Nylanderia pini

Known from higher elevation pine and mixed pine forests in the Dominican Republic. Collections have been taken from a nest in litter at the base of a tree, rotten wood, and under a rock and in the soil.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Dominican Republic.

Nomenclature

 *  pini. Nylanderia pini LaPolla & Kallal, 2019: 427, figs. 58-66 (w.q.m.) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

Worker
(n=7): TL: 2.40–2.80; HW: 0.52–0.62; HL: 0.69–0.73; EL: 0.17–0.18; SL:0.84– 0.86; WL:0.91–0.98; GL:0.83–0.9. SMC: 22–27; PMC: 3–6; MMC: 2–3. indices: CI: 84–87; REL:24–27; SI:136– 151; SI2: 19–22. Head: sides of head in full face view rounded and slightly broader posterior to eyes; posterolateral corners rounded; posterior margin relatively straight; anterior clypeal margin emarginate; median ocellus sometimes present; eyes well-developed. Mesosoma: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum distinctly raised above posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area with a short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex; dorsal face of propodeum slightly lower than mesonotum in lateral view. Color and pilosity: dark brown, with lighter brownish-yellow to yellow funiculus, mandible, mesocoxa/trochanter, metacoxa/trochanter, distal ends of femora and tibiae, and tarsi; occasionally lighter brown around promesonotal junction; cephalic pubescence sparse, denser on posterolateral corners and posterior and anterior of eyes; legs and mesonotum pubescent; dorsal face of propodeum usually with distinct fringe of pubescence; gastral pubescence present only on mid to posterior end of gastral tergite I; anterior portion without pubescence; remaining gastral tergites with abundant pubescence.

Queen
(n=1): TL: 4.1; HW: 0.83; HL: 0.83; EL: 0.25; SL: 0.97; WL: 1.5; GL: 2.1. SMC: 14; PMC: 5; MMC: 6; MtMC: 3. indices: CI: 100; REL: 30; SI: 117.

Generally, as in worker with modifications expected for caste and with the following noted difference: slightly lighter brown (to yellow) than seen in workers.

Male
(n=3): TL: 1.6–2.2; HW: 0.55–0.57; HL: 0.51–0.57; EL: 0.21–0.23; SL: 0.74–0.76; WL: 0.85–1.0; GL: 0.87–1.11. SMC: 10–12 PMC: 0; MMC: 6–12; MtMC: 2–3. indices: CI: 99–107; REL: 40–42; SI: 134–147.

Head: sides of head in full face view rounded; posterior margin rounded; clypeus emarginate anteriorly; mandible with distinct apical tooth and much smaller subapical tooth adjacent to apical tooth; basal angle rounded and indistinct. Mesosoma: in lateral view, dorsal margin of mesoscutum same as height as dorsal margin of mesoscutellum; propodeum steeply sloping without distinct dorsal and declivitous faces. Genitalia: gonopod apex coming to triangular point in lateral view; in dorsal view, gonopod margin curves away slightly from penial sclerite; digitus with pointed apex that bends away from penial sclerite; cuspis tubular, rounded at apex bending sharply toward digitus; anteroventral process of penial sclerite coming to a point with ventral margin of process emarginate; valvura of penial sclerite placed ventral to midline. Color and pilosity: color brown with darker brown head, pronotum, and gaster; remainder of body yellow to light brown; head, scapes, mesosomal notum, legs and gastral dorsum with a layer of pubescence.

Type Material
Holotype worker, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Parque Nacional Armando Bermúdez; 19° 04.044’N, 70° 51.830’W; elev. 1037 m; moss and soil under tree; 07.viii.2009; S.A. Schneider (USNMENT007544798). 4 paratype workers, 1 paratype queen and 1 paratype male with same locality data as holotype (specimens are from the same nest as holotype) (NMNH & ).

Etymology
Species epithet is from the plural form of pinus (L. = pine), named for the dominant trees in the forests in which this species was found.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * LaPolla J. S., and R. J. Kallal. 2019. Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies. Zootaxa 4658: 401-451.