Liomyrmex Mayr

Eguchi, K., Viet, B. T. & Yamane, S., 2011, Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), Part I - Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmicinae., Zootaxa 2878, pp. 1-61 : 17

Liomyrmex Mayr , 1865

Taxonomy. The genus Liomyrmex was recently revised by Rigato and Bolton (2001) and assigned to the tribe Liomyrmecini by Bolton (2003). The worker of the single known species has the following features.

Worker monomorphic but size-variable: head in full-face view subrectangular, with round posterolateral corners; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median portion of clypeus raised well, margined at each side by a well defined carina, with straight anterior margin; median clypeal seta absent, but a pair of distinct setae present in the middle; frontal lobes widely separated by posteromedian portion of clypeus; antenna 11-segmented with distinct3-segmented club; eye absent; masticatory margin short, 4-toothed; promesonotum in lateral view almost flat or only weakly convex; promesonotal suture absent; metanotal groove distinct; propodeum unarmed; propodeal spiracle large; metapleural gland bulla large, elongate toward propodeal spiracle; propodeal lobe well developed, not produced posteriad but in lateral view filling the concave outline of posterior slope of propodeum; petiolar peduncle short but distinct; petiolar node well developed, in lateral view squarish, and in dorsal view transversely elongate; subpetiolar process lamelliform, directing anteroventrad; sternite of postpetiole distinctly produced anteroventrad; gastral shoulder indistinct; sting extremely developed, long.

The worker of Liomyrmex is somewhat similar to eyeless worker (or minor) of Anillomyrma, Oligomyrmex, Parvimyrma and Solenopsis . However, frontal lobes are not so widely separated by the posteromedian portion of clypeus and antennal segmentation is not "11-segmented with distinct 3-segmented club" in the worker (minor) of the latter genera.

Vietnamese species. After their critical reexamination of relevant type-material and other specimens, Rigato & Bolton (2001) concluded that Liomyrmex Mayr is monotypic. The single species, Liomyrmex gestroi (Emery), is widespread in the Indo-Chinese, Indo-Malayan, and Austro-Malayan subregions: gestroi (Emery) [= sp. eg-1] ("Muong Moun" (see Rigato & Bolton)).

Bionomics. According to Rigato & Bolton (2001), Liomyrmex gestroi is a species of forest leaf-litter and topsoil and may be a specialised predator of isopterans. Eguchi found a mass of workers under bark of large fallen log in W. Bali (unfortunately he did not take account of the presence of other insects).