title: Lenomyrmex hoelldobleri: a new ant species discovered in the stomach of the dendrobatid poison frog,Oophaga sylvatica(Funkhouser).
abstract: The ant genusLenomyrmexwas recently discovered and described from mid to high elevation rainforests in southern Central and northwestern South America.Lenomyrmexcurrently consists of six described species, which are only rarely collected. Here, we add a new species,Lenomyrmex hoelldoblerisp. n., which was discovered in a stomach content sample of the dendrobatid frog,Oophaga sylvatica, from northwestern Ecuador.Lenomyrmex hoelldoblerican be distinguished from other species in the genus by the presence of a well-developed petiolar node, whereas in all other species the node of the petiole is ill-defined. In addition to the shape of the petiolar node,Lenomyrmex hoelldoblerican be distinguished from the morphologically similarLenomyrmex costatusby (i) the presence of the metanotal suture, (ii) the direction of the striae on dorsum of propodeum (concentrically transverse inLenomyrmex hoelldobleri, longitudinal inLenomyrmex costatus), (iii) the finely striate dorsum of postpetiole, (iv) its larger size, and (v) distinctly darker coloration. We also describe the gyne ofLenomyrmex foveolatus. This collection record from northwestern Ecuador extends the geographic distribution ofLenomyrmex foveolatus400 km south from its previous record in Colombia. A revised taxonomic key to the workers and gynes of all describedLenomyrmexspecies is provided. We discuss the taxonomic relationship ofLenomyrmex hoelldoblerito other species in the genus and its biology based on the limited information that is currently available. Finally, we briefly discuss the feeding ecology of dendrobatid poison frogs in the context of providing a valuable source of rarely collected and cryptic new ant species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabeling
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sosa-Calvo
authors.affiliation: FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Otonga, San Rafael, Quito, Ecuador; Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Muyuna, Tena, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Coloma
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Apartado 7495, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández
keywords: Dendrobatidae; Formicidae; cryptic species; feeding ecology; myrmecophagy