Dolichoderus etus, Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013

Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013, Australian species of the ant genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3716 (2), pp. 101-143 : 116-117

Dolichoderus etus sp. n.

( Fig. 9 )

Types. Holotype worker from hills to west of Mudgee, approx. 32°36'S, 149°35'E, New South Wales, 1 September 1963, B.B. Lowery (ANIC, ANIC32-066501); large number of paratype workers, same data as holotype except ANIC32- 061390 (most in ANIC, 2 in MCZC).

Diagnosis. Pronotum and propodeum with elongate spines; the short pronotal spines are directed anteriorly and approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, in dorsal view a line drawn between their tips intersects the pronotal collar; the first gastral tergite generally lacking hairs but with abundant appressed fine pubescence and occasionally a few very short, scattered hairs present.

Dolichoderus etus can be distinguished from all other Australian Dolichoderus species by its short, anteriorly directed pronotal spines combined with the general lack of erect hairs and the presence of very fine pubescence on the first gastral tergite.

Worker description. See Fig. 9 . Other than slight variation in the intensity of leg colour, sometimes even within a single individual, all specimens are similar to the figured individual.

Measurements (n=5). CI 90–99; EI 17–20; EL 0.30–0.35; HL 1.73–1.91; HW 1.65–1.82; ML 2.73–2.93; MTL 1.84–2.11; PronI 66.21–69.32; PronW 1.13–1.21; SI 113–125; SL 1.99–2.15.

Material examined. New South Wales: Asquith (Schrader,H.P.) (ANIC); Calga (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC); Maroota State Forest (Gush,T.) (ANIC); Ophir nr. Orange (Taylor,R.W.) (ANIC); Pymble (Mercovich,C.) (ANIC); Wentworth Falls, Blue Mts. (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC).

Comments. Dolichoderus etus is interesting in that while it is known from a fairly restricted region of eastern and coastal New South Wales it is found in forested habitats ranging from dry to wet sclerophyll. It is curious that a species with an apparently broad habitat range should be so geographically restricted. Nests are in soil under rocks.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Dolichoderus etus, paratype worker (ANIC 32 - 061390). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.