Vollenhovia 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 : 31

Vollenhovia Mayr , 1865

Taxonomy. The genus Vollenhovia is assigned to the tribe Stenammini (Bolton 2003). Workers of Vietnamese species have the following features.

Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view subrectangular; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median portion of clypeus raised, laterally margined with a slight to conspicuous longitudinal carina; anteromedian portion often forming a transverse strip; an isolated median seta absent; posteromedian portion relatively narrowly inserted between frontal lobes; lateral portion of clypeus never modified into a distinct ridge or wall in front of antennal insertion; mandible triangular; masticatory margin with 6 or more teeth; antennae 11- or 12-segmented, with 3-segmented club; eye always present, small to medium sized; mesosoma in lateral view long and low; promesonotum in lateral view usually not domed; promesonotal suture absent dorsally; metanotal groove weakly to slightly impressed dorsally; posterodorsal portion of propodeum with rounded corners or small teeth; propodeal lobe present as carina or low lamella; petiole nodiform; anterior peduncle short and obscure; posterodorsal margin of petiole produced posterodorsad as a rim which is distinctly (or at least a little) higher than the dorsal outline of helcium of petiole when waist segments stretched posteriad; subpetiolar process usually (but not always) developed as a large lamella; gastral shoulder absent.

The worker of Vollenhovia is easily separated from those of other known Vietnamese myrmicine genera by the flattened body and the posterodorsal margin of petiole produced as a rim.

Vietnamese species. Seven species have been recognized by us from Vietnam: sp. eg-1 [= sp. 40 and sp. 54 of SKY: Eguchi et al., 2005] (Cuc Phuong, Sa Pa, Tam Dao, Tay Yen Tu); sp. eg-2 [= sp. 34 of SKY: Eguchi et al., 2005] (Ba Vi, Chua Yen Tu, Sa Pa, Pu Mat, Tam Dao, Tay Yen Tu, Van Ban); sp. eg-5 [= sp. 36 of SKY: Eguchi et al., 2005] (Ba Vi); sp. eg-6 (Chua Yen Tu); sp. eg-7 [= sp. 39 of SKY: Eguchi et al., 2005] (Ba Vi, Chua Yen Tu, Cuc Phuong, Tam Dao, Tay Yen Tu); sp. eg-8 (Pu Mat, Nam Cat Tien); sp. eg-9 (Nam Cat Tien).

Bionomics. Vollenhovia species usually inhabit forest habitats and nest in rotting twigs, wood fragments and logs, and in spaces under the bark of logs.