Pseudonotoncus hirsutus Clark

Shattuck, S. O. & O’Reilly, A. J., 2013, Revision of the Australian endemic ant genera Pseudonotoncus and Teratomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), Zootaxa 3669 (3), pp. 287-301 : 291-293

Pseudonotoncus hirsutus Clark

( Fig. 2 )

Pseudonotoncus hirsutus Clark, 1934: 65 .

Pseudonotoncus turneri Donisthorpe, 1937: 619 . New synonym.

Types. P. hirsutus : Holotype worker and worker and queen paratypes from Gellibrand, Victoria, 19–23 January 1932, J. Clark (1 paratype worker in ANIC, ANIC32- 010751, examined). P. t u r n e r i: Holotype worker from Tambourine Mountain, Queensland, 19–26 April 1935, R. E. Turner (BMNH, examined).

Diagnosis. Petiole broader than long in dorsal view; in lateral view much higher than long and with the anterior face separated from the flat dorsal face by a rounded angle. Dorsal surface of petiole smooth or with small foveate depressions. Pseudonotoncus hirsutus is similar to P. eurysikos in all respects except the size and structure of the petiole. See Diagnosis under P. eurysikos for further details.

Worker description. Body uniform chocolate brown. Paler specimens generally with a darker gaster. Head in frontal view with sides tapering slightly anteriorly, as wide as long. Mandibles with six teeth, the first, second and fourth larger than the remaining. Clypeus with a central carina, tapering anteriorly into a central tooth. Frontal carinae short and sharply margined. Eyes large, convex, positioned one third from the posterior margin of head, one and a half times longer than wide. Ocelli small but distinct. Scapes extending one third their length beyond the posterior margin of head. Mesosoma strongly rugose-punctate, the rugae distinctly longitudinal laterally and on the mesonotum, less distinctly on the pronotum and propodeum. In dorsal view pronotum transversely convex, twice as wide as long and wider than mesonotum and propodeum. Promesonotal suture convex and deeply impressed. Mesonotum and propodeum in dorsal view similar in width and very slightly convex. Mesonotum slightly longer than broad. Propodeum roughly square in dorsal view, with well developed, slightly curved spines at the angle and with two small spines just above the metapleural gland bulbs. Petiolar node higher than long, with anterior face separated from dorsal face by a sharply rounded angle, and two posterior facing spines which are angled slightly up and half as long as the width between their bases. In dorsal view petiolar node broader than long, its upper surface smooth or sometimes with small foveate depressions. Gaster simple, first segment (abdominal segment III) extending to half its length. Legs slender; tibiae and femora somewhat spindle shaped and with numerous erect hairs.

Measurements. Worker (n=10)—CI 91–103; PetW 0.33–0.39mm; HL 0.88–1.21mm; HTL 0.83–1.18mm; HW 0.88–1.22mm; LPetI 39–56; ML 1.20–1.58mm; PetH 0.47–0.55mm; PetNL 0.19–0.26mm; SI 90–100; SL 0.88–1.16mm.

Additional material examined (ANIC). Australia: New South Wales: Benmore Falls (top) (Liepa,Z.); Brindle Creek, Border Ranges Natl. Pk (Naumann,I.D.); Burringbar Range (Lowery,B.B.); Coachwood Nature Trail, 3km SSW Blackheath (Shattuck,S. O.); Cobark For. Pk. Barrington Tops (Naumann,I.D.); Cobark Forest Pk., Barrington Tops State Forest (Weir,T.A.); Dalrymple Forest, Pymble (Lowery,B.B.); Dalrymple Forest, St. Ives, Sydney (Lowery,B.B.); Eastern fall, Clyde Mt. (Riek,E.F.); Ewingar (Kearney,E.); Lovett Bay, West Pittwater (Fletcher,M.J. & Macdonald,J.A.); Pymble, Sydney (Lowery,B.B.); Rosedale Beach (Lowery,B.B.); Rosedale, SE of Batemans Bay (Lowery,B.B.); Royal Nat. Park (Ward,P.S.); Sydney, Upper Cowan Crk. (Lowery,B.B.); Wallumbin SF, W of Mt. Warning (Lowery,B.B.). Queensland: 4km NE Herberton (Hourse,A.P.N.); 7km NNW North Tamborine (Ward,P.S.); Binna Burra (Ward,P.S.); Mt. Dryander summit (Monteith,G.); Mt. Elliot (Taylor,R.W.); Stanthorpe (Sutton,E.; Lowery,B.B.). Victoria: Gellibrand (Clark,J.).

Comments. Pseudonotoncus hirsutus appears to be a more generalist species than P. eurysikos . Pseudonotoncus hirsutus can be found along most of the east coast of Australia, with most samples coming from rainforest and wet sclerophyll forests, generally close to the coast. It is likely that this species prefers higher rainfall and more stable temperatures than P. eurysikos . It has been found primarily within dense forests.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Pseudonotoncus hirsutus (Binna Burra, Queensland, ANIC 32 - 010581): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Dorsum of petiole; E. Distribution of material examined.