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Biodiversity Data Journal : Taxonomic paper
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Flavia A. Esteves‡, Brian L. Fisher‡
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Corresponding author: Flavia A. Esteves (flaviaesteves@gmail.com)
Academic editor: Marek Borowiec
Received: 04 Feb 2016 | Accepted: 01 Jun 2016 | Published: 13 Jun 2016
© 2016 Flavia A. Esteves, Brian L. Fisher.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation: Esteves FA, Fisher BL (2016) Taxonomic revision of Stigmatomma Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e8032. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e8032
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In this study we present the first taxonomic revision of the ant genus Stigmatomma in the Malagasy biogeographic region, redescribe the previously known S. besucheti Baroni-Urbani, and describe seven new species to science (S. bolabola sp. n., S. irayhady sp. n., S. janovitsika sp. n., S. liebe sp. n., S. roahady sp. n., S. sakalava sp. n., and S. tsyhady sp. n.). The revision is based on the worker caste, but we provide brief descriptions of gynes and males for some species. Species descriptions, diagnosis, character discussion, identification key, and glossary are illustrated with 360 high-quality montage and SEM images. The distribution of Stigmatomma species in Madagascar are mapped and discussed within the context of the island’s biomes and ecoregions. We also discuss how some morphometric variables describe the differences among the species in the bioregion. Open science is supported by providing access to R scripts, raw measurement data, and all specimen data used. All specimens used in this study were given unique identifies, and holotypes were imaged. Specimens and images are made accessible on AntWeb.org.
Malagasy bioregion; taxonomy; ants; Amblyoponinae; Madagascar; Seychelles
Introduction
Stigmatomma
Stigmatomma is distributed globally, but very little is known about the genus in the Malagasy region, apart from the description of S. besucheti (
Madagascar and its surrounding islands are extremely biodiverse, have a high rate of animal and plant endemism, and possess exceptional rates of habitat loss due to human activity (
Ants play a large role in a terrestrial ecosystem (
This study presents the first taxonomic revision for the genus Stigmatomma in the Malagasy region and recognizes eight species, of which seven are newly described. It focuses on the worker caste, but images and a brief description of gynes and males are provided when possible.
Biology
Our understanding of the biology of the species assigned to Stigmatomma is far from comprehensive as it is based on generalizations from limited observations of a few species. One of the major culprits for our lack of observations is the cryptobiotic lifestyle of these ants, which hampers access to their colonies and studies on their behavior (
Predominantly, Stigmatomma species nests in the soil or in rotten logs of humid forest habitats (
Larvae feed directly on prey when positioned on this food source (
The majority of the species produces winged gynes. However, some members of the Stigmatomma reclinatum species-group does not present a morphologicaclly distinct queen, and reproduction is performed by gamergates (
Materials and methods
Species delimitation
The biological species concept guides species delimitation in this study, implying that species represent reproductively isolated entities, enclosing one or many populations connected by gene flow (
Species names
In this study, new species names formed from a personal name are nouns in apposition and thus invariant. All other new species names presented are not latinized words, and thus also indeclinable (ICZN article 31.2.3,
Specimen records
Every specimen we examined bears a specimen code label (e.g., CASENT0797614, ANTWEB1008502). Each code is a registered unique identifier, which aggregates several information regarding a given specimen on AntWeb (e.g., collection record, images, identification). Specimen data can be accessed on AntWeb through the persistent URL of its specimen code: www.antweb.org/specimen/“specimen code" (e.g., www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0797614).
Terminology
Morphological terminology used follows
- Aedeagal apodemes (
Snodgrass 1935 Fig. ).1 b ,d - Aedeagus (
Snodgrass 1935 Fig. ).1 a ,d - Anepisternum (as in
Bolton 1994 Fig. ).2 a - Arolium: adhesive pretarsal organ (
Fig. ).3 d - Basal ring (
Snodgrass 1957 Fig. ).1 a ,b - Basimere (
Snodgrass 1957 Fig. ).1 b ,c - Basivolsella (
Peck 1937 Fig. ).1 b ,c - Calcar of strigil: protibial spur, which together with the comb of strigil forms the antennal cleaning organ, which is also known as strigil (
Fig. ).3 a - Comb of strigil: comb-like structure on probasitarsus, which together with the calcar forms an antennal cleaning organ (
Fig. ).3 a - Cuspis (
Snodgrass 1941 Fig. ).1 a ,b ,c - Digitus (
Snodgrass 1941 Fig. ).1 a ,b ,c - Epistomal sulcus: sulcus that divides the clypeus posteriorly and laterally from the remainder of the head (
Richards 1977 Fig. ).4 a - Frontal lobes: in this study, we use this term to name the trait formed by: (1) the median arch projection of the torulus (torular lobe in
Keller 2011 Keller 2011 Fig. ).4 a - Frontoclypeal sulcus: medial section of the epistomal sulcus running between the anterior tentorial pits (
Fig. ).4 a - Gaster (as in
Bolton 1990 Fig. ).4 b - Genal tooth (
Brown 1960 Fig. ).4 a - Hypopygium: sternite of abdominal segment VII in adult females (
Fig. ).4 b - Katepisternum (as in
Bolton 1994 Fig. ).3 d - Lower and upper metapleuron (
Snodgrass 1910 Fig. ).5 b - Median area of the clypeus: clypeal area between and below the frontal carinae (
Fig. ).4 a - Mesepimeral lobe (as epimeral lobe in
Yoshimura and Fisher 2012b Fig. ).5 b - Mesepimeron (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 b - Mesepisternum (as in
Huber and Sharkey 1993 Figs ).2 b ,5 b - Mesobasitarsal sulcus: longitudinal impression situated on the anterodorsal face of the mesobasitarsus (
Fig. ).3 b - Mesopleural suture (
Snodgrass 1910 - Mesopleuron (as in
Huber and Sharkey 1993 - Mesoscutellar-axillar complex (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 a - Mesoscutum (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 a - Mesosoma (as in
Bolton 1990 Fig. ).4 b - Metabasitarsal sulcus: longitudinal impression situated on the anterior face of the metabasitarsus (
Fig. ).3 c - Metapleuron (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 b - Microtrichia: setae-like cuticular projections.
- Notaulus (pl. notauli; as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 a - Parameres (
Snodgrass 1957 Fig. ).1 a ,b ,c - Penisvalvae (
Snodgrass 1941 Fig. ).1 b ,d - Petiolar laterotergite: paired long, narrow, strip-like area of cuticle parallel to the ventral margin of the petiolar tergite (
Fig. ).6 a - Petiolar proprioceptor zone: a depression sharply delineated anteriorly and bearing numerous sensilla on the anterior-most part of the petiolar sternite (
Fig. ).6 a - Petiole: abdominal segment II (
Fig. ).4 b - Poststernite: posterior remaining portion of sternite not concealed by an articulation (
Fig. ).6 b - Pygostyles (as in
Yoshimura and Fisher 2007 Gibson et al. 1998 - Scuto-scutellar suture (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 Fig. ).5 a - Subpetiolar process (as in
Ward 1994 - Supraclypeal area (frontal triangle in
Bolton 1994 Fig. ).4 a - Suture and sulcus: the fusion of two sclerites forms a suture, while a depression formed by an invagination of the cuticle corresponds to a sulcus.
- Telomere (
Snodgrass 1957 Fig. ).1 b ,c - Transscutal articulation (as in
Gibson et al. 1998 - Volsellae (
Snodgrass 1957 Fig. ).1 a ,b ,c
llustrated glossary of terminology; plate I: male genitalia morphology.
b: Genital capsule (CASENT0148201); longitudinal section, inner face. The aedeagal sclerite is darkened to enhance visibility. Image by F. A. Esteves.
c: Genital capsule of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0318446); longitudinal section, inner face. The basal ring and the aedeagus were removed from the capsule. Image by F. A. Esteves.
d: Right sclerite of the aedeagus of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724171); lateral view. Image by F. A. Esteves.
llustrated glossary of terminology; plate II: mesosoma of Stigmatomma worker, lateral view.
b: Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n., worker (CASENT0145426). The mesepisternum is not divided into anepisternum and katepisternum by the median mesepisternal sulcus. Image by F. A. Esteves.
Illustrated glossary of terminology; plate III: legs morphology.
b: Midleg of Stigmatomma sakalava sp. n. (CASENT0438262); anterior face. Image by F. A. Esteves.
c: Hindleg of Stigmatomma roahady sp. n. (CASENT0056916); anterior face. Image by F. A. Esteves.
d: Midleg of Stigmatomma roahady sp. n. (CASENT0002078); dorsal view: fifth tarsomere and pretarsal claw. Arolium highlighted in green. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
IIllustrated glossary of terminology; plate IV: worker morphology.
b: Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker (CASENT0318414); lateral view. Gaster highlighted in green and blue; hypopygium in blue. Abdominal segments are labeled by corresponding roman numeral. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
Illustrated glossary of terminology; plate V: mesosoma morphology of alates.
b: Mesosoma of Stigmatomma roahady sp. n. (CASENT0107483); male; lateral face. Mesepisternum highlighted in red, mesepimeron in purple, lower metapleuron in yellow, and upper metapleuron in green. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
Illustrated glossary of terminology; plate VI: worker morphology
b: Gaster of Stigmatomma besucheti, lateral view (CASENT0101970). Abdominal segments are labeled by corresponding roman numeral. Image by F. A. Esteves.
Sculpture terminology follows
- Alveolate: honeycombed, with regular, deep, angular cavities separated by thin partitions; furnished with cells or alveoli.
- Areolate: divided into a number of small, irregular, nonparallel spaces.
- Carinate: keeled, with one, or several, but usually few longitudinal narrow raised ridges.
- Catenate: with longitudinal, connected elevations like links in a chain.
- Confused: indefinite outlines.
- Costate: with longitudinal raised ridges (costae); coarser than carinate.
- Costulate: less prominent than costate.
- Dispersed: scattered markings or small sculptures.
- Foveate: pitted, with numerous, regular depressions or pits (foveae).
- Foveolate: with small, deep pits; finely pitted.
- Imbricate: partly overlapping, like shingles on a roof or scales on a fish.
- Nodulate: with small knots or swellings.
- Plicate: folded; with folds.
- Puncticulate: dispersed points or punctures, with very fine, widely spaced punctures.
- Smooth: devoid of any sculpturing.
- Strigate: with narrow, transverse raised ridges or impressed lines.
- Rugose: wrinkled.
- Rugulose: minutely wrinkled.
- Taeniate: with broad, longitudinal ribbon-like markings; shaped like a tapeworm.
- Tuberculate: furnished with rounded, projecting lobes.
