Pseudoponera gilloglyi

From Mackay and Mackay (2010): Workers have been extracted from sifted litter and collected under rotten wood. A winged male was collected in March (Costa Rica). Four females were collected together without brood, suggesting colony founding by pleometrosis (Ecuador). Dr. Longino has informed us that this is a canopy specialist, found under epiphytes.

Identification
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker and female of P. gilloglyi would be most easily confused with those of Pachycondyla succedanea, but can be easily separated by the form of the mandible. The mandibles of P. gilloglyi have 7 relatively small teeth, not six large teeth (and possibly a small tooth between the 2 basalmost teeth) as in P. succedanea. The coarse striae on the entire dorsal surfaces of the mandibles of P. gilloglyi would separate it from P. succedanea, in which the mandibles are nearly always smooth and glossy.

The ocelli of the females of P. succedanea are even smaller in diameter (maximum diameter of median ocellus 0.06 mm) than those of P. gilloglyi, located approximately 2 diameters from the lateral ocellus. Some females of P. succedanea are larger than those of P. gilloglyi (similar in size to females of P. gilloglyi from Costa Rica and Ecuador). The male of P. gilloglyi can be separated from that of P. succedanea by the rounded subpetiolar process, which is angulate posteriorly in P. succedanea. The P. gilloglyi male has deep depressions on the head located laterally and anteriorly to the insertion of the antenna, which are poorly developed in males of P. succedanea. The male of P. gilloglyi has the depression on the mandible extending approximately ½ length; in P. succedanea the depression on the mandibles is more elongated, extending nearly the entire length of the mandible. The subpetiolar process of P. gilloglyi is somewhat rounded posteriorly, which could cause confusion with Pachycondyla stigma, which has a 5 - 6 toothed mandible. The transverse and longitudinal carinae on the clypeus are well developed in P. gilloglyi, but are poorly developed in the female and worker of P. stigma. The apex of the petiole of the male of P. stigma is rounded and not angulate as in that of P. gilloglyi.

The specimens from Cecilia, Honduras and Hamburg Farm, Costa Rica differ from the typical form in being reddish brown with slightly smaller eyes (diameter 0.08 mm) and with a broadly rounded (especially posteriorly) subpetiolar process. John Longino lists this species on his website as JTL-011 (cf. cognata).

Distribution
MEXICO, COSTA RICA, PANAMA, ECUADOR (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

This taxon was described from Mexico.

Habitat
This species occurs in rainforest, 500 to 1200 meters elevation. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Nomenclature

 *  gilloglyi. Pachycondyla gilloglyi Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 347, figs. 44, 185, 469-475 (w.q.m.) MEXICO.

Worker
The worker is a small (total length 5 mm) dark brown specimen with slightly lighter brown appendages. The mandible has seven teeth, the basalmost two or three teeth are noticeably smaller than the others. The anterior margin of the clypeus is broadly rounded and the transverse carina is relatively well developed and slightly overhanging the remainder of the anterior part of the clypeus. The longitudinal carina is developed on the clypeus. It extends from the region posterior to the transverse carina to the anterior margin of the clypeus. The head is narrowed anteriorly; the posterior border is noticeably concave. The head length is 1.2 mm; the head width is 1.15 mm. The eyes are small (maximum diameter 0.13 mm) located slightly more than one maximum diameter from the anterior margin of the head (side view). The malar carina is absent. The scape (1.0 mm) extends to the posterior lateral corner of the head. The frontal carinae are widely spaced (0.15 mm at the narrowest point). The pronotal shoulder is swollen but does not form a carina; the mesosoma is depressed at promesonotal and metanotal sutures.

The propodeal spiracle is elongated. The petiole is relatively narrow when viewed in profile and narrowed toward the apex. The subpetiolar process consists of a lobe, which is rounded anteriorly and slightly angulate posteriorly.

Erect hairs are abundant on the mandibles, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, sparse on the sides of the head and posterior margin, scattered on the entire scape, scattered on the dorsum of the mesosoma, apex of the petiole, subpetiolar process and all surfaces of the gaster. The hairs on the legs are mostly erect; those on the tibiae are suberect. Appressed fine golden pubescence is present on the dorsum of the head, dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole and dorsum and ventral surfaces of the gaster.

The entire dorsal surface of the mandible is covered with relatively coarse longitudinal striae; the mandibular groove is also present. Most of the remainder of the ant is very finely punctate and dull, except for the posterior face of the petiole and the gaster, which are shining.

Queen
The female is larger (total length 7 mm) than the worker, but of a similar color. The mandible has seven teeth; the basalmost three or four teeth are slightly smaller than the apicalmost teeth. The clypeus is similar to that of the worker with well-developed longitudinal and transverse carinae. The head length and width are 1.3 mm. The head is slightly narrowed anteriorly and the posterior margin is definitely concave. The distance between the frontal carinae is relatively wide (0.2 mm). The eyes are large (maximum diameter 0.33 mm) and located approximately ½ - 1 diameter from the anterior margin of the head (side view). The ocelli are well developed, but small (diameter of the median ocellus 0.08 mm, located 0.12 mm from the lateral ocellus, which is approximately equal in diameter). The scape is short (0.95 mm) and extends to the posterior lateral margin of the head. The pronotal margin is swollen but does not form a carina. The propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped. The shapes of the petiole and subpetiolar processes are similar to those of the worker.

The pilosity and sculpture are similar to those of the worker, including the relatively coarse striae covering nearly the entire dorsal surface of the mandibles.

Male
The male is a small (total length 5 mm) dark brown specimen with brown appendages. The anterior margin of the clypeus is nearly straight and the clypeus is slightly swollen when viewed in profile. The longitudinal and transverse clypeal carinae are absent. The head length is 0.73 mm, the head width 0.75 mm. The head is narrowed anteriorly and the posterior margin is slightly concave. The eyes are relatively small (maximum length in lateral view 0.36 mm), located approximately one diameter from the lateral ocellus (oblique side view). The ocelli are small (diameter of the median ocellus is 0.1 mm) located slightly more than one diameter from the lateral ocellus (as seen obliquely from above and from the side). The pronotal shoulder is swollen but does not form a carina; the Mayrian furrows and parapsidal sutures are well developed. The propodeal spiracle is elongated; the petiole is wide when compared to that of the worker and the female with a sloping anterior face and a nearly vertical posterior face, which meet at an angle near the posterior margin of the apex. The subpetiolar process forms a broadly rounded lobe. Erect hairs are scattered on the dorsal and ventral surfaces the head, absent from the scape, scattered on the dorsum of the mesosoma, petiole, subpetiolar process and all surfaces of the gaster. The hairs on the legs are sparse and mostly suberect. The mandible has a well-developed depression basally, but the outer surface is smooth and glossy. The remainder of the head is finely punctate and dull.

Type Material
Holotype worker, 10 paratype workers , 2 paratype females

Type Locality Information
Mexico, Chiapas, 1.5 mi. S. Union Juarez

Etymology
Named in honor of the collector, Al R. Gillogly who collected the type series as well as abundant ants in Neotropical areas. Al was a medical entomologist in the army and is interested in passalid beetles.