Kartidris Bolton

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 : 16

Kartidris Bolton , 1991

Taxonomy. The genus Kartidris was established under the tribe Pheidolini by Bolton (1991). The worker of the single known Vietnamese species has the following features.

Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view oval, with posterior margin slightly concave medially; frontal lobe in full-face view partly concealing torulus; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median portion of clypeus with anterior margin roundly convex bearing a row of stout setae but lacking an isolated median seta; posteromedian portion of clypeus relatively broadly inserted between frontal lobes; mandible triangular; masticatory margin with 5 sharp teeth which decrease in size from apex to base; antennae 12-segmented, with conspicuous 3- segmented club; eye well developed; vertex with a broad depressed area between eyes; promesonotum highly raised, with a long posterior slope; promesonotal suture vestigial dorsally; metanotal groove conspicuous; propodeum unarmed; propodeal spiracle elliptical, opening posterolaterad; propodeal lobe very small and low, round; petiole pedunculate, with relatively high node; postpetiole much higher than long, relatively strongly swollen dorsad.

The worker of Kartidris is easily distinguished from that of other myrmicine genera known from Vietnam by the depressed area of the vertex (also see notes under Aphaenogaster and Pheidole ).

Vietnamese species. Only one species has been found from Vietnam: sp. eg-1 (Chua Yen Tu).

Bionomics. Foragers swarming around a dead cicada were found on the ground within a bamboo forest (720- 845 m alt.).