Acanthostichus quirozi

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the brevicornis species complex. Mackay (1996) - This species is apparently most closely related to Acanthostichus skwarrae. The petioles are almost identical in shape and are both smooth and highly polished. The two species are easily separated as A. skwarrae has no erect hairs on the dorsum of the petiole. In addition, A. skwarrae has possibly as many as 10 erect hairs on the dorsum of the mesosoma, the longest of which is 0.1 mm in length. The gaster of A. skwarrae is almost without hair, except for the area near the pygidium. The longest hair on the gaster is about 0.05 mm in length. Thus these two species appear to be very similar, but A. quirozican be easily distinguished by the longer and much more abundant erect hairs. It would not be likely to confuse this species with any of the other species, based on the shape and sculpture of the petiole. The unknown workers of Acanthostichus emmae should have a subquadrate petiole and larger eyes, and thus be distinguishable from this species.

Key to Acanthostichus workers

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  quirozi. Acanthostichus quirozi Mackay, W.P., 1996: 164, figs. 5, 34, 35 (w.) MEXICO.

Worker
HL 0.80-0.89, HW 0.68-0.74, SL 0.33-0.40, EL 0.03-0.04, WL 1.15-1.25, PW 0.33-0.35, PL 0.40-0.44, SI 45-47, CI 83-84, PI 123-125, SL/SW 2.7.

Mandibles without teeth; anterior medial border of clypeus concave, without medial tooth; vertex strongly concave; eyes very small, without defined ommatidia; scape relatively elongate, anterior surface slightly concave, with tiny angle near apex; mesosoma as in other species; propodeum with spiracle approximately at middle height; petiole elongate (Fig. 34), wider posteriorly than anteriorly; gaster as in other species; erect hairs abundant (up to 0.25 mm in length), dorsum of scape with at least 8, dorsum of mesosoma with at least 20, dorsum of petiole with at least 6, dorsum of gaster with at least 30; decumbent pubescence absent. Entire surface, including scapes and dorsum of petiole, smooth and polished. Color golden red.

Type Material
Holotype worker and 8 paratype workers (2 headless), MEXICO, Veracruz, Tuxtlas, 28-viii-92, L. Quiroz.

Etymology
Named in honor of my good friend and fellow “mirmecologo” Luis Quiroz of the Instituto de Ecologia (Mexico), who has sent me specimens of this species as well as numerous other interesting ants.