The genus is most similar to Odontoxenus Kistner in general appearance. It can be easily separated from Odontoxenus by the eyes having no part of their surface on the anterior margin of the head, the quadrate mesocoxal cavity, and the shorter mesosternum (Jacobson and Kistner 1975). Doryloxenus is also similar to Pygoplanus Kistner by the limuloid shape, but can be distinguished from it by the different shapes of the mandibles and labrum, the maxillary palpus distinctly longer than the setulate galea (Kistner et al. 2003).

Holotype: China: ♂, labeled ‘CHINA: Zhejiang Province, Huzhou City, Anji County (安吉县), Longwangshan (龙王山), alt. 1330m, 30°24'15.53"N, 119°26'36.81"E, 14-V-2013, X.-B. Song leg., from a colony of Aenictus sp. / HOLOTYPE [red], Doryloxenus aenictophilus sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014, SNUC’. Paratype: China: 1♂, 1♀, 8 sex?, same data as holotype, bearing the following label: ‘PARATYPE [yellow], Doryloxenus aenictophilus sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014’. (SNUC, KUM).

Doryloxenus aenictophilus is most similar to D. tangliangi described below by the forebody sparsely covered with yellow setae and the macrochaetotaxy of tergites II–V: 6, 4, 4, 4, 4. It differs from D. tangliangi by the smaller eyes, the shorter elytra and the reduced hind wings. The new species is also similar to the unique blind and wingless species D. coecus Kistner by the light color and the short elytra, but can be easily distinguished from it by the presence of small eyes, the different macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites II–VIII.

Body (Fig. 1A) smooth, glossy. Coloration: Light reddish-brown overall.

Figure 1. 

Doryloxenus aenictophilus sp. n. A habitus B head C Elytron D tergite VII E tergite VIII F sternite VIII G median lobe of aedeagus, in lateral view H ditto I spermatheca. Scales (mm): A = 0.5; B, G, H = 0.1; C, F = 0.2; I = 0.05.

Head shaped as in Fig. 1B, sparsely covered with yellow setae; eyes small. Pronotum (Fig. 1A) wider than long, about 1.44 times as wide as long; disc sparsely covered with yellow setae. Elytra (Fig. 1A, C) short, wider than long, about 3.72 times as wide as long; disc sparsely covered with yellow setae, with a row of setae on lateral margins. Hind wings reduced. Abdomen wedge-shaped; posterior margins of tergite II–VI with a row of very long yellowish setae; abdominal tergite VII (Fig. 1D) truncate at apex, with 2 pairs of macrochaetae at the anterior 1/3; tergite VIII (Fig. 1E) slightly truncate at apex, with 1 pair of lateral macrochaetae; sternite VIII shaped as in Fig. 1F. Macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites II–VIII: 6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2.

Male. Median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in Fig. 1G–H.

Female. Spermatheca with apical part strongly swollen, shaped as in Fig. 1I.

BL: 1.48–1.61; FBL: 0.64–0.68; PL: 0.33–0.35; PW: 0.48–0.51; PW/PL: 1.42–1.45; HW/PW: 0.51–0.56.

East China: Zhejiang.

Aenictis sp. (Fig. 5A–B). According to the key provided by Jaitrong and Yamane (2011), the host ant should belong to the A. ceylonicus group. This is the first record of a Doryloxenus associated with Aenictus ant together with the next new species.

Eleven Doryloxenus aenictophilus were sifted together with a large series of D. tangliangi from the colony of Aenictus sp. nesting under a rock. One individual was observed riding on the head of a worker ant.

The specific name is a combination of ‘Aenictus’, generic name of the ant host, and the Greek stem ‘philos’, meaning ‘to be fond of’.

Holotype: China: ♂, labeled ‘CHINA: Zhejiang Province, Huzhou City, Anji County (安吉县), Longwangshan (龙王山), alt. 1330m, 30°24'15.53"N, 119°26'36.81"E, 14-V-2013, X.-B. Song leg., from a colony of Aenictus sp. / HOLOTYPE [red], Doryloxenus tangliangi sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014, SNUC’. Paratype: China: 5♂, 3♀, 102sex?, same data as holotype, bearing the following label: ‘PARATYPE [yellow], Doryloxenus tangliangi sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014’. (SNUC, KUM).

Doryloxenus tangliangi is most similar to D. aenictophilus described above by the forebody sparsely covered with yellow setae and the macrochaetotaxy of tergites II–V: 6, 4, 4, 4, 4. It differs from D. aenictophilus by the larger eyes, the relatively long elytra, as well as the different shapes of the aedeagus and spermatheca.

