Paraparatrechina umbranatis

Paraparatrechina umbranatis has been collected from a variety of forest habitats.

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2010) - Body distinctly bicolored, with gaster much darker than head and mesosoma.

Compare with: Paraparatrechina oreias and Paraparatrechina subtilis. This species is easily recognizable by the distinctly darker gaster (brown) contrasting with the yellow-brown head and mesosoma. While many Paraparatrechina species display various coloration patterns between the different tagmata this is the only species that could be considered truly bicolored.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Gabon, Kenya, Uganda.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  umbranatis. Paraparatrechina umbranatis LaPolla & Cheng, in LaPolla, Cheng & Fisher, 2010: 15, figs. 9,16,17 (w.) GABON.

Worker
(n=12): TL: 1.19–1.57; HW: 0.34–0.36; HL: 0.38–0.41; EL: 0.098–0.112; SL: 0.38–0.43; PW: 0.21–0.27; WL: 0.42–0.49; PDH: 0.18–0.23; PrFL: 0.31–0.34; PrFW: 0.098–0.112; GL: 0.39–0.7. Indices: CI: 87–92; REL: 25–29; SI: 108–120; FI: 30–36.

Head yellowish-brown to light brown, with antennae mandibles, and medial area between antennae slightly lighter; head slightly longer than broad. A dense layer of fine, short, slightly decumbent pubescence covers head. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first funicular segment; scape with a dense, slightly decumbent pubescence. Mesosoma yellowish-brown to light brown; fine pubescence covers entire mesosomal dorsum; lateral portions of the mesosoma are distinctly shinier than the dorsum. Pronotum rises steeply from anterior margin to dorsum. Propodeum possesses a short, angular dorsal face, with a long declivitous face. Legs generally lighter colored than mesosoma, becoming whitish towards last tarsal segments. Procoxae usually darker brown than meso/metacoxae; gaster conspicuously darker than head and mesosoma and is covered in a dense layer of pubescence.

Type Material
Holotype worker, GABON: Prov. Ogooue-Martime; Res. Monts Doudou; 24.5 km 303° WNW Doussala; 2°14.0’S, 10°23.9’E; 18.iii.2000; elev. 630 m (B.L. Fisher #2276) ; 8 paratype workers, same locality as holotype (CASC, ).

Etymology
The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition, a compound of umbra (=shade) and natis (=rump), in reference to the fact that the gaster is much darker in color than the head and mesosoma.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * LaPolla J. S., C. H. Cheng, B. L. Fisher. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy region. Zootaxa 2387: 1-27.
 * Lapolla, J. S., C. H. Cheng, and B. L. Fisher. "Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions." Zootaxa 2387 (2010): 1-27.
 * Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.