Aenictus diclops, 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 : 8

publication ID

22170

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6228534

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/CDFE019E-6006-D8DB-7C42-35D0AA0FE320

treatment provided by

Christiana

scientific name

Aenictus diclops
status

sp. n.

Aenictus diclops   HNS sp. n.

(Figs 9-11, 26)

Types. Holotype worker from Telegraph Line Crossing, Jardine River, Cape York, Queensland, 15-17 June 1969, G.Monteith ( ANIC, ANIC 32-023689). 29 paratype workers, same data as holotype ( ANIC, MCZC, QMBA, ANIC 32-015742, ANIC 32-015768, ANIC 32-015774, ANIC 32-029319, ANIC 32-032139).

Diagnosis. "Eye spots" present on posterolateral corners of head; subpetiolar process generally absent but sometimes present as a slight carina. This is the only known Australian species of the genus with "eye spots" (pale pigmentation on the dorsolateral region of the head capsule).

Worker Description. Mandible subtriangular, with a large apical tooth, a smaller subapical tooth and a series of 4-ca.10 ill-defined crenulations; anterior clypeal border convex, extending anterior of anterior surfaces of frontal lobes in full face view; parafrontal ridges absent (although a sharp angle is present immediately posterior of the lateral clypeal margin); subpetiolar process absent or at most a thin carina; head entirely smooth, posterior pronotum smooth, anterior pronotum and entire mesonotum with weak, fine puncations, mesopleuron with longitudinal rugae, propodeum similar to mesonotum but sculpturing less well developed, especially anteriorly; body yellow-red with " Typhlatta   HNS " spots (pale yellow patches) on posterolateral corners of head.

Measurements. Worker (n = 9) - CI 83-88; HL 0.85-0.95; HW 0.74-0.83; MTL 0.78-0.97; ML 1.39- 1.59; SI 95-103; SL 0.71-0.83.

Additional material examined. Australia: Queensland: 9km ENE Mt. Tozer (Cardale,J.C.) ( ANIC).

Comments. This is one of the rarest species of Australian Aenictus   HNS , being known from only two collections on northern Cape York Peninsula. Its closest relatives, species formerly placed in the subgenus Typhlatta   HNS , are found from India east to the Philippines and south to Papua New Guinea. This species is similar to the PNG species A. huonicus   HNS but differs in having more extensive sculpturing on the mesosoma and petiole.

ANIC

Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra City, CSIRO, Australian National Insect Collection

MCZC

USA, Massachusetts, Cambridge, Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology

QMBA

Australia, Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland Museum

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Aenictus

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