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Genus
Nomamyrmex Borgmeier
(Ecitoninae)
Eciton subg. Nomamyrmex Borgmeier, 1936:55.
Type-species:Nomamyrmex
esenbecki crassicornis
= Eciton crassicorne
F. Smith, 1855; original designation.
Included
names
N.
esenbecki (Westwood, 1842). United States
(Texas) south to Argentina and Paraguay. (Map
40 ) Plate
51
= Eciton crassicorne F.
Smith, 1855. NEW SYNONYMY.
= Acanthostichus
afflictus Gallardo, 1919a
= Eciton (Labidus)
fimbriatum Santschi, 1920c
= Eciton (Labidus) esenbecki
subsp. hirsutipodex Santschi, 1920c
= Eciton (Labidus)
esenbecki subsp. wilsoni Santschi,
1920c. NEW
SYNONYMY.
= Eciton fimbriatum
var. interruptum Santschi, 1923a
= Eciton (Holopone)
crassicorne subsp. crudele Santschi, 1928a
= Eciton (Holopone)
crassicorne var. intrepidum Santschi, 1928c
= Eciton (Holopone)
crassicorne crudele var. furiosum Santschi, 1929a
= Eciton (Holopone)
fimbriatum var. terrificum Santschi, 1930a
= Eciton (Holopone)
crassicorne var. indomabile Santschi, 1930a
N. hartigi (Westwood, 1842). Panamá to Brazil and
Paraguay. (Map 41)
Plate
52
= Eciton schlechtendali
Mayr, 1887
= Eciton (Labidus)
hartigi subsp. hansi Forel, 1912a
= Eciton (Labidus)
apicifer Santschi, 1916
This genus includes
only two species. One (N. esenbecki), ranges from southern
Texas, in the United States, to Argentina and has been divided into
four subspecies. The second species, N. hartigi,
is primarily South American, but occurs through Central
America to southern México. The species were most recently reviewed
by Watkins (1977).
It is true that the morphological
features on which the several subspecies of N. esenbecki
are based are generally representative of their respective populations.
Equally true, however,
is that many specimens within these populations do not possess
the required characteristics of that named population.Samples from
areas of sympatry are, as may be expected, intermediate between
the respective phenotypes.In the worker caste, there is a north/south
trend that is continuous. In northern specimens, the posterior margin
of the mesonotum, in dorsal view, is definitely concave, and the
longitudinal rugules of the propodeal dorsum are short and weak.
Proceeding into Central America and through South America, the margin
of the mesonotum becomes straight or even convex; the propodeal
rugulae strengthen and run the entire length of the dorsal face.
Similar trends are evident in the male structures employed by Watkins
(1977) in segregating N. esenbecki into
four subspecies. In fact, differences in genitalic structures may
be greater within
any given population than those that separate purported subspecies. Under
the circumstances, there would appear to be little justification
for these subspecies and we propose to reduce all to synonymy.
| Workers |
| 1 |
Preoccipital sulcus present (plate
51, fig.3 ); petiole dorsum longitudinally rugulose (Fig.00
) |
esenbecki |
| -- |
Preoccipital sulcus absent (plate
52, fig. 5 ); petiole dorsum without rugulae (Fig.00 ) |
hartigi |
Males
|
| 1 |
Gastral
T1 longitudinally rugulose; setae of T5 separated along midline
(plate
51, fig. 2 ); blade of stipes about 1/2 as wide as long
(Fig.00 ) |
esenbecki |
| -- |
Gastral
T1 arugulose; T5 setae not divided long midline (plate
52, fig. 2
); blade of stipes about 2/3 as wide as long (Fig.00 ) |
hartigi |
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