Nylanderia lazulina Williams, Williams, Lapolla & Lucky, 2025, sp. nov

Nylanderia lazulina, sp. nov Figs. 35–37 (worker); Figs. 38–39 (queen); Figs. 40–43 (male) Holotype worker, MEXICO: Oaxaca, Uluapan, 4km NE San Bartolomé Ayautla, 18.05817 -96.64624 ±20m, elev. 390m, 9.vi.2016, lowland rainforest, sifted litter, ADMAC#Wa-F-03-2-36, (USNM: USNMENT01131154). 5 paratype workers with same locality data as holotype (USNM: USNMENT01131308, USNMENT01131309; MNCR: USNMENT01131310, USNMENT01131311, USNMENT01131312). 1 paratype worker, 2 paratype males, and 1 paratype queen, MEXICO: Oaxaca, Uluapan, 4km NE San BartoloméAyautla, 18.0593 -96.64624 ±20m, elev.420m, 9.vi.2016, lowland rainforest, sifted litter, ADMAC#Wa-F-03-2-13, (USNM: USNMENT01131339, USNMENT01131866; MNCR: USNMENT01131865). Worker diagnosis: Antennae relatively long, with scapes surpassing posterior margin by nearly half their length; medium to dark reddish-brown and with strongly contrasting whitish meso- and metacoxae; microsculpture very finely matte, causing intense blue iridescence on head, mesosoma, and gaster; erect setae on all parts of body thick, long, and dark; sparse thick erect setae on scapes that strongly contrast with relatively fine appressed pubescence; moderate cephalic pubescence; metatibiae relatively long (HTI> 125). Compare with: N. contraria, N. luceata WORKER. Measurements (n=12): TL: 1.99–2.52; EL: 0.12–0.16; EW: 0.09–0.12; IOD: 0.29–0.33; HE: 0.00– 0.01; HL: 0.56–0.69; HW: 0.46–0.55; HLA: 0.17–0.25; HLP: 0.25–0.29; SL: 0.68–0.83; PW: 0.35–0.42; MW: 0.18–0.28; PrW: 0.24–0.31; PDH: 0.22–0.25; PTW: 0.11–0.15; LHT: 0.60–0.76; WL: 0.71–0.88; GL: 0.69–1.00; SMC: 3–6; PMC: 2–4; MMC: 2. Indices: BLI: 147–162; CI: 80–83; EPI: 65–87; HTI: 125–146; REL: 20–24; SI: 143–156. Color: medium to dark reddish-brown and with strongly contrasting whitish meso- and metacoxae; black macrosetae strongly contrasting with overall color; overall cuticle with very fine microsculpture, giving cuticle matte appearance and resulting in strong blue iridescence on head, mesosoma, and gaster. Pilosity: erect setae on all parts of body thick, long, and dark; moderate cephalic pubescence, found laterally and concentrated around compound eyes; pubescence sparse to absent between compound eyes; mesosoma pubescence sparse to absent, limited at most to scattered hairs on pronotum and propodeum, and a fringe of hairs concentrated just posterior to the metanotal groove; gaster pubescence sparse to absent; no erect setae on apex of petiole. Head: longer than broad and quadrate with distinct posterolateral corners and flattened posterior margin, with little to no medial emargination; scapes long, surpassing posterior margin by nearly half their length; median ocellus small, but often apparent; lateral ocelli small and often absent or not apparent. Mesosoma: posterior margin of pronotum forming obtuse angle with anterior margin of mesonotum in profile view; propodeum low and evenly rounded, with posterior face about same length as dorsal face. QUEEN. Measurements (n=1): TL: 3.74; EL: 0.21; HL: 0.71; HW: 0.71; SL: 0.81; WL: 1.18; GL: 1.85. Indices: BLI: 165; CI: 99; REL: 30; SI: 114. Relatively large. Color: Dark brown, with meso- and metacoxae somewhat lighter. Pilosity: most of body covered in moderate to dense pubescence; lacking pubescence on posterior face of propodeum; 1-2 small, erect setae on anepisternum. MALE. Measurements (n=2): TL: 1.98–2.06; EL: 0.17–0.18; HL: 0.50–0.51; HW: 0.44–0.45; SL: 0.62–0.63; WL: 0.74; GL: 0.74–0.82. Indices: BLI: 165–167; CI: 87–89; REL: 33–35; SI: 140–142. Color: uniformly medium brown with meso- and metacoxae at most somewhat lighter than mesosoma. Pilosity: dense pubescence on head, mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum; pubescence sparse to absent on pronotum, anepisternum, katepisternum, propodeum, and gaster. Head: as broad as long; compound eyes surpass lateral margins of head in full-face view; scapes surpass posterior margin of head by about half their length. Mesosoma: In profile view, propodeum angled with dorsal face twice as long as posterior face. Genitalia: gonopod triangular and very broad at base, tapering strongly with apex steeply upturned and coming to a point (Fig. 71); in ventral view, ventromedial edge of basivolsella weakly and evenly curved (Fig. 42); gonossiculus straight and nearly three times longer than cuspis. Other material examined: GUATEMALA: Retalhuleu, Finca los Chicharros, SW Zunil, 14.6946 -91.53792 ± 50m, elev. 1273m, 3.vi.2015, mixed hardwood, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2015-102; Zacapa, 2km SE La Unión, 14.94654 -89.276 ± 55m, elev. 1550m, 12.v.2009, 2° cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-B-03-1-01; Zacapa, 2km SE La Unión, 14.94758 -89.27751 ± 28m, elev. 1530m, 12.v.2009, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-B-03-1-02; Zacapa, 2km SE La Unión, 14.94654 -89.276 ± 305m, elev. 1550m, 12.v.2009, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-B-03-1-06; HONDURAS: Comayagua, Montana Comayagua, 14.53448 - 87.55155 ± 100m, elev. 1360m, 16.v.2009, mixed liquidambar forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2009-031; Olancho, Parque Nacional La Muralla, 15.0943 -86.7387 ± 50m, elev. 1420m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2010-002; Olancho, Parque Nacional La