Anochetus miserabilis

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Paraguay.

Nomenclature

 *  miserabilis. Anochetus miserabilis González-Campero & Elizalde, 2008: 98, figs. 1, 2 (w.q.) ARGENTINA.

Description
Head, mesosoma and gaster reddish; legs lighter. Head: In a full-face subrectangular; finely striated longitudinally, parallel rugae running mesad trough at eye level, posteriorly divergent, not reaching occipital corners (Figure 1A); lateral cephalic margin slightly concave and widened at eye level; occipital margin concave; occipital angle rounded and smooth; medial furrow well-marked not reaching vertex; nuchal carina rounded and continuous; eye located laterally on anterior half of head; mid ocellus present and well-developed (except in the samples from Paraguay); scape smooth and shining, projecting beyond posterior head margin more than 1/8 its length; length of: flagellomers 1-4 and 6-10 twice its width, flagellomere 5 three times its width and flagelomere 11 is 4 o 5 times its width; mandible linear, without basal angle; inner mandibular margin with 3 long sensorial hairs (length > 0.75 mm), 12 preapical denticles and 3 apical teeth of which the central tooth is always shortest. MESOSOMA: metanotal suture deeply concave in profile (Figure 1B); metanotal area with longitudinal grooves in dorsal view; pronotum and propodeum finely punctate with no erect hairs; mesonotum transversally striated; posterior dorsal angle of propodeum well-marked without tooth or spine; mesopleuron with weak sculpture in upper half, smooth and shining in lower half (Figure 1 B); metapleural lobe well-defined slightly projecting over metacoxa; propodeal declivity straight in lateral view; in posterior view with weak transverse striation, propodeal spiracle elongated, its length twice its width; coxae and tibiae smooth and shining; pro and metatibia with 2 apical spurs, the outer one being simple with half length of the inner one’s; inner spur pectinated; mesotibia with two small and simple apical spurs of about 0.05 mm; procoxa with 5 (3-8 in paratypes) scattered erect hairs of > 0.1 mm; meso and metacoxas with 3 (2-5 in paratypes) erect hairs of > 0.1 mm. PETIOLE: with node higher than propodeum, apex bicuspid (Figure 1B), anterior face forming angle of 45º with main axis of the petiole, posterior face convex; anterior and posterior faces smooth and shining; subpetiolar process projects as well developed lobe anteriorly. GASTER: Tergite I smooth and shining, without hairs, posteriorly following terga each smooth with 4 or more scattered erect hairs of more than 0.15 mm. Every sternite with 4 or more scattered erect hairs longer than 0.15 mm.

2 queens. HL: 1.92 (1.92); HW: 1.72 (1.75); ML: 1.25 (1.20); SL: 1.90 (1.90); EL: 0.40 (0.42). Similar to worker in color of head, legs and body. HEAD: in dorsal view with fine longitudinal striation; in lateral view smooth and shining; 3 ocelli present, antennae with 12 segments; length of all flagellomeres approximately 2.5 times their width; well-developed compound eyes located on the anterior half (Figure 2A). MESOSOMA: pronotum rugose, mesonotum longitudinally striate, mesopleuron with weak sculpture in dorsal half, smooth and shining on ventral half; propodeum rough; smooth and shining coxa; procoxa with 5 scattered erect hairs of more than 0.1 mm; meso and metacoxa with 3 erect hairs of more than 0.1 mm; pro and metatibia with 2 apical spurs, outer one simple, its length half the width of inner one which is pectinated; mesotibia with 2 simple apical spurs; anterior wing with Radial, Medial and CuA closed; medial and cubital veins do not reach the wing margin; r-m3 and cu-a veins, incomplete leaving Cu1 and Cu2 cells open (Figure 2 B). PETIOLE: similar to worker. GASTER: tergite I smooth with no hairs; tergite II, slightly striate with no hairs; from terguite III posterad, smooth with 6 or more scattered erect hairs of more than 0.15 mm. Every sternite with 4 or more scattered erect hairs of more than 0.15 mm Male: unknown. miserabilis is derived from the Latin word “miserable” and it refers to the behavior of this species of visiting the refuse dump of the ant Acromyrmex hispidus.
 * Queen measurements:
 * Etymology: