Anochetus fricatus Wilson, 1959

Wilson EO, 1959, Studies on the ant fauna of Melanesia V. The tribe Odontomachini., Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 120, pp. 483-510 : 506

Anochetus fricatus Wilson , n. sp.

Diagnosis. Closely related to A. chirichinii Emery , differing primarily in the following characters:

(1) In fricatus the entire pronotum is covered by longitudinal striae, and its surface is subopaque. In chirichimii striae are limited to the declivitous surfaces and posterior margin of the pronotum, and the entire central portion of the sclerite is smooth and shining.

(2) In fricatus the striae of the central portion of the cephalic dorsum extend all the way back to the occipital border ; in chirichinii they reach only to within about 0.09 mm of it.

(3) In fricatus the posterolateral corners of the petiolar node are much less attenuated than in chirichinii , forming a blunt angle of 80° or more (as opposed to 60° or less in chirichinii ).

(4) The body pilosity of fricatus is considerably denser overall than in chirichinii . When the mesonotum is seen in exact side view the number of hairs projecting beyond its dorsal margin is 15-19 in the fricatus types and 5-10 in the Museum of Comparative Zoology series of chirichinii .

Holotype worker. HW 1.06 mm, HL 1.22 mm, SL 1.00 mm, Cl 87, SI 94, PW 0.58 mm, petiole height 0.36 mm.

Worker paratype variation. HW 1.02-1.12 mm, HL 1.17-1.30 mm, SL 0.98-1.10 mm, Cl 85-87, SI 94-98, PW 0.56-0.62 mm, petiole height 0.33-0.35 mm.

Material examined. PAPUA: Karema, Brown River (type locality ), holotype and two paratype workers (Wilson, no. 541). N-E. NEW GUINEA : Bubia, a single paratype worker (Wilson, no. 683).

Ecological note. The holotype nest series was collected from a large rotting log on the floor of primary lowland rain forest.