We describe setae and cuticular projections with the following terminology:
- Acuminate: tapering to a point (
Fig. ).7 a - Antler-like: branched, shaped like an antler (
Fig. ).7 b - Blunt: not sharp, a worn-down apex (
Fig. ).7 c - Conic: shaped like a cone (
Fig. ).7 d - Dentiform: shaped like a tooth (
Fig. ).7 c ,d - Digitiform: shaped like a finger (
Fig. ).7 e - Filiform: shaped like a thread; filamentous. Here used to describe setae having a regular, hair-like shape (
Fig. ).8 a - Flattened-apex: flattened apically, not round (
Fig. ).7 a - Glabrous: devoid of hair or cuticular projections.
- Lanceolate: shaped like the head of a lance (
Fig. ).7 e - Mucronate: ending abruptly in a sharp point (
Fig. ).7 c - Paddle-like: shaped like a paddle (
Fig. ).7 f - Scrobiculate: uniformly covered with short, oblong or trench-like hollows.
- Spatular: shaped like a spatula (
Fig. ).7 a ,c - Spiniform: shaped like a spine (
Fig. ).8 a - Squamiform: shaped like a scale (
Fig. ).7 e - Stout: heavily built (
Fig. ).8 a - Strap-like: shaped like a long and narrow strip (
Fig. ).7 f - Tongue-like: shaped like a tongue (
Fig. ).8 b - Truncated: having the apex cut off transversally; lacking the apex (
Fig. ).7 b - Tubiform: shaped like a tube (
Fig. ).8 c
Illustrated glossary of terminology; plate VII: setae and cuticular projections.
b: Hindleg of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0145426): posterior face of posterior metatibial spur. Antler-like microtrichia are highlighted in red. Truncated-apex filiform setae are highlighted in green. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
c: Head of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0145426): dorsal face of mandibles and clypeal area. Blunt dentiform setae are highlighted in green. Asymmetrical mucronate dentiform setae are highlighted in red. Spatular setae are seen in yellow. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
d: Head of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker (CASENT0318414): dorsal face of mandibles and anterior part of the head. Conic setae are highlighted in red. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
e: Foreleg of Stigmatomma besucheti worker (CASENT0101970): anterior face of calcar of strigil. Digitiform cuticular projections are highlighted in yellow. Squamiform microtrichia are highlighted in red. Lanceolate microtrichia are seen in green. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
f: Foreleg of Stigmatomma roahady sp. n. worker (CASENT0002078): anterior face of calcar of strigil. Paddle-like setae are highlighted in red, and strap-like setae in green. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
Illustrated glossary of terminology; plate VIII: setae and cuticular projections.
b: Head of Stigmatomma besucheti worker (CASENT0101970): ventral view of mandibles and mouth parts. Tongue-like setae are highlighted in red. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
c: Foreleg of Stigmatomma sakalava sp. n. worker (CASENT0017556): anterior face of calcar of strigil and mesobasitarsus. Tubiform setae are highlighted in red. Image and illustration by F. A. Esteves.
The terminology used to describe pilosity inclination, in regards to cuticle surface, follows
Wing venation (
Diagram of the Stigmatomma generalized wing venation: A, forewing; B, hindwing. Abbreviations: C, costa; Sc, subcosta; R, radius; Rs, radial sector; M, media; C, cubitus; A, anal. The position of vein's free abscissas are indicated by the letter f followed by a cardinal number. Images by Masashi Yoshimura, available at AntWeb.org (specimen CASENT0083104). llustration by F. A. Esteves.
Measurements and indices
We used indices and measurements to quantify size, and as means of comparison among Stigmatomma species. Measurements were taken on a Leica MZ APO stereomicroscope, rounded to the nearest 0.01 mm. They are expressed in mm, and presented as minimum and maximum values with holotype measurements within parentheses. Indices are rounded to the nearest integer value, and expressed as minimum and maximum values with holotype index within parentheses. The raw data are presented in
- Head length (HL): in fullface view, straight line from the anterior clypeal margin to the midpoint of a straight imaginary line connecting posterior corners of the head (
Fig. A).10 - Head width (HW): maximum width of the head, including eyes when present (
Fig. A).10 - Head width 2 (HW2): width of the head immediately posterior to the posterolateral margin of the clypeus (as in
Taylor 1978 Fig. A).10 - Scape length (SL): length of the scape (first antennal segment), excluding its basal constriction or neck and condyle (
Fig. A).10 - Mandibular length (ML): outer length of the mandible (as in Taylor 1978;
Fig. A).10 - Weber’s length of mesosoma (WL): diagonal length of the mesosoma in profile, from base of anterior slope of pronotum to metapleural lobe (
Fig. B).10 - Propodeal posterior width (PPW): width of posterior margin of propodeal dorsal face, in dorsal view (
Fig. C).10 - Petiolar length (PtL): maximum length of petiole in dorsal view (
Fig. C).10 - Petiolar width (PtW): maximum width of petiole in dorsal view (
Fig. C).10 - Cephalic index (CI): HW/HL ×100.
- Scape index (SI): SL/HL ×100.
- Mandibular index (MI): ML/HL ×100.
- Petiolar index (PtI): PtL/PtW ×100.
Measurements taken from Stigmatomma worker caste. A: fullface view; B: lateral view of head and mesosoma; C: dorsal view of mesosoma and anterior abdominal tergites. Abbreviations: HL, head length; HW, head width; HW2, head width 2; ML, mandibular length; PPW, propodeal posterior width; PtL, petiolar length; PtW, petiolar width; SL, scape length; WL, Weber's length of mesosoma. Illustrations by F. A. Esteves.
We employed a UPGMA hierarchical cluster analysis to visualize how specimens are grouped based on the differences in their linear morphometry. We also compared the clustering result with our species hypothesis to see how well they reflect each other.
In the UPGMA analysis, specimens clustered together are morphometrically more similar than specimens grouped into different clusters (
Cluster analysis uses a dissimilarity matrix as input. As a measure of dissimilarity, we used Euclidean distances, defined as the squared differences of measurement values between each pair of specimens (function dist, method “euclidean”; stats package,
\(d_{x,y} = { \sqrt{ \displaystyle\sum_{j=1}^{J}(x_{j}-y_{j})^2}}\)
where d is the distance between specimens x and y, J is the total number of measurements taken from each specimen, and j is a given measurement.
Data normalization is imperative for unbiased Euclidean distances. It balances the contribution of each measurement to the distance matrix, neutralizing the weight of the absolute differences of larger variables (see more about data normalization in
\(d_{A,B} = { \sqrt{ (A_{WL}-B_{WL})^2+(A_{PtL}-B_{PtL})^2+(A_{PtW}-B_{PtW})^2}}\)
\(d_{A,B} = { \sqrt{ (1.508-1.396)^2+(0.692-0.674)^2+(0.758-0.704)^2}}\)
\(d_{A,B} = { \sqrt{ 0.0125+0.0003+0.0029}}\)
\(d_{A,B} =0.125\)
If the same measurement values were normalized to the log scale, the Euclidean distance between specimens A and B would be only 0.0022. Thus, before data normalization, the absolute difference between Weber’s length values dominates the equation’s result. To counteract this effect, we normalize original measurement values to the natural-log scale using function log (base package,
UPGMA starts by combining the couple of most similar specimens into a group, then, it adds other specimens, or combines groups to groups, until all specimens are united by a common root. We used the method "average" as clustering strategy. It combines similar clusters together using the distance among cluster centroids as a dissimilarity measurement. For clustering, we used function hclust (stats package).
We use the cophenetic correlation coefficient to measure how well the cluster represents the distances between specimens. This provides a linear correlation coefficient between the cophenetic distances obtained from the cluster, and the original dissimilarity matrix that was used to build the cluster. The output value must be close to 1 for a high-informative cluster (
Cluster analysis captures the multivariate structure of a dataset, but it does not unveil the patterns of variation behind the clusters it builds. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to visualize and interpret patterns of morphometric variation among specimens. As seen below, PCA offers solutions for two elements that hamper the detection of patterns underlying morphometric variation among specimens: variable correlation and multidimensionality.
Morphological measurements are biologically linked to each other as they describe traits of an organism, and therefore, they are generally correlated (Zelditch et al. 2012). PCA creates new variables, or components, to eliminate such correlations. PCA components combine linearly the original measurements, are independent from each other, and will act as new dimensions/axes in the ordination space (
In the morphometric space (i.e., space defined by the measurements), PCA draws its first component along the line that comprises the highest proportion of variation among specimens. Consecutively, it derives the remaining components to encompass the highest variation after derivation of the previous components. This process continues until the number of components equals the number of original measurements (
The newly computed components are uncorrelated (i.e., orthogonal in the space), and ideally, the first components will capture most of the variation among specimens (
Eventually, PCA projects the position of each specimen onto the components (
We executed all the steps of the Principal Component Analysis on the R platform (
First, we checked the original measurements for the presence of correlations (function cor, stats package;
Function prcomp (scale set to TRUE; stats package) executed PCA analysis on the original measurement matrix. It also standardized our dataset to zero mean and unit variance, which prevents dominance of variables with higher variance in the analysis (
The data and R scripts underpinning the analysis presented above are deposited in the Dryad Data Repository at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m7340.
Images
Extended focus montage images were created with a Leica DFC 425 camera and LEICA APPLICATION SUITE software (version 3.8; Leica Microsystems, Switzerland), and are available online at AntWeb. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for observations of smaller characters. We prepared specimens for SEM adapting the procedure used by
Workers kept in ethanol were washed in water and gently brushed to remove dirt particles, before being placed in 90% ethanol for 20 minutes. Specimens were then: (1) point mounted in a copper conductive triangle (TED PELLA, INC.) below the median and hind right coxae, and fixed in an SEM aluminum Zeiss stub (TED PELLA, INC.) via a double-sided adhesive conducting PELCO tab (TED PELLA, INC.); and (2) left to air dry for at least 12 hours before scanning.
Point-mounted dry specimens were submerged in warm water to dissolve the mounting glue before being placed in 90% ethanol, after which the same treatment described above was applied.
Specimens mounted on stubs were coated with gold-palladium—this procedure was not applied to rare taxa (i.e., poorly represented in collections). Images were taken using a LEO/Zeiss 1450 VP SEM field emission scanning electron microscope at CASC, using the high voltage mode (HV) at a voltage of 10 kV. Images of uncoated ants were taken using the SEM at a variable pressure secondary electron mode (VPSE) with the following configuration: VP target pressure around 20Pa, spot size around between 500 and 600, VPSE collector bias at 390V, and voltage at 20kV. At least three specimens of each species were imaged when permitted by the available number of specimens.
Maps
For Madagascar, species distributions were mapped over a shaded relief of the island, overlaid by an elevation layer and the outlines of five simplified ecoregion zones of the country (
For Seychelles, species distributions were mapped over a shaded-relief of the islands, overlaid by an elevation layer.
