Aenictus diclops, Shattuck, Steven O., 2008

Shattuck, Steven O., 2008, Review of the ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia with notes on A. ceylonicus (Mayr), Zootaxa 1926, pp. 1-19 : 8

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.184817

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3502408

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038FD126-FF82-C858-FF24-FF37788BFB99

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Aenictus diclops
status

sp. nov.

Aenictus diclops sp. n.

( Figs 9–11 View FIGURES 9 – 14 , 26 View FIGURES 24 – 30 )

Types. Holotype worker from Telegraph Line Crossing, Jardine River, Cape York, Queensland, 15–17 June 1969, G.Monteith (ANIC, ANIC32-023689). 29 paratype workers, same data as holotype (ANIC, MCZC, QMBA, ANIC32-015742, ANIC32-015768, ANIC32-015774, ANIC32-029319, ANIC32- 032139).

Diagnosis. “Eye spots” present on posterolateral corners of head; subpetiolar process generally absent but sometimes present as a slight carina. This is the only known Australian species of the genus with “eye spots” (pale pigmentation on the dorsolateral region of the head capsule).

Worker Description. Mandible subtriangular, with a large apical tooth, a smaller subapical tooth and a series of 4-ca.10 ill-defined crenulations; anterior clypeal border convex, extending anterior of anterior surfaces of frontal lobes in full face view; parafrontal ridges absent (although a sharp angle is present immediately posterior of the lateral clypeal margin); subpetiolar process absent or at most a thin carina; head entirely smooth, posterior pronotum smooth, anterior pronotum and entire mesonotum with weak, fine puncations, mesopleuron with longitudinal rugae, propodeum similar to mesonotum but sculpturing less well developed, especially anteriorly; body yellow-red with “ Typhlatta ” spots (pale yellow patches) on posterolateral corners of head.

Measurements. Worker (n = 9) - CI 83–88; HL 0.85–0.95; HW 0.74–0.83; MTL 0.78–0.97; ML 1.39– 1.59; SI 95–103; SL 0.71–0.83.

Additional material examined. Australia: Queensland: 9km ENE Mt. Tozer (Cardale,J.C.) ( ANIC).

Comments. This is one of the rarest species of Australian Aenictus , being known from only two collections on northern Cape York Peninsula. Its closest relatives, species formerly placed in the subgenus Typhlatta , are found from India east to the Philippines and south to Papua New Guinea. This species is similar to the PNG species A. huonicus but differs in having more extensive sculpturing on the mesosoma and petiole.

ANIC

Australian National Insect Collection

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Aenictus

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