinulae, rugae, or clearly visible foveolae. Paramedian area of vertex with very dense, somewhat irregular reticulum, whose meshes have an inner diameter of 6 - 8 mm. Frontal lobes, median area of head posterior of frontal lobes, and dorsal area of mesosoma densely shagreened. Lateral area of mesosoma and waist with dense reticulum, whose meshes with inner diameter of 4 - 5 mm. Metanotal groove in lateral view with very steep slopes. Propodeal spines long and acute, slightly diverging and incurved in dorsal view, SP/CS 0.184. Outlines of promesonotal plane in dorsal view trapezoid, i.e. sides more or less continuously linearly diverging from level of metanotal groove frontad to the very pronounced, angulate pronotal “shoulders”; anterior margin of dorsal plane only weakly convex (in Cardiocondyla wroughtonii and Cardiocondyla obscurior, sides of dorsal mesonotal plane firstly showing a strong convex divergence frontad from the level of metanotal groove; this curvature is replaced by weaker and more linear divergence frontad to the less pronounced and more rounded pronotal “shoulders”). Axis of petiolar peduncle in lateral aspect deviating by 15° from longitudinal axis of petiole node. Postpetiole with anteroventrolateral corners (weaker than in typical C. wroughtonii and C. obscurior); in dorsal view, the strongly convex sides form with the concave anterior margin a blunt angle and converge significantly more than in C. wroughtonii. Head, mesosoma, waist, and appendages yellow or light-yellowish brown; gaster dark brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker labelled by Forel “C. Wroughtonii Forel d South Konkan (Wroughton) 1/10”, ; 2 paratype workers with the same labelling in [“South Konkan” is in W India approximately at 18°N 73°E].