All of the following steps, unless otherwise noted, were performed on the R platform (
- Obtaining elevation raster layer for Madagascar: Function getData (raster package,
Hijmans 2015 - Obtaining elevation raster layer for Seychelles: Although function getData worked perfectly for Madagascar, it did not return any data for Seychelles. Thus, we downloaded elevation data directly from the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT;
Jarvis et al. 2008 Bivand et al. 2015 -
Obtaining and modifying ecoregions vector layers for Madagascar: In this study, ecoregion outlines of Madagascar are based on the vector data disclosed by the Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World (
Olson et al. 2001 Du Puy and Moat 1996 QGIS Development Team 2013 - Reading distribution points for each Stigmatomma species: Function read.csv (utils package,
R Core Team 2015 - Standardizing projections of raster and vector layers: Function proj4string (raster package) retrieved the vector data projection, and used it to set the projection of the elevation data. Function CRS (rgdal package) assigned that value to an R object, which was used as a liaison between retrieving and setting projections.
- Obtaining the shaded relief of Madagascar: Function terrain (raster package) computed slope and terrain from the elevation data, which were used by function hillShade (raster package) to compute the shaded-relief layer.
-
Plottting maps: Function plot (raster package) drew the shaded relief of Madagascar and Seychelles, and overlaid them with the raw elevation layer. For Madagascar, function plot also overlaid the resuting image with the modified ecoregion layers. Function grey (grDevices package,
R Core Team 2015 Wickham 2015 R Core Team 2015
Note that extensive myrmecological exploration of Madagascar is ongoing; we encourage readers to consult detailed and regularly updated distribution data available on AntWeb.org, where existing and future distributions can be mapped interactively and at higher resolution then the maps presented here.
Depository acronyms
ANIC: Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australia.
BMNH: The Natural History Museum, London, U.K.
CASC: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
MCZC: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, U.S.A.
NHMB: Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, Switzerland.
NHMW: Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
MHNG: Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland.
MZSP: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
USNM: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Taxon treatments
Stigmatomma
Nomenclature
Stigmatomma as junior synonym of Amblyopone:
= Arotropus
Type species
Diagnosis
Workers of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion – characters of the Amblyoponinae as described by
- Mandible elongate and linear, not as long as the head, pointed at the apex (
Fig. ). Masticatory and basal margins running parallel to each other along basoapical axis, resulting in two rows of teeth (11 Fig. ). Teeth of the same pair generally basally fused.12 - Median portion of clypeal anterior margin anteriorly projected (generally convex;
Fig. ). Anterior clypeal margin armed with single row of dentiform setae, arising from tubercle-like cuticular projections or from the flat cuticle (11 Fig. ). Pair of long setae on clypeus, generally arising from its anterior margin.12 - Genal teeth present or absent.
- Number of antennomeres: 10–12.
- Under the stereomicroscope, pilosity similar present on all antennomeres (
Fig. ).11 - Palpal formula: 4:3; 4:2; or 2:2 (two maxillary and two labial).
- Metanotal suture well developed to absent.
- Mesepisternum generally divided into anepisternum and katepisternum (
Fig. ).2 - Number of mesotibial spurs: 0–2.
- Anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus generally with a longitudinal sulcus (
Fig. ).3 b - Number of metatibial spurs: 1–2.
- Anterior face of metabasitarsus generally without a longitudinal sulcus.
- Pretarsal claw simple; arolium present on pro-, meso-, and metapretarsi (
Fig. ).3 d - Petiole (abdominal segment II) sessile (
Fig. ). Subpetiolar process present; fenestra present or absent on its lateral face.13 - Constriction, generally scrobiculate, present between pretergite and postergite of abdominal segment III.
- Prora present.
- Scrobiculate constriction present between presclerites and postsclerites of abdominal segment IV.
- Stout spiniform setae on apex of hypopygium present or absent (
Fig. ).14
Holotype worker of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0318428); dorsal face of the head. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
Mandibular teeth arrangement in two different species of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion.
b: Mandibles of Stigmatomma besucheti Baroni-Urbani worker; dorsal view (CASENT0906833). The arrow highlights the most basal tooth, which is similar in size with the more apical teeth. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
Stigmatomma tsyhady sp. n. worker; lateral view (CASENT0121332). Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
Abdominal segment VII of Stigmatomma sakalava worker sp. n. (CASENT0022146), lateral view, featuring stout spiniform setae on the apex of its hypopygium. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
The list of characters above forms an inclusive diagnosis of the genus, but no character can currently be pointed as unique for Stigmatomma.
1. In Stigmatomma, the total dental count (including teeth arranged in pairs) recorded for Malagasy species is 11–15, distributed from base to apex as follows: 1–3 single teeth, followed by 3–6 teeth pairs (generally fused at the base), a preapical (generally single) tooth, and an apical pointy tooth (
The most basal tooth is enlarged in the majority of species we studied, but not in all (
Teeth coupling generally occurs between teeth with similar dimensions (
Mandibles of Stigmatomma sakalava sp. n. worker; dorsal view (CASENT0022146). Arrows point to dorsal tooth couples, which increase in size towards the mandible's apex. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
Mandibular dentition arrangement of Stigmatomma pluto worker (ANTWEB1008502).
b: Lateral view of the head, which confirms that mandibles have no basal teeth paired with mandibular teeth. Image by Roberto Keller; available at AntWeb.org
Among the other Amblyoponinae genera distributed in the Malagasy bioregion: Prionopelta has short and subtriangular mandibles, which are usually armed with three teeth on the apical half, so that basal and mastigatory margins are distinct (
Similarities and differences of the head among Adetomyrma, Mystrium, Prionopelta, and Xymmer in the Malagasy bioregion.
b: Fullface view of Mystrium eques worker (CASENT0317390). Image by Estella Ortega; available at AntWeb.org
c: Fullface view of Prionopelta descarpentriesi worker (CASENT0034837). Image by Rick Overson; available at AntWeb.org
d: Fullface view of Xymmer mg04 worker (CASENT0151732). Image by Erin Prado; available at AntWeb.org
In addition to the similarities and differences among the shape and configuration of the mandibles, an enlarged mandibular basal tooth is absent in all other Malagasy Amblyoponinae genera (
2. Number and configuration of clypeal cuticular processes and associated dentiform setae vary among the evaluated species of Stigmatomma. All species present three to ten cuticular processes on the anterior margin of the clypeus. Each medial process bears one dentiform seta.
In half of the species (tsyhady species-complex members and Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n.), the seta on the lateral-most process is laterodistally followed by a row of dentiform setae. These lateral rows extend laterad on the anterior clypeal margin, where it arises from flat cuticle (
However, the number of medial cuticular processes may vary within some species and sometimes within nest series. Thus, we did not use such variations to isolate individual species.
Among the other Amblyoponinae genera present in the Malagasy region, Mystrium, like Stigmatomma, also presents a single row of cuticular projections bearing dentiform setae on the anterior clypeal margin (
A pair of long setae is present on the anterior margin of the clypeus of all genera in the XMMAS clade in the Malagasy region, however, they are reduced and stouter in Mystrium (CASENT0002095).
3. The presence or absence of genal teeth is uniform within Stigmatomma species, and this character has relative importance to group species with similar morphology. In the Malagasy bioregion, this trait is present in all Mystrium species (
4. Despite the variation among species, the number of antennomeres is constant within the Stigmatomma species we studied. Adetomyrma, Mystrium, and Xymmer species present no variation for this character, with all having twelve antennomeres.
5. Under the stereomicroscope, the whole antenna is equally covered by setae in Adetomyrma, Prionopelta, Stigmatomma, and Xymmer (
6. Without dissection, the maxillary and labial palpomeres are often extremely difficult to count in the species we studied.
Regarding the number of maxillary and labial palpomeres in other Amblyoponinae members in the Malagasy region, the palpal formula is constant within Mystrium (4:3) and Prionopelta (2:2) (
The palpal formula published for the Adetomyrma worker caste is 3:3, but some species are only known by the male caste, which, depending on the species, may present palpomere counts of 2:2 and 2:3 (
Finally,
7. The presence or absence of the metanotal suture, and the degree of its impression, may vary within species, as well as within nest series of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy region. Given this, we did not use those variations to isolate individual species.
9. The number of mesotibial spur(s) is difficult to determine under stereomicroscopes when the anterior spur is reduced in size, and also because the posterior spur may be “replaced” by an enlarged, stout spiniform seta. SEM images allowed comparisons between the texture of enlarged spinifom processes and surrounding cuticle, thus enabling us to differentiate spur and seta (
Difference between a spur and an enlarged seta on the inner face of the mesotibial apex of Stigmatomma workers.
b: Mesotibia of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0145426). Posterior face of the apical portion featuring an enlarged seta. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
In the Stigmatomma we studied, the number of mesotibial spurs ranged from zero to two, and were generally constant within species. In one species, S. liebe sp. n., the number of mesotibial spurs visible under the stereomicroscope ranges from one to two. The anterior spur may be visible and developed, but it is vestigial in the majority of the specimens we evaluated. This variation was observed in specimens from the same nest series.
Regarding other members of the XMMAS clade, Stigmatomma pallipes (ANTWEB1008501; Nearctic region), S. pluto (ANTWEB1008502), Adetomyrma caputleae
Among the Amblyoponinae genera outside the XMMAS clade, Amblyopone australis
10. We confirm the presence of a longitudinal sulcus on the anterodorsal face of the mesobasitarsus in all species of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy region save S. tsyhady sp. n.
Within the XMMAS clade, this sulcus is present on the mesobasitarsus of Stigmatomma pallipes (ANTWEB1008501), S. pluto (ANTWEB1008502), Adetomyrma caputleae (ANTWEB1008494), Fulakora chilensis (ANTWEB1008496), F. mystriops (ANTWEB1008500), Myopopone castanea (ANTWEB1008551), and Xymmer muticus (ANTWEB1008499). We confirm present of this sulcus in only one Xymmer species in the Malagasy region. However, this character is difficult to visualize under a stereomicroscope when specimens are too small, as it occurs with Xymmer species, and its presence or absence may be better evaluated with an SEM microscope. This sulcus is absent in all Mystrium species we evaluated in the Malagasy region (CASENT0429914; CASENT0482698; CASENT0003281; CASENT0429897; CASENT0129838; CASENT0418314; CASENT0318933; CASENT0494274; CASENT0248701; CASENT0001158; ANTWEB1008554).
The sulcus on the anterior face of the mesobasitarsus is absent in Amblyopone australis (ANTWEB1008497), A. mercovichi (ANTWEB1008498), Apomyrma stygia (ANTWEB1008505), Onychomyrmex doddi (ANTWEB1008560), Prionopelta aethiopica (ANTWEB1008580), P. antillana (ANTWEB1008581), and P. concenta (ANTWEB1008513).
11. All Stigmatomma species present in the Malagasy bioregion present two well-developed metatibial spurs save S. liebe sp. n. In this species, the number of metatibial spurs visible under the stereomicroscope ranges from one to two. The anterior spur is visibly smaller than the posterior spur, and may be vestigial in some specimens. This variation was observed in specimens from the same nest series. A similar condition is found in Onychomyrmex hedleyi
In the XMMAS clade, Stigmatomma pallipes (ANTWEB1008501), S. pluto (ANTWEB1008502), Adetomyrma caputleae (ANTWEB1008494), A. venatrix, Fulakora chilensis (ANTWEB1008496), F. mystriops (ANTWEB1008500), Myopopone castanea (ANTWEB1008551), Mystrium voeltzkowi (ANTWEB1008554), and Xymmer muticus (ANTWEB1008499) possess two spurs on the metatibia.
