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Nesomyrmex paquisha: a new rough tree ant species from the isolated Cordillera del Cóndor, Ecuador

Abstract:

The ant genus Nesomyrmex is a tropical and subtropical taxon of tree ants with 83 known species around the world. Despite this diversity, the only treatment of American species was published in 1959. For Ecuador, nine species are recorded for the genus, although the material deposited in national collections suggests a greater richness. In the present study, we describe a new species, Nesomyrmex paquishasp. n., from Cordillera del Cóndor, an isolated mountain range in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon. This new species can be distinguished from other Neotropical congeners by the combination of the following characters: first tergum of gaster microreticulate; propodeal spine length shorter than eye length; metanotal groove present; petiole obovoid without prominent tubercles; pospetiolar dorsal sculpture rugose; mesosomal profile straight; apex of scape not reaching posterior margin of head, and 12 antennomeres. We identified three species recorded for the first time in Ecuador: Nesomyrmex anduzei (Weber, 1943), Nesomyrmex pittieri (Forel, 1899), and Nesomyrmex tonsuratus Kempf, 1959. We also provide new site records of Nesomyrmex pulcher (Emery, 1917) for this country. We provide high-resolution images and distribution maps for the new species and for the new records. In addition, we present an identification key for all Nesomyrmex species known from Ecuador. Finally, we discuss the importance of the canopy fogging method for gaining insights into arboreal ant diversity. We also provide a critique of the current environmental impacts caused by a Chinese mining company in Cordillera del Cóndor, which is biologically important as a center of endemism for numerous organisms. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EB116414-E406-4884-A5B7-7EA3BA87DD8A.