Cephalotes flavigaster

Known only from a small number of workers, nothing is known about the biology of Cephalotes flavigaster

Identification
A member of the hamulus clade characterised by a completely orange first gastral tergite and by sparse pilosity. (de Andrade and Baroni Urbani 1999)

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

Nomenclature

 *  flavigaster. Cephalotes flavigaster De Andrade, in De Andrade & Baroni Urbani, 1999: 108, fig. 37 (w.) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

Worker
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - Vertexal angles round, with crenulate margin; vertexal margin concave medially. Vertex with a trace of transversal carina and a median pair of small denticles. Cheeks marginate. Eyes convex.

Mesosoma robust, convex in side view. Scapular angles bearing a small denticle, more developed in the paratypes than in the holotype. Pronotal border anteriorly marked by a carina more impressed in the holotype than in the remaining specimens, slightly smaller. Humeral angles bearing each an obtuse spine directed anteriorly. Pronotal sides straight, ending posteriorly in a small, round tooth visible in dorsal view. Promesonotal suture impressed. Mesonotal teeth either rounded and poorly developed (holotype), or absent, or small and pointed. Propodeal suture deeply impressed dorsally. Propodeum ca. 114 narrower than mesonotum, with differentiate basal and declivous faces. Basal face slightly more than 113 broader than long, with a small denticle anteriorly, straightening posteriorly; declivous face as long as the basal face, with slightly converging sides posteriorly. Propodeal spines as long as (holotype) or slightly shorter than the basal face of the propodeum, thick in most specimens, diverging.

Petiole more than 1/3 broader than long, its anterior face truncated and marginate dorsally by a crenulate carina shortly interrupted in the middle; its sides converging posteriorly and bearing a small spine anteriorly, absent in one paratype, and a pointed tooth medially. Postpetiole more than 1/2 broader than longer; postpetiolar spines broad and rounded (holotype) or pointed (paratypes), inserted anteriorly and curved backwards.

Gaster with a lamellaceous narrow anterior border reaching the first gastral stigma at maximum.

Legs as in Cephalotes argentiventris.

Sculpture. Head minutely and deeply reticulate; vertexal area covered by broad, irregular foveae gradually shallower towards the eyes. Anterior part of the hcad with small and superficial foveae. Frontal carinae faintly rugulose. Ventral side of the head laterally covered by thick, sinuous striae. Hypostomal area deeply reticulate. Cheeks reticulate and superficially rugulose.

Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole covered by longitudinal sinuous striae and superficial reticulation. Declivous face of the propodeum with irregular longitudinal striae and reticulate.

First gastral tergite reticulate and with superficial, sparse, small, piligerous foveae. Corresponding sternite with superficial longitudinal rugosities and impressed reticulation on the sides, ventrally with superficial reticulation and slightly shining.

Legs as in argentiventris.

Pilosity. As in argentiventris except for the first gastral tergite which bears thin, sparse hairs.

Colour. Black. Frontal carinae, tips of the pronotal, propodeal and peduncular spines, and last tarsomeres dark orange to light brown; remaining funicular joints brown. First gastral tergite opaque orange, the rest black.

Measurements (in mm) and indices: TL 6.20-7.20; HL 1.56.-1.72; HW 1.76-1.92; EL 0.48-0.52; PW 1.60-1.84; PeW 0.64-0.75; PpW 0.85-0.90; HBaL 0.64 -0.70; HBaW 0.18-0.20; CI 111.6-112.8; PI 104.3-110.0; PPeI 235.3-250.0; PPpI 190.4-204.4; HBaI 27.2-28.5.

Type Material
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - holotype worker from the Dominican Republic, Constanza, 3-4,000 ft, August, 1938 (Darlington). Paratypes: another worker, same data as the holotype; a worker, Dominican Republic, Constanza to Jarabacoa, 2-4,000 ft, August 1938, Darlington.

Etymology
de Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) - from the Latin flavus (= reddish-yellow) and gaster (= abdomen), referred to the distinctive coloration of this species.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Perez-Gelabert D. E. 2008. Arthropods of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti): A checklist and bibliography. Zootaxa 1831:1-530.
 * de Andrade, M.L. & C. Baroni Urbani. 1999. Diversity and Adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present. Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde Serie B 271. 893 pages, Stuttgart