Amblyopone australis (ANTWEB1008497), A. mercovichi (ANTWEB1008498), and Apomyrma stygia (ANTWEB1008505) possess two metatibial spurs. Onychomyrmex doddi (ANTWEB1008560) possesses two vestigial spurs at the apex of the metatibia. These spurs are small, stout, conic seta totally or partially concealed by a fovea. Prionopelta aethiopica (ANTWEB1008580) and P. antillana (ANTWEB1008581) have one spur, while P. concenta (ANTWEB1008513) presents no spurs.
12. Only one Stigmatomma species evaluated in this study (S. roahady sp. n.) presents a longitudinal sulcus on the anterior face of the metabasitarsus. The metabasitarsus of S. besucheti, while not presenting a sulcus on its anterior face, possesses two raised, parallel, not-well-developed longitudinal carinae with convergent apexes on its dorsal face.
This sulcus is present on the metabasitarsus of Myopopone castanea (ANTWEB1008551), and absent in Stigmatomma pallipes (ANTWEB1008501), S. pluto (ANTWEB1008502), Adetomyrma caputleae (ANTWEB1008494), A. venatrix, Fulakora chilensis (ANTWEB1008496), F. mystriops (ANTWEB1008500), and Xymmer muticus (ANTWEB1008499). It seems to be absent on the metabasitarsus of Xymmer in the Malagasy region. However, we cautiously affirm that, since this character is difficult to visualize under a stereomicroscope when specimens are too small, like those of Xymmer, it would be better evaluated under higher magnification. This sulcus is absent in all Mystrium species we evaluated in the Malagasy bioregion (CASENT0429914; CASENT0482698; CASENT0003281; CASENT0429897; CASENT0129838; CASENT0418314; CASENT0318933; CASENT0494274; CASENT0248701; CASENT0001158; ANTWEB1008554).
Among the Amblyoponinae genera that are not part of the XMMAS clade, the sulcus on the metabasitarsus is absent on Amblyopone australis (ANTWEB1008497), A. mercovichi (ANTWEB1008498), Apomyrma stygia (ANTWEB1008505), Onychomyrmex doddi (ANTWEB1008560), Prionopelta aethiopica (ANTWEB1008580), P. antillana (ANTWEB1008581), and P. concenta (ANTWEB1008513).
13. Arolium present on pro-, meso-, and metapretarsi in all species we studied. The same seems to apply to the other Amblyoponinae genera in the Malagasy region.
14. The petiole is sessile to subsessile in Adetomyrma and Mystrium; and subsessile to penduculate in Xymmer (
Presence or absence of petiolar penduncle in Adetomyrma, Mystrium, and Xymmer.
b: Mystrium mysticum worker, lateral view (CASENT0429959). Image by Cerise Chen; available at AntWeb.org
c: Xymmer mg01 worker, lateral view (CASENT0004310). Image by April Nobile; available at AntWeb.org
d: Xymmer muticus dealated queen, lateral view (Afrotropical bioregion; CASENT0102213). Image by April Nobile; available at AntWeb.org
15. The constriction between pretergite and postergite of the abdominal segment III is scrobiculate in all Stigmatomma species but one. In Adetomyrma such a constriction is not visible; in Xymmer species the constriction is alveolate; and in Mystrium it is scrobiculate.
16. A prora is visible under a stereomicroscope in all Stigmatomma and Mystrium species in the Malagasy region; it seems to be absent in Adetomyrma and Xymmer.
17. Adetomyrma does not possess a constriction between the presclerite and postsclerite of abdominal segment IV. The constriction is scrobiculate in Mystrium and Stigmatomma, and alveolate in Xymmer.
18. Stout spiniform setae may be located on the apex of the hypopygium, surrounding the sting (
In the Malagasy region, all Mystrium species present two or four stout setae on the hypopygium (
Stout spiniform setae are also present on the hypopygium of Stigmatomma pluto (twelve setae, ANTWEB1008502), Fulakora chilensis (eight setae, ANTWEB1008496), and in F. cleae (
We introduce a morphological organization system for the species diversity of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion which is based upon the definition of informal species-groups, which may contain species-complexes when necessary. Groups and complexes are named after the most abundant species, and the groups we presently define only reflect what is seen in the Malagasy fauna.
besucheti group
besucheti (Baroni Urbani 1978) (Seychelles; Singapore?)
tsyhady group
sakalava complex
bolabola Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
janovitsika Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Seychelles)
sakalava Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
tsyhady complex
irayhady Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
liebe Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
roahady Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
tsyhady Esteves & Fisher sp. n. (Madagascar)
Stigmatomma besucheti (
The morphology of S. besucheti isolates the species from other Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion, and we place it in its own group based on the following worker characters (asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
1. * Ten antennomeres;
2. * Two maxillary palpomeres (palpal formula: 2:2);
3. * Calcar of strigil completely pectinate;
4. * Anterior face of the calcar of strigil with squamiform microtrichia basally;
5. * Posterior face of the calcar of strigil glabrous;
6. * Weakly raised longitudinal parallel carinae present on the dorsal face of metabasitarsus, with convergent apexes;
7. * Petiolar proprioceptor zone reduced to a small concavity.
Workers with the following combination of characters (asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
1. * Twelve antennomeres;
2. * Four maxillary palpomeres (palpal formula: 4:3 or 4:2);
3. * Calcar of strigil not completely pectinate; basoventral lamella generally visible (in one species the lamella is reduced to a basal bud);
4. Anterior face of the calcar of strigil with straplike or tubiform microtrichia basally;
5. * Posterior face of the calcar of strigil with lanceolate microtrichia;
6. Absence of any longitudinal carina on the dorsal face of metabasitarsus;
7. * Petiolar proprioceptor zone a large, round concavity.
This group can be split into subgroups based on morphological similarities, here called species complexes.
Stigmatomma bolabola Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Stigmatomma janovitsika Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Stigmatomma sakalava Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Workers with the following combination of characters (character numbers are sequential to the species groups for sake of clarity in the character discussion):
8. Genal teeth present or absent;
9. Two labial palpomeres (palpal formula: 4:2);
10. Antler-like microtrichia present on posterior face of posterior metatibial spur;
11. Absence of fenestra on the subpetiolar process;
12. Stout spiniform setae present on the apex of hypopygium.
Stigmatomma irayhady Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Stigmatomma liebe Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Stigmatomma roahady Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Stigmatomma tsyhady Esteves & Fisher, sp. n.
Workers with the following combination of characters (character numbers are sequential to the species groups for sake of clarity in the character discussion; asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
8. Genal teeth present;
9. * Three labial palpomeres (palpal formula: 4:3);
10. Posterior face of posterior metatibial spur mostly glabrous;
11. * Fenestra present on the subpetiolar process;
12. * Absence of stout spiniform setae on hypopygium.
3. A reduced lamella on the basoventral margin of the calcar of strigil is often difficult to visualize under a stereomicroscope, and the calcar may appear completely pectinate while in reality it has a basal bud on the base of its ventral margin. Nonetheless, the proportion of lamellar tissue on the ventral margin of the calcar is constant within species, and was helpful to delimit certain species.
4-5. Presence and shape of microtrichia on anterior and posterior face of the calcar of strigil are not visible under a stereomicroscope. However, those characters are informative to diagnose groups of species.
6. The longitudinal parallel carinae on the dorsal face of the Stigmatomma besucheti metabasitarsus somewhat converge at their apexes; thus, the region between them appears groove-like in dorsal view. No other species of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy region presents such a character. However, one species, S. roahady, possesses a longitudinal sulcus on the anterior face of its metabasitarsus, and since its shape and location are different from the carinae on S. besucheti, we did not consider them homologous.
10. The presence and shape of microtrichia on the posterior face of the metatibial spur are not visible under a steromicroscope; however, it is informative to diagnose groups of species.
Stigmatomma besucheti
Nomenclature
Amblyopone besucheti
Combination in Stigmatomma:
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0101816; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0101900; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0101970; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0280650; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; otherCatalogNumbers:BMNH(E)1017525; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:BMNH
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0906833; recordedBy:P. Schauenbert; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMB
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0906834; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMB
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scientificName: Stigmatomma besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Seychelles; locality:Ile de la Digue; decimalLatitude:-4.359097; decimalLongitude:55.841242; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from Google Earth; eventDate:01/28/1975; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0906835; recordedBy:P. Schauenberg; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMB
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scientificName: Stigmatomma cf. besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Singapore; locality:Univ. Campus Singapore; (ANIC32-016286); decimalLatitude:1.28333; decimalLongitude:103.767; georeferenceRemarks:10km; eventDate:06/01/1964; habitat:Imperata grassland; eventRemarks:soil; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0172194; recordedBy:D.H.Murphy; otherCatalogNumbers:anic32-016286; associatedMedia: ; identifiedBy:R.W. Taylor; dateIdentified:12/06/1978; institutionCode:ANIC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma cf. besucheti; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Singapore; locality:Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; decimalLatitude:1.38333; decimalLongitude:103.8; georeferenceRemarks:10km; eventDate:10/04/1965; habitat:degraded coastal hill forest; eventRemarks:on grantite, berlesate No I24; sex:1dq; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0195513; recordedBy:D.H.Murphy; otherCatalogNumbers:anic32-016287; associatedMedia: ; identifiedBy:R.W. Taylor; dateIdentified:12/07/1978; institutionCode:ANIC
Description
Worker (
Holotype of Stigmatomma besucheti (CASENT0101816); worker. Images by April Nobile; available at AntWeb.org
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Head:
Mandibular baso-masticatory margin skirted dorsally by row of filiform setae; medially, by flexuous tongue-like setae; ventrally, by flexuous filiform setae, grading into flexuous tongue-like setae apically (
Head of Stigmatomma besucheti worker.
b: Ventral view of mandibles and mouth parts (CASENT0101970). Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
c: Fullface view (CASENT0101970). Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
d: Anteroventral view of mouth parts (CASENT0101970). Left maxillary palp is missing. Right maxillary and labial palps are outlined in gray to enhance visibility. Slide and image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
Mesosoma:
In dorsal view, mesonotum somewhat expanded laterally (
Mesosoma of Stigmatomma besucheti worker (CASENT0101970). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
Legs:
Absence of lamella on basoventral margin of calcar of strigil (
Legs of Stigmatomma besucheti worker.
b: Foreleg (CASENT0101970): posterior face of protibia, bearing the calcar of strigil, and probasitarsus.
c: Midleg (CASENT0101970): anteroventral face of mesotibia and dorsoposterior face of mesobasitarsus, which possesses a longitudinal slit-like sulcus.
d: Hindleg (CASENT0101970): anterior face of metatibia, bearing two spurs apically, and metabasitarsus.
e: Hindleg (CASENT0906833): posterior face of metatibia (apical part), associated posterior spur, and metabasitarsus.
f: Hindleg (CASENT0101970); dorsal face of metatibia: closeup of its two parallel carinae with convergent apexes.
