Baracidris pilosa Fernández, 2003, NEW SPECIES

Baracidris pilosa Fernández NEW SPECIES (Figs. 69, 77)

Worker measurements. Holotype (Paratype). HL 0.52 (0.54) HW 0.46 (0.47) SL 0.37 (0.38) PW 0.32 (0.33) WL 0.59 (0.60) CI 88 (87) SI 80 (81) TL 2.14 (2.39).

Holotype worker: UGANDA: Mt Elgon, Kapwata, 2250m, 30.v. 93, Cuccodoro & Eme Not. 16a (Deposited in BMNH).

Paratype: KENYA: Embu Irangi Forest Station, 2000m, 11.x. 77, V. Mannest, J.L. Perret (Deposited in IAvH, but destroyed in the mail).

Worker diagnosis. Monomorphic. Mandibles with five teeth decreasing in size from apical to basal the apical and subapical larger, third teeth intermediate in size, the remaining small. Mandibles shining sculptured with longitudinal rugulae. Apical flagellum of the antennae considerably bigger than others, so there is not a strongl club of 2 segments. Median portion of clypeus sharply raised in the form of a narrow longitudinal ridge, its anterior margin projecting feebly past clypeus. Frontal lobes small and very close, separated by narrow strip, smooth and shining. Eye minute with a single ocellus of diameter of slighlty more than 0.010 mm. Vertexal margin of head very slightly concave medially. Promesonotum forming a long convexity in profile. Metanotal groove well impressed, breaking clearly the profile of the mesosoma. Propodeum short, sloping posteriorly to the short but broad triangular teeth. Metapleural lobe big, broadly rounded, connected with propodeal teeth by a lamella. Four to five transverse carinae on the declivitous posterior face of the propodeum. Petiole in profile with the peduncle shorter than the node. Node of petiole and postpetiole dorsally convex. In dorsal view the petiole slightly wider than longer, the anterior peduncle a little broader than long and shorter than node; the node wider than peduncle. Postpetiole in dorsal view slightly broader than long, their sides slightly convex. Postpetiole in profile with the sternite produced into a truncated ventral process. Dorsum and sides of head with small and close packed foveolate punctures, the spaces between smooth and shining. A central longitudinal narrow area of head devoid of punctures. Dorsum of mesosoma with similar punctures, but scattered along lateral margins, most of the central area smooth and shining. Sides of pronotum with a few scattered marginal punctures, most of the area smooth and shining. Otherwise sides of mesosoma with more or less oblique longitudinal rugulae. Dorsum and sides of petiole and postpetiole with scattered punctures, some of petiole mixed with rugulae. Head, petiole and postpetiole with dense long reclinated hair, mesosoma with less hairs. Body devoid of appressed pubescence. Body dark brown, appendages light brown, hairs whitish.

This new species of Baracidris has some interesting taxonomic and biogeographic implications. The clypeal configuration brings this species close to the basic plan of Adelomyrmex, in which the raising anteriorly of the clypeus as a narrow bidentate plate is distinctive. In some species this band is even more reduced.