Aenictus levior (Karavaiev) Karavaiev, 2008

Shattuck, Steven O., 2008, Review of the ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia with notes on A. ceylonicus (Mayr), Zootaxa 1926, pp. 1-19 : 17

Aenictus levior (Karavaiev) , n. stat.

Eciton (Aenictus) impressus var. levior Karavaiev, 1926: 425 (junior synonym of A. aratus: Wilson, 1964: 446 ; new status as full species).

Types. Worker syntypes from Buru Island, Indonesia (not examined).

Comments. Aenictus material from Indonesia is uncommon in collections and drawing conclusions on the species involved is difficult. However, it would appear that levior is a valid species and not a junior synonym of aratus as suggested earlier. Morphologically this species has a head shape similar to aitkenii (relatively broad) but the scape is shorter. However, this analysis is based on limited material and should be considered tentative until additional specimens become available. Material referable to this species has been examined from Sumatra, Indonesia, peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, Malaysia.