Ireneopone gibber, Donisthorpe, H. S. J. K., 1946

Donisthorpe, H. S. J. K., 1946, Ireneopone gibber (Hym., Formicidae), a new genus and species of myrmicine ant from Mauritius., Entomologists Monthly Magazine 82, pp. 242-243 : 242-243

Ireneopone gibber sp. n.

[[ worker ]]. Reddish brown, shining, gaster darker.

Head subrectangular, longer than broad, posterior angles rounded, posterior border and cheeks straight, covered with small, shallow, scattered punctures which bear a microscopical decumbent yellow hair; mandibles powerful, triangular, faintly longitudinally striate and punctate, masticatory border armed with three teeth, the apical one being the longest and sharpest, the 2 nd (counting from apex) longer and sharper than 3 rd, the 3 rd small and rather blunt; clypeus large, triangular, convex on disc, anterior border straight in middle, sinuate on each side, forming a sharp angle with central area, posterior border round at base, projecting between insertion of antennae, bordering at sides the antennal cavities anteriorly; frontal area small, triangular, not very clearly defined, a very short shallow central furrow extending from it; antennae twelve-jointed, scape just reaching posterior border of head, funiculus with 1 st joint longer and broader than the following seven joints, club three-jointed, last joint longer than the two preceding taken together; maxillary palpi five-jointed; labial palpi three-jointed; eyes black, oval, fairly large, not prominent, situated a little in front of centre of sides of head. Thorax longer than broad, narrow, furnished with a neck, broadest across anterior angles of pronotum; pronotum transverse, finely rugosely punctured with a raised margin anteriorly separating it from neck, anterior angles sharply pointed, sides rounded; mesonotum oval, smooth anteriorly, finely rugosely punctured posteriorly, separated from pronotum by a fine suture, more marked at sides, projecting in a hump, which when seen in profile extends in a sharp point over pronotum; suture between mesonotum and epinotum deep, well marked; sternite of mesothorax closely and rather rugosely punctured; spiracles projecting; epinotum long, sloping, finely rugosely punctured, a fine carina present on disc, which in profile forms a slightly raised hump, dorsal surface much shorter than declivity, angle between not marked, declivity smooth and concave posteriorly. Petiole long, narrow, finely punctured, slightly broadest at apex, armed at base with two very small sharp teeth and with a small raised node on dorsal surface, rounded above; postpetiole subquadrate, slightly broader than petiole, sides and posterior border straight, anterior angles bluntly pointed; gaster oval, smooth and shining, first segment occupying greater part of dorsal surface. Legs moderate, femora spindle-shaped. Long. 3.5 mm.

Described from three workers, Nos. 72 and 82 . Two taken by R. Mamet on Calebasses Mt ., Mauritius, October 22 nd, 1944, and one taken by J. Vinson on Le Pouce Mt ., Mauritius, December 7 th, 1940 .

Type in B. M. Coll. Ireneopone comes in the tribe Tetramoriini , subfamily Myrmicinae .