Prenolepis angularis Zhou 2001

Prenolepis angularis Zhou, 2001

(Figs 60–62)

Prenolepis angularis Zhou, 2001: 173, 242, 344 (w.). Holotype worker, CHINA: Guangxi Province, Mao’er Mt. Nature Reserve, 25°44.21’N 110°19.25’E, 934.5m, 10.vii.1994 (GNUC) [examined].

Worker diagnosis. Obtusely angled propodeum with flat dorsal and posterior faces; erect setae on scapes and legs; light blue cuticular iridescence.

Most similar species. P. naoroji

Morphology. Worker. Measurements (n=4): CMC: 9–10; EL: 0.20–0.24; EW: 0.18–0.20; HL: 0.72–0.83; HLA: 0.38–0.41; HLP: 0.25–0.27; HW: 0.69–0.76; IOD: 0.48–0.50; LF1: 0.17–0.19; LF2: 0.10–0.11; LHT: 0.92– 0.95; MMC: 1–2; MTW: 0.40–0.44; MW: 0.24–0.29; PDH: 0.28–0.32; PMC: 5–8; PrCL: 0.45–0.47; PrCW: 0.24– 0.28; PrFL: 0.71–0.78; PrFW: 0.16–0.19; PTH: 0.31–0.35; PTL: 0.33–0.36; PTW: 0.23–0.26; PW: 0.45–0.49; SL: 0.92–1.03; TL: 2.80–3.17; WF1: 0.07–0.08; WF2: 0.06–0.07; WL: 0.98–1.12; BLI: 139–143; CI: 91–98; EPI: 145–153; FLI: 169–174; HTI: 126–134; PetHI: 109–112; PetWI: 70–73; PrCI: 55–57; PrFI: 23–24; REL: 27–30; REL2: 29–31; REL3: 43–47; SI: 131–136.

Medium to dark brown, with cuticle having a light blue iridescence; cuticle of head and pronotum smooth and shiny; cuticle of mesopleuron, propodeum, and gaster lightly reticulate; abundant erect setae on scapes and legs; abundant long, erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; head about as broad as long and square in shape with indistinct posterolateral corners and a weakly convex posterior margin; compound eyes moderately large and convex, but do not surpass the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; torulae overlap with the posterior border of the clypeus; anterior border of clypeus with a pair of prominent anterolateral lobes (Fig 38); mandibles with 6 teeth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles with light longitudinal striations; in profile view, propodeum is obtusely angled with a flat dorsal face (Fig 15); dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled and forward-inclined (Fig 53).

Notes. This species and P. naoroji are the only Prenolepis to have a light blue cuticular iridescence. Prenolepis angularis can most easily be distinguished from P naoroji by its obtusely angled propodeum, smaller compound eyes that do not surpass the lateral margins of the head in full-face view, and erect setae on the scapes. Prenolepis angularis is also much less hirsute than P. naoroji and its macrosetae are shorter in length.

Non-type material examined: CHINA: Guangxi, Mao Er Shan, 1800m, 16.ix.2000 (S. Yamane); Guangxi, Mao Er Shan, 10.vii.1994 (S.Y. Zhou). In: USNM.