Stenamma wheelerorum

Known only from type material, nothing is known of this species' biology.

Identification
Eyes of worker with 4-6 facets in greatest diameter; antennal scapes flattened and broadened below, as broad at bend as at apex; head and promesonotum with few or no erect hairs; the coarse, bristle-like hairs curved closely appressed to surface; head and thorax closely rugulose, inters paces tesselate and dull, pronotal rugulae transverse.

The flattened scape and appressed body hairs are diagnostic. Unusual, also is the differentiated rugulation of the thorax, transverse on the dorsum of the pronotum, longitudinal elsewhere. In other North American species the thoracic rugulae are longitudinal and pass without interruption from the pronotum onto the mesonotum. (Snelling 1973)

Distribution
USA. Nevada. Only known from the type specimens.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.

Nomenclature

 *  wheelerorum. Stenamma wheelerorum Snelling, R.R. 1973c: 34, figs. 50-54 (w.q.) U.S.A.

Worker
Measurements. HL 0.72-0.80 (0.77); HW 0.60-0.67 (0.65); SL 0.57-0.65 (0.62); WL 0.85-1.00 (0.95); PW 0.37-0.47 (0.45).

Head. Head a little longer than broad, CI 80-89 (83), usually a little longer than scape; distinctly narrowed toward occiput. Eyes small, with 4-6 facets in greatest diameter, OMD 2.5-3.3 x EL; OI 9-11 (10). Scape rather stout, usually shorter than HW, SI 92-100 (96), ending at level of occipital margin, base strongly flattened and broadened, maximum width at bend hardly less than that at apex. Mandibular margin with 6 or 7 teeth. Mandibles shiny, coarsely and closely punctate. Clypeus shiny; median lobe of clypeus short, longitudinally depressed and laterally carinulate, appearing notched in frontal view, the notch also involving c1ypeal border as well as lobe; in profile, lobe short, obliquely flattened to gently convex. Depressed frontal area shiny; frontal lobes densely punctulate and dull; remainder of head densely punctulate and dull and closely reticulo-rugose.

Thorax. Pronotum dorsally transversely rugulose, interspaces dull and densely punctulate, neck finely transversely striate and dull; sides dull, densely rugoso-punctate. Mesonotum dull, finely punctulate, reticulo-rugulose, pleurae more coarsely so; abruptly descending behind to metanotal groove. Propodeum densely punctulate and dull, dorsum with a few irregular rugulae, sides longitudinally rugulose below; juncture of dorsal and posterior faces with short denticle on each side, a thin rugule extending from each denticle, one anteriorly along dorsal face and another ventrad to posterior lamella; posterior face shiny, very lightly punctulate.

Petiole. Anterior peduncle of petiole thick in profile; node, in profile, narrowly rounded at summit; postpetiole, from above, with sides strongly convex, as broad as long. Sides of petiole and postpetiole densely punctulate and dull, dorsally with a few fine longitudinal rugulae, nodular summits somewhat shiny.

Gaster. First tergite without, or with extremely short, basal striae; first sternite without basal or lateral striae. Surface of segments shiny, without evidently punctulation or papillae.

Pilosity. Mandibles, clypeus and ventral cephalic surface with fully erect yellow hairs; nodes of petiole and postpetiole and gastric segments with sparse long suberect yellowish hairs; scapes, front and top of head and entire thorax with numerous short hairs which may be appressed or bent parallel to body surface.

Color. Dull yellowish ferruginous, mandibles, antennae, legs and gaster more yellowish. Often with variable brownish infuscation on head, thorax and petiole.

Queen
(dealate). Measurements. HL 0.72-0.75; HW 0.65; SL 0.60; WL 1.15; PW 0.55.

Very similar to worker except for usual sexual modifications. Head a little broader, CI 86-89; eyes about 0.20 mm long, OMD 0.75 x EL; OI 27-28. Distance between posterior ocelli about 1.3 x distance between anterior ocellus and posterior ocelli, the latter about 2 times diameter of anterior ocellus; scapes slightly surpassing level of occipital margin, SI 92. Dorsal thoracic surfaces with scattered erect hairs.

Type Material
Holotype, one female and 20 worker para types in LACM; one female and 20 worker paratypes in GCW. Three worker paratypes in each of the following:, , , ACC, and WSC. T.17N, R.19E, Sec. 19,8800', nr. Mount Rose, Washoe Co., Nevada. G.C. and J.N. Wheeler, #Nev 161.

Etymology
Patronym. I am pleased to dedicate this species to my colleagues, George C. and Jeanette N. Wheeler, who have graciously placed at my disposal so much interesting material from their collections.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Snelling R. R. 1973. Studies on California ants. 7. The genus Stenamma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contributions in Science (Los Angeles) 245: 1-38.
 * Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1986. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1978. Mountain ants of Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 35(4):379-396