New technologies for imaging and analysis of morphological characters offer opportunities to enhance revisionary taxonomy and better integrate it with the rest of biology. In this study, we revise the Afrotropical fauna of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler, and use high-resolution X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) to analyse a number of morphological characters of taxonomic and biological interest. We recognise and describe three new species: Z. obamai sp. n., Z. sarowiwai sp. n., and Z. wilsoni sp. n. The species delimitations are based on the morphological examination of all physical specimens in combination with 3D scans and volume reconstructions. Based on this approach, we present a new taxonomic discrimination system for the regional fauna that consists of a combination of easily observable morphological characters visible at magnifications of around 80–100 ×, less observable characters that require higher magnifications, as well as characters made visible through virtual dissections that would otherwise require destructive treatment. Zasphinctus are rarely collected ants and the material available to us is comparatively scarce. Consequently, we explore the use of micro-CT as a non-invasive tool for the virtual examination, manipulation, and dissection of such rare material. Furthermore, we delineate the treated species by providing a diagnostic character matrix illustrated by numerous images and supplement that with additional evidence in the form of stacked montage images, 3D PDFs and 3D rotation videos of scans of major body parts and full body (in total we provide 16 stacked montage photographs, 116 images of 3D reconstructions, 15 3D rotation videos, and 13 3D PDFs). In addition to the comparative morphology analyses used for species delimitations, we also apply micro-CT data to examine certain traits, such as mouthparts, cuticle thickness, and thoracic and abdominal muscles in order to assess their taxonomic usefulness or gain insights into the natural history of the genus. The complete datasets comprising the raw micro-CT data, 3D PDFs, 3D rotation videos, still images of 3D models, and coloured montage photos have been made available online as cybertypes (Dryad, http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4s3v1).
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764125_holotype worker_1
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764125) holotype worker 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764125_holotype worker_2
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764125) holotype worker 2: 3D PDF and high-resolution 3D rotation video (mpg format) of scan of full body plus montage photos (full-face view, body in profile, and dorsal view of body in tiff format)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_1
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 990 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_2
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 2: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_3
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 3: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_4
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 4: 3D PDFs and high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of head, mesosoma, and metasoma plus microtomographic still images of diagnostic characters (tiff format)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764650_paratype worker_1
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764650) paratype worker 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_1
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_2
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 2: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 992 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_3
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 3: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_4
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 4: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_5
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 5: 3D PDF and high-resolution 3D rotation video (mpg format) for scan of full body plus montage photos (full-face view, body in profile, and dorsal view of body) and microtomographic still images of diagnostic characters (tiff format)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_6
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 6: 3D PDFs and high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of head, mesosoma, and metasoma
Morphological dataset_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_muscles+sting
Morphological dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) muscles+sting: high-resolution 3D video (mpg format) and still images (tiff format) of false-colour volume rendering of segmented mesosoma and metasoma musculature (red) and sting apparatus (green) superimposed on semitransparent surface model
Morphological dataset_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764652_mouthparts_1
Morphological dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764652) mouthparts 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of anterior head (DICOM format, 992 slices)
Morphological dataset_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764652_mouthparts_2
Morphological dataset for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764652) mouthparts 2: 3D PDFs, high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format), and microtomographic still images for segmented surface reconstructions of the mouthparts in open configuration (green= maxillae; yellow=labrum; orange=labium)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_1
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 1: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_2
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 2: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 991 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_3
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 3: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 992 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_4
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 4: complete micro-CT scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993 slices)
Cybertype_Zasphinctus wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_5
Cybertype dataset for Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 5: 3D PDFs and high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of full body, head, mesosoma, and metasoma plus montage photos (full-face view, body in profile, and dorsal view of body) and microtomographic still images of diagnostic characters (tiff format)