Furcotanilla

A monotypic genus. Furcotanilla furcomandibula nests in the soil and forages on the ground in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest at altitudes around 2250m.

Identification
The new genus is close to Protanilla, but with the mandibles massive and furcated on the lateroventral margin; postpetiole broadly attached to the anterior face of gaster, ventral face of postpetiole deeply concave; anterior margin of gaster deeply concave in order to accept the postpetiole. (Xu 2012)

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  FURCOTANILLA [Leptanillinae: Anomalomyrmini]
 * Furcotanilla Xu, 2012: 481. Type-species: Protanilla furcomandibula, by original designation.

Description


Worker

Robust terrestrial leptanilline ants with the following combination of characters.

Head elongate and narrowed forward, anterolateral corners toothed, strongly constricted before the teeth.

Mandibles massive, elongate-triangular and strongly down-curved apically.

Lateroventral margin of mandible with a long tooth and a short tooth, look-like furcated.

Laterodorsal surface of mandible with a longitudinal groove.

Masticatory margin of mandible with numerous slender peg-like teeth, but crenulated at the down-curved apical third.

Apex of mandible with a long stout hair on the ventral face.

Clypeus trapezoidal, widened forward, anterior margin concave.

Antennal insertions well behind the anterior margin of head.

Antennae long, 12-segmented, scapes distinctly surpassed occipital corners, flagella filiform.

Eyes absent.

Mesonotum strongly constricted.

Promesonotal suture present.

Metanotal groove shallowly depressed.

Propodeal spiracles small and circular, lower-down on the side.

Metapleural bullae elongate elliptical, horizontal and close to the spiracles.

Petiole narrowly attached to postpetiole, petiolar node roughly square, subpetiolar process protruding, with large nearly circular semitransparent fenestra.

Postpetiole broadly attached to the anterior face of gaster, ventral face of postpetiole deeply concave.

Lateral sides of the first gastral segment deeply and narrowly notched between the tergite and sternite at the anterior margin.

In dorsal view, anterior margin of gaster deeply concave in order to accept the laterally compressed postpetiole.

Sting strong and extruding.

Cuticle smooth and shining.

Pilosity sparse.

Etymology
The name of the new genus is a combination of “furco-“, descriptive of the furcated mandibles found in the type-species, and the root “-tanilla”, commonly used in Leptanillinae.