Body (Fig. 2A) smooth, glossy. Coloration: Light reddish-yellow overall.

Figure 2. 

Doryloxenus tangliangi sp. n. A habitus B head C Elytron D tergite VII E tergite VIII F sternite VIII G median lobe of aedeagus, in lateral view H ditto I spermatheca. Scales (mm): A = 0.5; B, G, H = 0.1; C, F = 0.2; I = 0.05.

Head shaped as in Fig. 2B, sparsely covered with long yellowish setae; eyes large. Pronotum (Fig. 2A) wider than long, about 1.44 times as wide as long; disc sparsely covered with long yellowish setae. Elytra (Fig. 2A, C) about 2.73 times as wide as long; disc sparsely covered with long yellowish setae, with a row of setae on lateral margins. Abdomen wedge-shaped; posterior margins of tergite II–VI with a row of very long yellowish setae; abdominal tergite VII (Fig. 2D) truncate at apex, with 2 pairs of macrochaetae at the anterior 1/3 and 3 pairs near apex; tergite VIII (Fig. 2E) slightly truncate at apex, with 1 pair of lateral macrochaetae and 2 pairs near apex; sternite VIII shaped as in Fig. 2F. Macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites II–VIII: 6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 10, 6.

Male. Median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in Fig. 2G–H.

Female. Spermatheca with apical part strongly swollen, shaped as in Fig. 2I.

BL: 1.70–1.93; FBL: 0.77–0.86; PL: 0.34–0.37; PW: 0.51–0.52; PW/PL: 1.38–1.53; HW/PW: 0.63–0.67.

East China: Zhejiang.

Aenictus sp. (Fig. 5A–B).

Most of the specimens were sifted from a colony of Aenictus ant, at least four individuals were observed riding on the abdomen of worker ants (Fig. 4B).

Dedicated to Dr. Liang Tang, who found the colony of the host ants.

Holotype: China: ♂, labeled ‘CHINA: Yunnan, Tengchong City, Mingguang Town (明光乡), Zizhi Vill. (自治村), Donghe (东河), alt. 2400m, 25°42'57"N, 98°35'42"E, 30-IV-2013, X.-B. Song leg., from a colony of Dorylus orientalis / HOLOTYPE [red], Doryloxenus songzhigaoi sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014, SNUC’. Paratype: China: 3♂, same data as holotype, bearing the following label: ‘PARATYPE [yellow], Doryloxenus songzhigaoi sp. n., Song & Li det. 2014’. (SNUC).

Doryloxenus songzhigaoi is most similar to D. nepalensis Naomi in general appearance, but can be easily separated from it by the different macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites II–VIII. The new species can be distinguished from the other congener known from the Gaoligong Shan, D. yunnanus, by the slender tergite VIII, rounded apex of sternite VIII, and different shape of the aedeagal median lobe.

Body (Figs 3A, 4D) smooth, glabrous. Coloration: Light reddish-yellow overall.

Figure 3. 

Doryloxenus songzhigaoi sp. n. A habitus B head C Elytron D tergite VII E tergite VIII F sternite VIII G median lobe of aedeagus, in lateral view H ditto. Scales (mm): A = 0.5; B, G, H = 0.1; C, F = 0.2.

Figure 4. 

A Longwangshan Natural Reserve B D. tangliangi riding on the abdomen of an Aenictus ant C Type locality of D. songzhigaoi (Donghe, Zizhi Village) D D. songzhigaoi, habitus.

Forebody shaped as in Fig. 3A, with sparse punctation. Head shaped as in Fig. 3B. Pronotum (Fig. 3A) about 1.71 times as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 3A, C) about 2.55 times as wide as long. Abdomen wedge-shaped; posterior margins of tergite II–VI with a row of very long yellowish setae; abdominal tergite VII (Fig. 3D) truncate at apex, with 2 pairs macrochaetae at middle and 3 pairs near apex; tergite VIII (Fig. 3E) slightly truncate at apex, with 1 pair of lateral macrochaetae and 2 pairs near apex; sternite VIII shaped as in Fig. 3F. Macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites II–VIII: 4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 10, 6.

Male. Median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in Fig. 3G–H.

Female. Unknown.

BL: 1.51–1.61; FBL: 0.69–0.72; PL: 0.31–0.33; PW: 0.53–0.56; PW/PL: 1.66–1.74; HW/PW: 0.56–0.64.

Southwest China: Yunnan.

Dorylus orientalis Westwood, 1835.

Named after Mr. Zhi-Gao Song, the senior author’s father.