Cardiocondyla obscurior Wheeler, 1929

Material examined. Icube, National University of Singapore (NUS), 1.29347, 103.77633, 29 Jul-5 Aug 2015, M.S. Foo & W. Wang leg., malaise trap, NUS00074, ZRC _ BDP0042671 ; Prince George’s Park Residences (NUS), 1.29239, 103.77869, 24 Mar-1 Apr 2015, M.S. Foo & W. Wang leg., malaise trap, NUS0001, ZRC _ BDP0044284, ZRC _ BDP0044334 ; same locality and collectors as previous, 29 Apr-6 May 2015, malaise trap, NUS0021, ZRC _ BDP0044156; University Hall (NUS), 1.297111, 103.77658, 1-8 Apr 2015, M.S. Foo & W. Wang leg., malaise trap, NUS0008, ZRC _ BDP0045349 ; University Town (NUS), 1.30622, 103.77458, 5-12 Aug 2015, M.S. Foo & W. Wang leg., malaise trap, NUS0079, ZRC _ BDP0042640 .

Material not physically examined. Unknown.

Literature. Wang et al. (2018a).

Localities. National University of Singapore campus (Clementi/Kent Ridge).

Habitat/Ecology. This is an accomplished tramp species presumably native to Southeast Asia, mainly associated with disturbed secondary forest fragments in urban or semi-urban settings in Singapore; it can also be found in urban cultivated grass- or parklands. While the species is known to nest in dead twigs or branch cavities of bushes/trees/shrubs, formal records of local occurrences comprise mostly alates collected via malaise traps. Like its close relative (similarly also a tramp species) C. wroughtonii, C. obscurior nests in vegetation above the surface rather than in soil. Polygynous colonies with multiple queens are known to be common.

Remarks. Given the morphological similarities with the congener C. wroughtonii, which has been recorded from Singapore since 1892, it is possible that at least some historical records of C. wroughtonii were actually misidentified C. obscurior .