Muralla, 15.09387 -86.73934 ± 50m, elev. 1410m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2010-003; Olancho, 9km N Catacamas, 14.93693 -85.90535 ± 20m, elev. 1360m, 10.v.2010, mixed hardwood forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2010-020; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.86937 -87.89583 ± 20m, elev. 1140m, 20.v.2010, ridgetop cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-04-2-48; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.86932 -87.89576 ± 20m, elev. 1140m, 20. v.2010, ridgetop cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-04-2-50; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48683 -88.2343 ± 20m, elev. 1330m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-1-24; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48683 - 88.23425 ± 20m, elev. 1330m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-1-25; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48686 -88.23402 ± 20m, elev. 1330m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-1- 30; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48686 -88.23398 ± 20m, elev. 1330m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-1-31; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.4894 -88.2363 ± 20m, elev. 1290m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-2-14; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.4894 -88.23639 ± 20m, elev. 1290m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-2-16; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48932 -88.23752 ± 20m, elev. 1290m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-2-43; Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48915 -88.23745 ± 20m, elev. 1290m, 30.v.2010, mesophyll forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wa-C-06-2-47; Olancho, PN La Muralla, 15.09734 -86.73912 ± 20m, elev. 1490m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-01-1-01; Olancho, PN La Muralla, 15.09803 -86.7399 ± 20m, elev. 1500m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-01-1- 02; Olancho, PN La Muralla, 15.09859 -86.74216 ± 10m, elev. 1510m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-01-1-03; Olancho, PN La Muralla, 15.09911 -86.74067 ± 125m, elev. 1530m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-01-1-05; Olancho, PN La Muralla, 15.09489 -86.73944 ± 125m, elev. 1420m, 2.v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-01-2-01; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.87112 - 87.89938 ± 300m, elev. 1100m, 20.v.2010, ridgetop cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-01; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.86951 -87.89701 ± 300m, elev. 1150m, 20.v.2010, ridgetop cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-02; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.87236 -87.90098 ± 20m, elev. 1040m, 22. v.2010, cloud forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-05; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.87209 - 87.90187 ± 20m, elev. 1000m, 22.v.2010, montane rainforest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-06; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.87314 -87.90297 ± 30m, elev. 890m, 22.v.2010, montane rainforest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-07; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.87238 -87.90332 ± 20m, elev. 870m, 22. v.2010, montane rainforest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-1-08; Comayagua, PN Cerro Azul Meambar, 14.86993 -87.90479 ± 110m, elev. 770m, 21.v.2010, montane rainforest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm-C-04-2-01; Atlántida, 10km SSW Tela, 15.69652 -87.47636 ± 20m, elev. 660m, 17.vi.2010, tropical wet forest, sifted litter, LLAMA#Wm- C-08-2-01; MEXICO: Puebla, 1.4km WSW Hueytamalco, 19.93725 -97.30273 ± 50m, elev. 760m, 12.vi.2019, mesophyl forest, sifted litter, J.T. Longino #JTL10644-s; Veracruz, 10km NNW Sontecomapan, 18.58333 -95.08333 ±m, elev. 500m, 21.iii.1985, rainforest, P.S. Ward #PSW7369-41; Veracruz, 10km NNW Sontecomapan, 18.58333 -95.08333 ±m, elev. 500m, 21.iii.1985, rainforest, sifted litter, P.S. Ward #PSW7369-41; Veracruz, Road to Ruiz Cortinez, 18.51999 -95.16196 ± 30m, elev. 1054m, 5.vi.2016, liquidambar forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2016-104; Veracruz, Road to Ruiz Cortinez, 18.5229 -95.15441 ± 30m, elev. 1114m, 5.vi.2016, mixed hardwood forest, sifted litter, R.S.Anderson #RSA2016-105; Veracruz, hills above Ruiz Cortinez, 18.5304 -95.14127 ± 30m, elev. 1239m, 7.vi.2016, hilltop hardwood forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2016-110; Oaxaca, Cafetal Carlota, 18.04756 -96.69252 ± 30m, elev. 1011m, 12.vi.2016, liquidambar/cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2016-138; Oaxaca, Cafetal Carlota, 18.04773 -96.68953 ± 30m, elev. 1041m, 14.vi.2016, liquidambar/cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2016-145; Oaxaca, Cafetal Carlota, 18.04784 -96.69198 ± 30m, elev. 1019m, 14.vi.2016, liquidambar/cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S.Anderson #RSA2016-146; Oaxaca, Cafetal Carlota, 18.04791 -96.69076 ± 30m, elev. 1035m, 14.vi.2016, liquidambar/cloud forest, sifted litter, R.S. Anderson #RSA2016-147; Veracruz, Est. Biol. Los Tuxtlas, 18.5863 -95.07665 ± 20m, elev. 180m, 29.v.2016, tropical rainforest, sifted litter, ADMAC#Wa-F-