Metasoma:
Petiole sessile (
Petiole and gaster of Stigmatomma besucheti worker (CASENT0101970). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Petiole, ventral view. Left part of the image: petiolar anterior articular end, bearing reduced proprioceptor zone.
c: Posterior part of the petiole, abdominal segment III, and abdominal segment IV; lateral view.
d: Abdominal segment VII (including hypopygium and associated stout spiniform setae); lateral view.
Sculpture:
Mandibular dorsal face costate-slightly catenate basally, grading into costate apically except for smooth apical portion (
Body sculpture in Stigmatomma besucheti worker (CASENT0101970). Image by F. A. Esteves, available at AntWeb.org.
b: Dorsal view of petiole, Abdominal tergite III, and anterior part of abdominal tergite IV.
c: Dorsal view of petiole and gaster.
Pilosity and color:
Suberect pilosity on head, dorsal face of mesosoma, lateral face of pronotum, petiolar tergite, and abdominal segments III, IV, V, and VI. Legs densely covered by subdecumbent pilosity. Suberect pilosity on anterior half of petiolar poststernite. Longer pilosity on abdominal segment VII. Body color yellow.
Character variation among specimens was minimal.
Unknown for the Malagasy region. However, a gyne of a putative Stigmatomma besucheti is known for Singapore, as presented below.
Diagnosis
With characters of the besucheti species-group as described above and the following characters (asterisks flag unique characters within Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion):
- Integument yellow; small-sized ant (HL: 0.38-0.40, WL: 0.41-0.43;
Fig. ).20 - Pairs of teeth of mandible’s baso-masticatory margin the same size along mandible’s basoapical axis (
Fig. ).21 a - * Tongue-like setae medially inserted on mandible’s baso-mastigatory margin (
Fig. ).21 b - * Dorsal face of the head densely taeniate-catenate (
Fig. ).21 c - Genal teeth absent.
- * Palpal formula 2:2 (
Fig. ).21 d - Dorsal face of mesosoma and lateral face of propotum foveolate; declivitous face of propodeum smooth; lateral face of propodeum mostly smooth (
Fig. ).22 - Mesepisternum divided by a sulcus into anepisternum and katepisternum (
Fig. ).22 b - * Mesotibial spur absent (
Fig. ).23 c - * Apex of mesotibial inner face bearing a deep fovea; absence of any enlarged process ressembling a spur (
Fig. ).23 c - Slit-like sulcus present on the anterior face of mesobasitarsus, with apical end projected laterally (
Fig. ).23 c - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur glabrous; posterior face with antler-like microtrichia dorsoapically (
Fig. ).23 d ,e - Brush of few stout, paddle-like setae present on the baso-inner face of metabasitarsus.
- Absence of fenestra on lateral face of subpetiolar process (
Fig. ).24 a - Subpetiolar process fin-like: half of its ventral margin obtusely angled.
- Presence of 5-6 stout spiniform setae on apex of hypopygium (
Fig. ).24 d
In the Malagasy bioregion, Stigmatomma besucheti is unique and easily recognized by: reduced number of antennomeres, palpal formula, head sculpture, absence of any enlarged process ressembling a spur on the apex of the mesotibia, petiolar proprioceptor zone reduced to a small concavity, and small body size. Further, it does not occur in sympatry with any other congener.
Distribution
Stigmatomma besucheti is known by its type series, collected in Seychelles by Schauenberg in 1975 (
While no direct information about habitat/microhabitat exists, published records of other organisms collected by Schauenberg on La Digue island on 28.Jan.1975 indicate the type series of S. besucheti was probably extracted from soil samples submitted to Berlese funnels (
The two specimens from Singapore (a worker and a queen; CASENT0172194 and CASENT0195513, respectively) share remarkable similarities with the type specimens (e.g., antennomeres, general body shape and size, sculpture on the head, lack of any spiniform process on the mesotibial inner apex). However, those specimens differ in the following characters (corresponding characters of type specimens are presented within parentheses):
- Three mandibular pairs of teeth (four pairs of teeth) (
Fig. ).27 a - The posterior-most pair of long filiform setae on the clypeus of the Singapore specimens is much longer (
Fig. ).27 a - Supraclypeal area as a longer oblong depression (small oblong depression) (
Fig. ).27 a - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur glabrous; posterior face glabrous (anterior face glabrous; posterior face with antler-like microtrichia dorsoapically) (
Fig. ).27 b
Dealated gyne of Stigmatomma cf. besucheti from Singapore (CASENT0195513). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org
b: Close-up view of the posterior face of the metatibial apex, posterior metatibial spur, and basal region of metabasitarsus.
Despite these differences, we did not examine enough specimens of each form to evaluate character variation, and therefore cannot affirm they are different species. Also, while it seems improbable that a specialized predator would become an exotic species, it is noteworthy that: (1) the putative prey of Stigmatomma besucheti (i.e., geophilomorph centipedes) are widespread around the world and a major component of soil ecosystems (
In addition to the specimens collected in Singapore, there is single specimen collected in Sabah (Borneo; CASENT0235146) that resembles Stigmatomma besucheti in the number of antennomeres, head sculpture, mandible and clypeal configuration, size, and color, but differs in some significant characters of the petiole. Compared to S. besucheti, the anteroventral margin of petiolar tergite anterior dorso-latero-ventral carina is much shorter, and the shape of the subpetiolar process is different. Unfortunately, specimen CASENT0235146 was previously submitted to DNA extraction (
Stigmatomma bolabola , sp. n.
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scientificName: Stigmatomma bolabola; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; locality:Montagne d'Akirindro 7.6 km 341° NNW Ambinanitelo; decimalLatitude:-15.28833; decimalLongitude:49.54833; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; eventDate:03/17/2003; habitat:rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF08250; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0034580; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma bolabola; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; locality:Montagne d'Anjanaharibe, 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo; decimalLatitude:-15.17833; decimalLongitude:49.635; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; eventDate:03/12/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF08150; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0034744; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
Description
Worker (
Holotype of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. (CASENT0034580); worker. Images by April Nobile; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Head:
Mandibular baso-masticatory margin skirted dorsally by row of filiform setae; ventrally, by acuminate flattened-apex setae, and row of longer filiform setae (
Head of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. worker (CASENT0034744). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Fullface view.
c: Close up of the eyes.
d: Ventral view of the mouthparts. Left stipe and left maxillary palp are missing, and the mouthparts are partially coated in gold-palladium. Right maxillary and labial palps are outlined in gray and darkened to enhance visibility. Slide by F. A. Esteves
Mesosoma:
In dorsal view, mesonotum narrower than remaining mesosoma (
Mesosoma of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. worker (CASENT0034744). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view. Pronotum is disarticulated and is missing in the image.
Legs:
Basoventral fifth of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Legs of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. worker (CASENT0034744). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Posterior face of foreleg; close up of protibia, including the calcar of strigil, and probasitarsus.
c: Inner face of midleg; close up of apex of mesotibia, including the mesotibial spur, and mesobasitarsus.
d: Dorsoanterior face of mesobasitarsus, including its longitudinal slit-like sulcus.
e: Anterior face of hindleg; close up of apex of metatibia, including metatibial spurs, and metabasitarsus.
Metasoma:
Petiole sessile (
Petiole and gaster of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Petiole, ventral view (CASENT0034744).
c: Petiole and gaster, lateral view (CASENT0034744).
d: Close up of the gastral apical region, lateral view (CASENT0034580). Note stout spiniform setae on the apex of hypopygium, surrounding the stinger.
Sculpture:
Mandibular dorsal face rugose-foveate basally, grading into costate-foveolate apically except for smooth apical portion (
Body sculpture in Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. worker (CASENT0034744). Image by F. A. Esteves, available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view of pronotum, which is disarticulated from head and remainder mesosoma.
c: Lateral view of petiole.
Pilosity and color:
Suberect pilosity on head, dorsal face of mesosoma, lateral face of propodeum, petiolar tergite, and abdominal segments III and IV. Petiolar poststernite mostly glabrous. Longer pilosity on abdominal segments V, VI and VII. Body color red-brown; apex of gaster and appendages orange-yellow.
Character variation on the specimens examined was minimal.
Unknown.
This taxon was referenced as Stigmatomma MG03 (specimen CASENT0034580) in
Diagnosis
Worker
With characters of the tsyhady species-group and the sakalava species-complex as described above, and the following characters (asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
- Integument red-brown; medium-sized ant (HL: 0.76, WL: 0.92;
Fig. ).28 - Dorsal teeth row of mandible’s pairs of teeth increasing in size towards mandibular apex (
Fig. ).29 a - Row of acuminate flattened-apex setae setae ventrally skirting mandible’s baso-masticatory margin, parallel to row of flexuous, longer setae (
Figs ).29 a ,33 a - Dorsal face of the head mostly foveate-reticulate/densely foveate (
Figs ).28 a ,29 b - Genal teeth absent (
Figs ).28 a ,29 b - Palpal formula 4:2 (
Fig. ).29 d - Dorsal face of mesosoma foveate; lateral face of pronotum rugulose-foveate; lateral face of propodeum costate-foveolate (
Figs ).30 ,33 b - * Declivitous face of propodeum strigate (
Fig. ).30 a - * Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum; posterodorsal corner of katepisternum rounded (
Fig. ).30 b - * Basoventral one-fifth of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Fig. ).31 b - Calcar of strigil anterior face with tubiform microtrichia (
Fig. ).31 a - Single mesotibial spur covered with lanceolate microtrichia (
Fig. ).31 c - Longitudinal slit-like sulcus present on the anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus (
Fig. ).31 d - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur glabrous; posterior face with antler-like microtrichia (
Fig. ).31 e - Brush of long truncated-apex filiform setae present on the posterior face of metatibial apex.
- Brush of tubiform setae present on the baso-inner face of metabasitarsus.
- Absence of sulcus on metabasitarsus (
Fig. ).31 e - Subpetiolar process fin-like: half of its ventral margin obtusely angled (
Fig. ).32 a - Eight stout spiniform setae present on the apex of hypopygium (
Fig. ).32 d
Stigmatomma bolabola may be confounded with S. sakalava by the following characters: absence of genal teeth, palpal formula, single mesotibial spur, head sculpture, shape of subpetiolar process, and presence of stout spiniform setae on the apex of hypopygium. However, it is easily recognized by the sculpture of its mesosoma lateral face and propodeal declivitous face, katepisternum shape, proportion of lamella on the basoventral margin of calcar of strigil, and distribution (since they do not occur in sympatry).
