Aenictus orientalis (Karavaiev) Shattuck, S. O., 2008

Shattuck, S. O., 2008, Review of the ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia with notes on A. ceylonicus (Mayr)., Zootaxa 1926, pp. 1-19 : 18

publication ID	22170
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6234927
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/8FB0DFD6-5AF7-65DD-A7F0-2A234EB037C7
treatment provided by	Christiana
scientific name	Aenictus orientalis (Karavaiev)
status	n. stat.

Treatment

Aenictus orientalis (Karavaiev) HNS , n. stat.

Eciton (Aenictus) ceylonicus subsp. orientalis Karavaiev HNS , 1926: 423 (junior synonym of A. ceylonicus HNS by Wilson, 1964: 452; new status as valid species).

Aenictus papuanus Donisthorpe HNS , 1941: 129 (junior synonym of A. ceylonicus HNS by Wilson, 1964: 452; removed from synonymy with A. ceylonicus HNS , new synonym of A. orientalis HNS ).

Aenictus similis Donisthorpe HNS , 1948: 131 (junior synonym of A. ceylonicus HNS by Wilson, 1964: 452; removed from synonymy with A. ceylonicus HNS , new synonym of A. orientalis HNS ).

Types. Eciton (Aenictus) ceylonicus subsp. orientalis HNS : Three worker syntypes from Wammar, Aru Island, Indonesia ( ANIC, examined) . Aenictus papuanus HNS : Two worker syntypes from Malufu, Wharton Range , Papua New Guinea ( MCZC, examined) . Aenictus similis HNS : Fourteen worker syntypes from Maffin Bay, Irian Jaya , Indonesia (2 in MCZC, examined) .

Comments. In this species the pronotal humeral angles are well developed, causing the anterodorsal surface of the pronotum to be nearly vertical, in dorsal view the area between the humeral angles is weakly convex to weakly concave. This is in contrast to the otherwise similar A. prolixus HNS and A. turneri HNS where the humeral angles are weakly developed and the anterodorsal section of the pronotum is gradually sloping, the area between the humeral angles being moderately convex. In addition, A. orientalis HNS can be separated from A. prolixus HNS by the shorter scapes (SI 65-82 vs. 89-96) and from A. turneri HNS by the yellow head and legs which contrast with the yellow-red mesosoma (the body is essentially uniform in colour in A. turneri HNS ). This species is known from eastern Indonesia and New Guinea.