Aenictus philiporum Wilson

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 : 13

Aenictus philiporum Wilson

( Figs 15–17 , 28 )

Aenictus philiporum Wilson, 1964: 473 , fig. 74.

Types. Holotype worker and 5 paratype workers from Iron Range, Queensland (MCZC, examined).

Diagnosis. Head capsule smooth posteriorly and weakly punctate between the frontal carinae and above the mandibular insertions; pronotum with large smooth areas dorsally and laterally, other areas micro-reticulate.

Worker Description. Mandible broad, triangular, with 6–9 widely spaced short teeth; anterior clypeal border broadly convex, even with or slightly posterior to anterior margin of frontal lobes; parafrontal ridges present; subpetiolar process weakly developed, broadly rounded anteriorly, flat posteriorly; head smooth laterally, remainder weakly to moderately punctate; posterior section of pronotum and entire mesonotum completely smooth to very weakly reticulate; anterior of pronotum, mesopleuron and entire propodeum weakly punctuate; body red-brown, head, antennae and legs lighter yellow-red.

Measurements. Worker (n = 10) - CI 88–94; HL 0.66–0.71; HW 0.59–0.67; MTL 0.47–0.57; ML 0.96– 1.06; SI 83–89; SL 0.52–0.59.

Material examined. Australia: Queensland: Claudie River, Iron Range (Monteith,G.) ( ANIC). Papua New Guinea: Morobe: Bulolo (Lowery,B.B.) ( ANIC).

Comments. This rare species has been collected only a limited number of times on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland and in eastern Papua New Guinea. Nothing is known concerning its biology.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 20. Aenictus philiporum Wilson worker. Fig. 15, front of head; Fig. 16, dorsal view of body; Fig. 17, lateral view of body. Aenictus prolixus sp. n. worker. Fig. 18, front of head; Fig. 19, dorsal view of body; Fig. 20, lateral view of body.

FIGURES 24 – 30. Distribution of material examined during this study. Fig. 24, A. acerbus; Fig. 25, A. aratus; Fig. 26, A. diclops; Fig. 27, A. nesiotis; Fig. 28, A. philiporum; Fig. 29, A. prolixus; Fig. 30, A. turneri.