Etymology
Bola-bola is the name that Malagasy people give to logs of rosewood, a plant of the genus Dalbergia (
Madagascar is home to 48 species of rosewood, of which 47 are endemic (
Due to international demand for rosewood, thousands of loggers have flooded into the national parks of Madagascar. In the process of extraction, new roads are built, and logging camps set up, which increases access to forests, fuels extraction of other resources, and accelerates general deforestation, illegal mining, and poaching (
The highest rosewood species richness in Madagascar is found in the northeastern rainforest, with seven species native to the SAVA Region and the Makira-Masoala Landscape (
The Makira component of the Makira-Masoala Landscape (Makira Forest Protected Area) is the only place in Madagascar where Stigmatomma bolabola has been found, in a collection effort encompassing more than 440 collection sites. Given that the health of the ecosystem is essential to protect S. bolabola habitat, here we plead for more effective protection of Malagasy rosewood.
Distribution
Stigmatomma bolabola was collected in two localities of the Makira Forest Protected Area, in rainforest and montane rainforest habitats in the humid forests ecoregion of Madagascar (at 600 m and 1100 m respectively; following the classification of
Distribution map of Stigmatomma bolabola sp. n. in the Malagasy bioregion. Collection localities are mapped over the outlines of five simplified ecoregion zones of Madagascar: humid forests (dark green), subhumid forests (light green), dry deciduous forests (brown), succulent woodlands (orange), and spiny thickets (yellow).
Stigmatomma irayhady , sp. n.
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042899; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042843; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042845; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042847; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0797614; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:BMNH
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042898; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Forêt de Binara, 9.4km 235° SW Daraina; verbatimElevation:1100; decimalLatitude:-13.26333; decimalLongitude:49.6; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 25 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2003; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF09800; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0042842; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMB
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Binara Forest; verbatimElevation:1065; decimalLatitude:-13.26392; decimalLongitude:49.59919; georeferenceRemarks:±500m; samplingProtocol:3 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:10/18/2013; habitat:rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF32140; eventRemarks:sifted litter; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0369789; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Binara Forest; verbatimElevation:1065; decimalLatitude:-13.26392; decimalLongitude:49.59919; georeferenceRemarks:±500m; samplingProtocol:General collection; eventDate:10/18/2013; habitat:rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF32151; eventRemarks:ex soil; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0370139; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antsiranana; locality:Binara Forest; verbatimElevation:1065; decimalLatitude:-13.26392; decimalLongitude:49.59919; georeferenceRemarks:±500m; samplingProtocol:General collection; eventDate:10/19/2013; habitat:rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF32179; eventRemarks:ex soil; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0371016; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe; verbatimElevation:1300; decimalLatitude:-18.47333; decimalLongitude:47.96; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2000; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF02378; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0410412; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe; verbatimElevation:1300; decimalLatitude:-18.47333; decimalLongitude:47.96; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:12/05/2000; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF02378; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0410413; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, Jardin Botanique, 24.1km 59° NE d Ankazobe; verbatimElevation:1620; decimalLatitude:-18.17139; decimalLongitude:47.28182; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:04/17/2001; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF03720; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0458588; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, Jardin Botanique, 24.1km 59° NE d Ankazobe; verbatimElevation:1620; decimalLatitude:-18.17139; decimalLongitude:47.28182; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:04/17/2001; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF03720; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0458589; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, Jardin Botanique, 24.1km 59° NE d Ankazobe; verbatimElevation:1620; decimalLatitude:-18.17139; decimalLongitude:47.28182; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:04/17/2001; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF03720; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0458590; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma irayhady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Antananarivo; locality:Réserve Spéciale d'Ambohitantely, Forêt d Ambohitantely, Jardin Botanique, 24.1km 59° NE d Ankazobe; verbatimElevation:1620; decimalLatitude:-18.17139; decimalLongitude:47.28182; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:04/17/2001; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF03720; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0458591; recordedBy:Fisher, Griswold et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
Description
Worker (
Holotype of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. (CASENT0042899); worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Head:
Mandibular baso-masticatory margin skirted dorsally by row of filiform setae; ventrally, by truncated filiform setae (
Head of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Fullface view (CASENT0458591).
c: Close-up of the eyes, dorsolateral view (CASENT0458591).
d: Mouth parts, ventral view (CASENT0458588). Left maxillary and labial palps are outlined in black and darkened to enhance visibility. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Mesosoma:
In dorsal view, mesonotum lateral margins continuous with posterior remainder of mesosoma (
Mesosoma of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n., worker (CASENT0458591). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view
Legs:
Basoventral three-fourths of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Legs of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. worker (CASENT0458591). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Foreleg, posterior face: close-up of apex of protibia, calcar of strigil, and base of probasitarsus.
c: Midleg, anterior face: close-up of apex of mesotibia, mesotibial spurs, and base of mesobasitarsus.
d: Midleg, anterodorsal face: close-up of mesobasitarsus bearing longitudinal slit-like sulcus, and tarsi.
e: Hindleg, anterior face: close-up of apex of metatibia, metatibial spurs, and base of metabasitarsus.
f: Hindleg, posterior face: close-up of apex of metatibia, metatibial spurs, and base of metabasitarsus.
Metasoma:
Petiole sessile (
Petiole and gaster of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Petiole, ventral view: close-up of proprioceptor zone (CASENT0458591).
c: Gater, lateral view: close-up of abdominal segment VII (CASENT0458591).
Sculpture:
Mandibular dorsal face areolate-rugose basally, grading into costate apically except for smooth apical portion (
Mouthparts of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. worker (CASENT0458591), ventral view. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
Pilosity and color:
Erect to subdecumbent pilosity on head. Erect to suberect pilosity on dorsal face of mesosoma, petiolar tergite, and abdominal segments III and IV. Erect pilosity on anterior half of petiolar poststernite. Longer pilosity on abdominal segments V, VI, and VII. Body color dark-brown to blackish; apex of the gaster orange; yellow-brown appendages.
No geographic pattern is seen in the variation on Stigmatomma irayhady, and characters such as body size, the presence of most basal masticatory tooth, number of dentiform setae on the anterior margin of the clypeus, presence and degree of development of metanotal suture, and presence and amount of digitiform cuticular projections on the ventral margin of the posterior mesotibial spur fluctuate even among specimens collected at the same locality.
Gyne (
Dealated gyne of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. (CASENT0458590); plate I. Images by Erin Prado; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Dealated gyne of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. (CASENT0458590); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Mesosoma, lateral view.
Males: Unknown.
Diagnosis
Worker
With characters of the tsyhady species-group and the tsyhady species-complex as described above, and the following characters:
- Integument dark-brown; large-sized ant (HL: 1.07-1.14, WL: 1.37-1.55;
Fig. ).35 - Pairs of teeth along mandible’s baso-masticatory margin have the same length along mandible’s basoapical axis, except for smaller basal teeth of dorsal row (
Fig. ).36 a - Truncated filiform setae ventrally skirting baso-masticatory margin of mandible (
Fig. ).36 a - Dorsal face of the head areolate-rugose, grading to foveolate/foveate posteriorly (
Figs ).35 a ,36 b - Palpal formula 4:3 (
Fig. ).36 d - Pronotum and the dorsal face of remainder of mesosoma foveolate; propodeal lateral face scarcely foveolate; propodeal declivitous face foveolate (
Fig. ).37 - Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum (
Fig. ).37 b - Basoventral three-fourths of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Fig. ).38 a ,b - Anterior face of calcar of strigil with strap-like microtrichia (
Fig. ).38 a - Two well-developed mesotibial spurs (
Fig. ).38 c - Slit-like longitudinal sulcus present on the anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus (
Fig. ).38 d - Two well-developed metatibial spurs (
Fig. ).38 e - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur with sparse, small, lanceolate microtrichia; posterior face glabrous (
Fig. ).38 e ,f - Absence of a longitudinal sulcus on metabasitarsus.
- Sparse, blunt, stout setae present on the baso-inner face of metabasitarsus; stout setae present along the remainder inner face.
- Subpetiolar process fin-like: half of its ventral margin obtusely angled (
Fig. ).39 a
Size, color, presence of genal teeth, palpal formula, presence of fenestra on the subpetiolar process, two mesotibial spurs, shape of microtrichia on posterior face of posterior metatibial spur, and absence of stout setae on the apex of hypopygium make it difficult to separate Stigmatomma irayhady from S. roahady and S. tsyhady.
However, S. irayhady possesses a sulcus on the anterodorsal face of the mesobasitarsus, and S. tsyhady does not; and it lacks a sulcus on the anterodorsal face of the metabasitarsus, which S. roahady has. Also, the ventral margin of the subpetiolar process decreases continuously posterad in S. roahady and S. tsyhady, while it has an obtuse angle at its midpoint in S. irayhady.
S. irayhady is sympatric with S. roahady in three localities: nearby Andranomay, close to Anjozorobe, and at the Binara Forest. It co-occurs with S. tsyhady at the Binara Forest.
Etymology
The name is a compound of the Malagasy cardinal number iray, meaning one, and the Malagasy noun hady, meaning sulcus, ditch, or trench. It refers to the presence of a longitudinal sulcus on the anterior face of the mesobasitarsus, and the absence of a longitudinal sulcus on the anterior face of the metabasitarsus of that species. This is not unique among Stigmatomma species in the Malagasy bioregion, but distinguishes S. irayhady from the other two species most similar to it, S. tsyhady and S. roahady.
Distribution
Stigmatomma irayhady was collected in montane rainforest habitats, above 1000 m, at the central to northern portions of the subhumid forests ecoregion of Madagascar (following the classification of
Distribution map of Stigmatomma irayhady sp. n. in the Malagasy bioregion. Collection localities are mapped over the outlines of five simplified ecoregion zones of Madagascar: humid forests (dark green), subhumid forests (light green), dry deciduous forests (brown), succulent woodlands (orange), and spiny thickets (yellow).
Stigmatomma janovitsika , sp. n.
