Abstract
The new genus Kempfidris gen. nov. is described based on the workers of a single species, K. inusualis comb. nov., from Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Kempfidris inusualis comb. nov. was originally described by Fernández (2007) and provisionally placed in Monomorium awaiting a better understanding of the internal relationships in Myrmicinae. Kempfidris gen. nov. has a series of distinctive morphological characters including the mandibular configuration, vestibulate propodeal spiracle, propodeal carinae, and cylindrical micro-pegs on the posteromedian portion of abdominal tergum VI and anteromedian portion of abdominal tergum VII. This last trait appears to be autapomorphic for the genus.
Highlights
Due to its large diversity, Myrmicinae Lepeletier, 1835 is the most challenging subfamily in myrmecology regarding its internal relationships and the search for a stable tribal arrangement
Subsequent modifications to this proposal include the creation of the tribe Adelomyrmecini Fernández, 2004 (Adelomyrmex Emery, 1897, Baracidris Bolton, 1981 and Cryptomyrmex Fernández, 2004) and an expansion of the concept of Monomorium Mayr, 1855 in the Neotropics (Fernández 2004, 2007)
Despite the fact that this species is broadly distributed in South America (Fig. 5), records of its occurrence are extremely scarce
Summary
Due to its large diversity, Myrmicinae Lepeletier, 1835 is the most challenging subfamily in myrmecology regarding its internal relationships and the search for a stable tribal arrangement. Many tribes and some genera are obviously artificial, and given the considerable amount of ongoing research, both basic and applied, involving many taxa from this group, it is important to begin to clarify the internal relationships of this subfamily. The solenopsidine tribe group, proposed by Bolton (2003) for Solenopsidini Forel, 1893 and Stenammini Ashmead, 1905, is partly diagnosed by a clypeus with a posterior constriction moderately to greatly inserted between the frontal lobes and an elevated and narrow median area, which is usually bicarinate. Subsequent modifications to this proposal include the creation of the tribe Adelomyrmecini Fernández, 2004 (Adelomyrmex Emery, 1897, Baracidris Bolton, 1981 and Cryptomyrmex Fernández, 2004) and an expansion of the concept of Monomorium Mayr, 1855 in the Neotropics (Fernández 2004, 2007). There have been no phylogenetic studies evaluating either these proposals or the monophyly and relationships of the solenopsidine group
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