Anochetus alae, Shattuck, Steven O. & Slipinska, Ewa, 2012

Shattuck, Steven O. & Slipinska, Ewa, 2012, Revision of the Australian species of the ant genus Anochetus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3426, pp. 1-28 : 6

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3426.1.1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5063886

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D087EE-FF91-8530-30C3-D7B2BC5FB02D

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Anochetus alae
status

sp. nov.

Anochetus alae n. sp.

( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 , 4 View FIGURE 4 )

Types. Holotype worker from Cairns North , Queensland , 16°53'S 145°46'E, 100m, 14 August 1983, P.S. Ward, PSWC#6111, gully rainforest , under stone ( ANIC32-013813 ); GoogleMaps 21 paratype workers, same data as holotype (15 in ANIC, 3 in BMNH, 3 in MCZC; ANIC32 -059559).

Diagnosis. Propodeal angles produced as spines; sculpture on front of head extending only slightly beyond eyes; body large (HL> 1.78mm, HW> 1.53mm); scapes relatively long (SL> 1.60mm); mesonotum with a few transverse, irregular ridges. This species is larger than the similar A. veronicae , and differs in having well developed sculpturing on the mesosoma, a more convex anterior petiolar node face and more abundant pubescence on the scapes.

Worker description. Body large (HL> 1.78mm, HW> 1.53mm). Sculpturing on front of head extending slightly beyond eyes. Scapes surpassing posterolateral corners ('lobes') of head; with abundant, appressed pubescence and numerous erect hairs. Pronotum with smooth and shining dorsal surface, distinctly striate laterally. Anterior part of pronotum with transverse wrinkles and ridges. Mesonotum sculptured with a few transverse, irregular striations. Propodeum with angles produced as long spines. Propodeum rounded dorsally, with coarse transverse striations and erect hairs. Metapleuron mostly smooth and shining. Petiolar node with apical margin concave medially and lateral corners produced as spines. Erect hairs on hind tibiae present on all surfaces. Colour light brown, head, antennae, mandibles yellow-brown and legs yellow.

Measurements. Worker (n = 5): CI 86–87; EI 20–22; EL 0.30–0.35; HL 1.79–1.81; HW 1.54–1.58; HFL 1.89–1.92; ML 2.18–2.32; MandL 1.05–1.12; MTL 1.26–1.35; PronI 55–58; PronW 0.85–0.89; SL 1.61–1.66; SI 104–106.

Comments. This rare species has been collected only a single time, a nest found by Phil Ward under a stone in a gully rainforest.

ANIC

Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra City, CSIRO, Australian National Insect Collection

BMNH

United Kingdom, London, The Natural History Museum [formerly British Museum (Natural History)]

MCZC

USA, Massachusetts, Cambridge, Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology

ANIC

Australian National Insect Collection

ANIC32

Australian National Insect Collection

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Anochetus

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