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Mahé Blanc 660; country:Seychelles; locality:Mahé Island, Morne Blanc; verbatimElevation:660; decimalLatitude:-4.6574; decimalLongitude:55.43325; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/10/2010; habitat:mixed forest near glacis; fieldNumber:BLF24151; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0161533; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Mahé Blanc 660; country:Seychelles; locality:Mahé Island, Morne Blanc; verbatimElevation:660; decimalLatitude:-4.6574; decimalLongitude:55.43325; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/10/2010; habitat:mixed forest near glacis; fieldNumber:BLF24151; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0156023; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Mahé Blanc 660; country:Seychelles; locality:Mahé Island, Morne Blanc; verbatimElevation:660; decimalLatitude:-4.6574; decimalLongitude:55.43325; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/10/2010; habitat:mixed forest near glacis; fieldNumber:BLF24151; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0161532; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Mahé Blanc 660; country:Seychelles; locality:Mahé Island, Morne Blanc; verbatimElevation:660; decimalLatitude:-4.6574; decimalLongitude:55.43325; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/10/2010; habitat:mixed forest near glacis; fieldNumber:BLF24151; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0156022; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Mahé Blanc 660; country:Seychelles; locality:Mahé Island, Morne Blanc; verbatimElevation:660; decimalLatitude:-4.6574; decimalLongitude:55.43325; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/10/2010; habitat:mixed forest near glacis; fieldNumber:BLF24151; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0145426; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Conception 65; country:Seychelles; locality:Conception Island; verbatimElevation:65; decimalLatitude:-4.66311; decimalLongitude:55.36821; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:02/12/2010; habitat:mixed forest; fieldNumber:BLF24276; eventRemarks:under rootmat, litter on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0159676; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23168; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0159677; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Conception 65; country:Seychelles; locality:Conception Island; verbatimElevation:65; decimalLatitude:-4.66311; decimalLongitude:55.36821; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:02/12/2010; habitat:mixed forest; fieldNumber:BLF24244; eventRemarks:under rootmat, litter on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0159679; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Gratte Fesse 410; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, Gratte Fesse; verbatimElevation:410; decimalLatitude:-4.49169; decimalLongitude:55.23886; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:01/25/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23396; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0159680; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Conception 65; country:Seychelles; locality:Conception Island; verbatimElevation:65; decimalLatitude:-4.66311; decimalLongitude:55.36821; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/12/2010; habitat:mixed forest; fieldNumber:BLF24286; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0160355; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Conception 65; country:Seychelles; locality:Conception Island; verbatimElevation:65; decimalLatitude:-4.66311; decimalLongitude:55.36821; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:9 MaxiWinks, mixed samples; eventDate:02/12/2010; habitat:mixed forest; fieldNumber:BLF24286; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0160379; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:Malaise trap; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23134; sex:1m; preparations:pin, slide; catalogNumber:casent0160792; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Gratte Fesse 410; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, Gratte Fesse; verbatimElevation:410; decimalLatitude:-4.49169; decimalLongitude:55.23886; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:01/25/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23396; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318444; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Conception 65; country:Seychelles; locality:Conception Island; verbatimElevation:65; decimalLatitude:-4.66311; decimalLongitude:55.36821; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:02/12/2010; habitat:mixed forest; fieldNumber:BLF24276; eventRemarks:under rootmat, litter on rock; sex:1w; preparations:SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0318418; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:Malaise trap; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23134; sex:1m; preparations:pin, slide; catalogNumber:casent0318446; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:Malaise trap; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23134; sex:1m; preparations:pin, slide; catalogNumber:casent0318447; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:Malaise trap; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23134; sex:1m; preparations:pin, slide; catalogNumber:casent0318448; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma janovitsika; genus:Stigmatomma; locationID:Silhouette 520; country:Seychelles; locality:Silhouette Island, above Jardin Marron on crest to Mont Plaisir and Pot à Eau; verbatimElevation:520; decimalLatitude:-4.4867; decimalLongitude:55.2341; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:Malaise trap; eventDate:01/20/2010; habitat:forest; fieldNumber:BLF23134; sex:1m; preparations:slide; catalogNumber:casent0318448; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
Description
Worker (
Holotype of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0161533); worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Head:
Mandibular baso-masticatory margin skirted dorsally by row of filiform setae; medially, by spatular setae; ventrally, by longer acuminate flattened-apex setae (
Head of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Fullface view (CASENT0318418).
c: Mouthparts, ventral view (CASENT0159679). Left maxillary and labial palps are outlined in black and darkened to enhance visibility. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Mesosoma:
In dorsal view, mesonotum narrower than remaining mesosoma (
Mesosoma of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n., worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view (CASENT0145426).
Legs:
Basoventral lamella of calcar of strigil reduced to a basal bud. Anterior face of calcar of strigil with tubiform microtrichia (
Legs of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker; plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Midleg, posterior face (CASENT0145426): close-up of apical portion of mesotibia, including an enlarged, stout seta, and mesobasitarsus.
c: Midleg, inner face (CASENT0318418): close-up of the mesotibia apex, which includes an enlarged, stout seta, followed by a deep fovea concealing a small, stout, truncated seta.
d: Midleg, inner face (CASENT0318418): close-up of the deep fovea concealing a small, stout, truncated seta (present at the mesotibia's apex).
e: Midleg, anterior face (CASENT0145426): close up of the mesobasitarsus, including its slit-like longitudinal sulcus.
Legs of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0318418); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Hindleg, posterior face: close up of metatibial apex, which includes the metatibial spurs, and basal portion of metabasitarsus.
c: Hindleg: inner face of basal portion of metabasitarsus.
Metasoma:
Petiole sessile (
Petiole and gaster of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0145426). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Petiole, ventral view.
c: Apex of the gaster and stinger, lateral view. Note the stout spiniform setae on the apex of the hypopygium, surrounding the stinger.
Sculpture:
Mandibular dorsal face rugose-foveolate basally, grading into costate apically, except for smooth apical portion (
Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. worker (CASENT0145426): ventral view of the mandibles, mouthparts, and anterior part of the head. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
Pilosity and color:
Erect to subdecumbent pilosity on head, dorsal face of mesosoma, petiolar tergite, and abdominal segments III and IV. Petiolar poststernite mostly glabrous, with row of setae along lateral margins. Longer pilosity on abdominal segments V, VI, and VII. Body color orange-brown; light-orange appendages.
Under the stereomicroscope, there is no observable character variation on the specimens examined.
Gyne (
Dealated gyne of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0161532); paratype; plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Dealated gyne of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0161532); paratype; plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Mesosoma, lateral view.
Male (
Male of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0318447); plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
d: Left fore- and hindwing.
Male of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0318447); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Mesosoma, dorsal view. Left wings were removed for better illustration.
c: Mesosoma, lateral view. Left wings were removed for better illustration.
d: Apex of the gaster, lateral view.
Male of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0318446); plate III. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Aedeagus, lateral view. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
c: Longitudinal section of the genital capsule; inner face, lateral view. The basal ring was removed from the specimen. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
d: Abdominal sternun IX. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Left wings of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0160792); male. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Close up of the venation of the forewing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
c: Hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
d: Close-up of the venation of the hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Right wings of Stigmatomma janovitsika sp. n. (CASENT0318446); male. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Close-up of the venation of the forewing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
c: Hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
d: Close-up of the venation of the hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
This taxon was referenced as Stigmatomma SC01 (specimen CASENT0159676-D01) in
Diagnosis
Worker
With characters of the tsyhady species-group and the sakalava species-complex as described above, and the following characters (asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
- Integument orange-brown (
Fig. ); medium-sized ant (HL: 0.74-0.79, WL: 0.87-0.93).44 - Pairs of teeth along baso-masticatory margin of mandible have the same length along the baso-apical axis (
Fig. ).45 a ,b - Bicuspid pre-apical tooth (
Fig. ).45 a ,b - Long acuminate flattened-apex setae ventrally skirting baso-masticatory margin of mandible (
Fig. ).45 b - * Most lateral area of clypeus bearing a brush of filiform setae (when setae are not present, the region presents numerous punctuations;
Figs ).44 a ,45 a - Dorsal face of the head areolate (
Figs ).44 a ,45 b - Genal teeth present (
Fig. ).44 a - Palpal formula 4:2 (
Fig. ).45 c - Dorsal face of mesosoma foveolate; lateral face of propotum rugose-foveolate; remainder lateral face of mesosoma mostly costate; declivitous face of propodeum smooth (
Fig. ).46 - * Mesepisternum not divided into anepisternum and katepisternum (
Fig. ).46 b - * Basoventral lamella of calcar of strigil reduced to a basal bud.
- Anterior face of calcar of strigil with tubiform microtrichia (
Fig. ).47 a - Mesotibial spur absent (
Fig. ).47 b ,c - * Apex of mesotibial inner face bearing a long, stout, spiniform seta, resembling a spur under optical microscope (
Fig. ).47 b ,c - Mesotibial apical stout seta apically followed by a deep fovea concealing small, stout, truncated seta (
Fig. ).47 c ,d - Slit-like sulcus present on the anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus, with apical end projected laterally (
Fig. ).47 e - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur glabrous (
Fig. ).48 a - Brush of truncated filiform setae present on the posterior face of the apex of metatibia (
Fig. ).48 b - * Base of the inner face of metabasitarsus swollen anteriorly. Posterior face of basal swollen area bearing a row of truncated, flattened-apex stout setae, followed apically by a brush of filiform setae (
Fig. ).48 c - Absence of a longitudinal sulcus on metabasitarsus.
- Subpetiolar process fin-like: half of its ventral margin obtusely angled (
Fig. ).49 a - Eight stout spiniform setae present on the apex of hypopygium (
Fig. ).49 c
Stigmatomma janovitsika is somewhat similar to S. bolabola and S. sakalava in palpal formula, shape of microtrichia on the posterior face of posterior metatibial spur, and absence of fenestra on the subpetiolar process.
However, it may be distinguished from them by: brush of filiform setae present on the corners of the clypeus (if the setae are removed, the region will be densely punctuate); presence of genal teeth; the mesepisternum is not divided into anepisternum and katepisternum; head sculpture; proportion of lamella on the baso-ventral margin of the calcar of strigil; long, stout, spiniform seta on the mesotibial inner face apex (resembling a spur under the stereomicroscope), followed apically by a cuticular deep fovea concealing a small, stout, truncated seta; and distribution, since it does not occur in sympatry with any of its congeners.
Etymology
The name janovitsika is a portmanteau of Janovitz and vitsika (Malagasy name for ants), meaning the ant of Janovitz. Dr. Tyler W. Janovitz is a medical scientist interested in myrmecology, and generously supported this study.
Distribution
Stigmatomma janovitsika specimens were collected in forest, mixed forest, and mixed forest near glacis (rocky outcrop) habitats, from 60 to around 700 m above sea level, on three granitic islands of the Seychelles (Conception, Mahé, and Silhouette;
Stigmatomma liebe , sp. n.
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:8.0 km NE Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.42167; decimalLongitude:46.89833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/03/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01753; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318428; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:8.0 km NE Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.42167; decimalLongitude:46.89833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/03/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01753; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:3w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746700; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:8.0 km NE Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.42167; decimalLongitude:46.89833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/03/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01753; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1dQ; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746702; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:8.0 km NE Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.42167; decimalLongitude:46.89833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/03/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01753; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746699; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:BMNH
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:8.0 km NE Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.42167; decimalLongitude:46.89833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/03/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01753; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746701; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w, wet; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:blf0561(l.o.)-03; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:2w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0009101; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:2w; preparations:pin, SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0009102; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0227587; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318413; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:R.S. Ivohibe 8.0 km E Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.48333; decimalLongitude:46.96833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:10/15/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01747; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0318414; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:40 km S Ambalavao, Rés. Andringitra; verbatimElevation:1275; decimalLatitude:-22.21667; decimalLongitude:46.96667; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:10/15/1993; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00793; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746694; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746695; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:13 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela; verbatimElevation:1250; decimalLatitude:-24.55; decimalLongitude:46.8; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:11/30/1992; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF00561; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746696; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:R.S. Ivohibe 8.0 km E Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.48333; decimalLongitude:46.96833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:10/15/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01747; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746697; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Fianarantsoa; locality:R.S. Ivohibe 8.0 km E Ivohibe; verbatimElevation:1200; decimalLatitude:-22.48333; decimalLongitude:46.96833; samplingProtocol:MW 50 sample transect, 5m; eventDate:10/15/1997; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF01747; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0746698; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher (Sylvain); associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36518; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724179; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36518; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w.1aq.; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724177; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36518; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724178; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36612; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723207; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36612; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723242; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36612; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723243; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36612; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723244; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36612; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723245; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723297; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723298; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723299; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723300; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723301; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1315; decimalLatitude:-24.13632; decimalLongitude:47.05485; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/27/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36602; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723302; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723227; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723228; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723229; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w.1m.; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723230; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w.1m.; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723231; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36491; eventRemarks:ex root mat; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0723232; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w.1m.; preparations:pin, slide; catalogNumber:casent0724171; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:SEM mount; catalogNumber:casent0724172; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724173; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724174; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724175; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13894; decimalLongitude:47.06804; samplingProtocol:general collection; eventDate:02/26/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36453; eventRemarks:under root mat on rock; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0724176; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13401; decimalLongitude:47.05675; samplingProtocol:10 maxi winks; eventDate:02/25/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36450; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0721030; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13401; decimalLongitude:47.05675; samplingProtocol:10 maxi winks; eventDate:02/25/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36450; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0721032; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma liebe; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toliara; locality:Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; verbatimElevation:1125; decimalLatitude:-24.13401; decimalLongitude:47.05675; samplingProtocol:10 maxi winks; eventDate:02/25/2015; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF36450; eventRemarks:sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0704855; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher, F.A.Esteves et al.; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
Description
Worker (
Holotype of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0318428); worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view.
c: Dorsal view.
Head:
Mandibular baso-masticatory margin skirted dorsally by row of filiform setae; medially, by spatular setae; ventrally, by filiform setae (
Head of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Fullface view (CASENT0009102).
c: Close-up of the eyes, dorsolateral view (CASENT0009102).
d: Mouthparts, ventral view (BLF0561(L.O.)-03). Right maxillary and labial palps are outlined in black and darkened to enhance visibility. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Mesosoma:
In dorsal view, lateral margins of mesonotum continuous with posterior remainder of mesosoma, or expanded laterally (
Mesosoma of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n., worker (CASENT0009102). Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view (CASENT0724172). The head and metasoma were disarticulated from the mesosoma.
Legs:
Basoventral two-thirds to three-fourths of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Legs of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker; plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Foreleg (CASENT0009102), posterior face: apical portion of tibia, its associated calcar of strigil, and basitarsus.
c: Midleg (CASENT0318413): antero-inner face of apical portion of the tibia and basitarsus.
d: Midleg (CASENT0009102): anterior face of the basitarsus.
Legs of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker (CASENT0009102); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Hindleg, posterior face: apical portion of the tibia, its associated posterior spur, and basal portion of the basitarsus.
c: Hindleg, anterior face: apical portion of the tibia and associated posterior spur, and basitarsus.
Metasoma:
Petiole sessile (
Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker; metasoma. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Petiole, ventral view (CASENT0724172).
c: Metasoma, lateral view (CASENT0724172). The mesosoma was disarticulated from the metasoma.
d: Abdominal segment VII and stinger, lateral view (CASENT0318414).
Sculpture:
Mandibular dorsal face mostly costate-foveolate, except for smooth apical portion (
Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. worker (CASENT0009102): ventral view of the mandibles, mouthparts, and anterior part of the head. Image by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
Pilosity and color:
Erect to subdecumbent pilosity on head, dorsal face of mesosoma, petiolar tergite, and abdominal segments III and IV. Erect to suberect pilosity on anterior half and along lateral margins of petiolar poststernite. Longer pilosity on abdominal segments V, VI, and VII. Body color dark-yellow to orange; yellow appendages.
The great majority of specimens examined present just one visible meso- and metatibial spur under the stereomicroscope; however, variation in number of meso- and metatibial spurs is seen in specimens of the same nest series. When just one spur is present on the meso- or metatibia, it is always the posterior spur; in such cases, a bud-like cuticular projection is seen concealed by a fovea at the place where the anterior spur would be located. It seems to us that such a projection is a sensillum and not the basal portion of a broken spur, given the developmental plasticity exhibited by the anterior mesotibial spur, when it is present: anterior and posterior spurs may have the same length in some specimens, or anterior spur may be much shorter (in one specimen, it corresponds to one-quarter of the size of the posterior spur). However, we do not discard the possibility that the anterior meso- and metatibial spur may be easily broken, but we could not infer that based on the SEM images we possess.
No geographic pattern is seen in the variation of characters of Stigmatomma liebe, and body size, the presence of the most-basal masticatory tooth, number of dentiform setae on clypeal anterior margin, degree of mesonotum expansion, number of meso- and metatibial spur, and color fluctuates even on specimens collected in the same locality.
Gyne (
Gyne of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724177); plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view. Left wings were removed for better illustration.
c: Dorsal view. Left wings were removed for better illustration.
d: Left forewing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
e: Left hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Gyne of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724177); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Mesosoma, lateral view. Left wings were removed for better illustration.
Male (
Male of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724171); plate I. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Lateral view. Wings were removed for better illustration.
c: Dorsal view. Wings were removed for better illustration.
Male of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724171); plate II. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Mesosoma, dorsal view. Wings were removed for better illustration.
c: Mesosoma, lateral view. Wings were removed for better illustration.
d: Apex of the gaster, lateral view.
Male of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724171); plate III. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Aedeagus, lateral view. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
c: Longitudinal section of the genital capsule; inner face, lateral view. The basal ring was removed from the specimen. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
d: Abdominal sternum IX, ventral view. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Male of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. (CASENT0724171); plate IV - wings. Images by F. A. Esteves; available at AntWeb.org.
b: Right hindwing. Slide by F. A. Esteves.
Stigmatomma liebe was referenced as Amblyopone sp.2 (specimen CASENT0500013) in
Diagnosis
Worker
With characters of the tsyhady species-group and the tsyhady species-complex as described above, and the following characters (asterisks flag unique characters within the genus in the Malagasy bioregion):
- Integument yellow to dark-yellow; medium-sized ant (HL: 0.90-0.96, WL: 1.16-1.34;
Fig. ).59 - Pairs of teeth along baso-masticatory margin of mandible are the same length along basoapical axis (
Fig. ).60 a - Spatular setae ventrally skirting baso-mastigatory margin of mandible (
Fig. ).60 a - Dorsal face of the head mostly costate-slightly catenate-foveolate (
Fig. ).60 b - Palpal formula 4:3 (
Fig. ).60 d - Dorsal face of mesosoma foveolate; lateral face of pronotum densely foveolate-rugulose; lateral face of propodeum costate anteroventrally, grading into foveolate-rugulose posteriorly and dorsally; propodeal declivitous face foveolate-rugulose (
Fig. ).61 - Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum (
Fig. ).61 b - Basoventral two-thirds of calcar of strigil lamellar (
Fig. ).62 a ,b - Anterior face of calcar of strigil with strap-like microtrichia (
Fig. ).62 a - *Anterior mesotibial spur generally reduced to a bud-like cuticular projection concealed by a fovea. When the anterior mesotibial spur is developed, its length is extremely variable, ranging from the length of the posterior spur to one-quarter of its length.
- Slit-like longitudinal sulcus present on the anterior face of mesobasitarsus (
Fig. ).62 d - *Anterior metatibial spur generally reduced to a bud-like cuticular projection concealed by a fovea. When developed, it is reduced in length (less than one-third of the length of the posterior spur), glabrous or mostly glabrous (
Fig. ).63 a - Anterior face of posterior metatibial spur mostly glabrous, posterior face glabrous (
Fig. ).63 a - Few blunt setae present on the baso-inner area of metabasitarsus (
Fig. ).63 a ,b ,c - Absence of a longitudinal sulcus on the anterior face of the metabasitarsus (
Fig. ).63 c - Ventral margin of the subpetiolar process generally runs continuously posteriorly, without forming a fin, but may be slightly obtusely angled at its mid-length (
Fig. ).64 a
Presence of genal teeth, palpal formula, presence of fenestra on the subpetiolar process, shape of microtrichia on the posterior face of posterior metatibial spur, and absence of stout setae on the apex of the hypopygium make Stigmatomma liebe similar to S. irayhady, S. roahady, and S. tsyhady.
However, the yellow color and smaller size differentiate it from the rest. Also, it possesses a sulcus on the anterodorsal face of the mesobasitarsus, while S. tsyhady does not; it does not have a sulcus on the anterodorsal face of the metabasitarsus, which is present in S. roahady; and the anterior metatibial spur is greatly reduced in size, meaning that in the great majority of specimens it is not visible under the stereomicroscope (when it is visible, its length corresponds to less than one-third of the length of the posterior metatial spur), while in S. irayhady it is always visible and much longer than half the length of the posterior metatibial spur.
Stigmatomma liebe is sympatric with S. roahady and S. tsyhady in four localities: at the Andohahela National Park, the Anosyenne Mountains, Andringitra Reserve, and the Ivohibe Special Reserve. It was not recorded at the localities S. irayhady was collected.
Etymology
The name liebe is homage to Elizabeth (Liebe) R. Patterson, for all the support she and her husband (in memoriam) have given to the myrmecological work being done in Madagascar.
Distribution
Stigmatomma liebe was collected in montane rainforest habitats, above 1100 m, at the southern portion of the humid forests ecoregion of Madagascar (following the classification of
Distribution map of Stigmatomma liebe sp. n. in the Malagasy bioregion. Collection localities are mapped over the outlines of five simplified ecoregion zones of Madagascar: humid forests (dark green), subhumid forests (light green), dry deciduous forests (brown), succulent woodlands (orange), and spiny thickets (yellow).
Stigmatomma roahady , sp. n.
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318421; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318422; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMW
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318424; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:USNM
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318423; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:MHNG
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57¡ Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0227519; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:NHMB
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318918; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol:General collecting; eventDate:04/12/2005; habitat:montane rainforest; fieldNumber:BLF11961; eventRemarks:ex rotten log; sex:1w; preparations:pin; catalogNumber:casent0318422; recordedBy:B.L.Fisher; associatedMedia: ; institutionCode:CASC
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scientificName: Stigmatomma roahady; genus:Stigmatomma; country:Madagascar; stateProvince:Toamasina; locality:Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga; verbatimElevation:1075; decimalLatitude:-18.85083; decimalLongitude:48.32; georeferenceRemarks:coordinates obtained from GPS; samplingProtocol: