Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus Shattuck, 1311

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 45-46

Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus Shattuck

( Fig. 13 )

Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus Shattuck, 1993b: 1311 , figs 28, 29, 37.

Types. Holotype worker from King Edward River, Kimberley Region , 15°08'50"S 126°08'40"E, Western Australia ( ANIC, ANIC32-000009 , examined) . Paratypes: worker from Cape Bernier, Kimberley Region, Western Australia ( ANIC, ANIC32-000008 , examined); worker from Mining Camp , Mitchell Plateau , Western Australia ( ANIC, ANIC32-000007 , examined) .

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head weakly concave; erect setae on posterior margin in fullface view set in a row; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae present on sides of head in full-face view. Number of ocelli one (a minute ocellus), position of obsolete ocelli indicated by small pits only or pits lacking; in full-face view, eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule; eye semi-circular. Frontal carinae concave; antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by 1–2 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape present and abundant; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible elongate triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule present. Mesosoma. Pronotum weakly undulant or almost straight. Erect pronotal setae numerous (12 or more) and longest setae elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesonotum straight. Erect mesonotal setae numerous (12 or more) and elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum protuberant; placement of propodeal spiracle mesad, more than its diameter away from propodeal declivity; propodeal angle weakly present or absent, the confluence of the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces indicated, if at all, by an undulation. Erect propodeal setae numerous (12 or more) and elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Petiole. Dorsum of node a thin rim only; node reduced to anterior lip only, the rest incorporated in the petiole. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster present on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster present on first tergite. General characters. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour head, gaster, coxae, fore femora and tibiae brown, most of mandibles, part of clypeus, mid and hind legs (except coxa) and most of mesosoma bright orange, pronotum a cloudy brown-orange.

Measurements. Worker (n = 3) — CI 100–102; EI 24–27; EL 0.33–0.37; EW 0.20–0.23; HL 1.22–1.38; HW 1.22–1.38; ML 0.59–0.66; PpH 0.23–0.26; PpL 0.70–0.80; SI 81–84; SL 0.99–1.15.

Comments. Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus shares with close relatives a markedly flattened petiolar node with a much reduced anterior face, as well as the short, concave frontal carinae. However, it differs in the infuscation of both the head capsule and the pronotum. Nothing is known about the biology of the species (see Shattuck, 1993b ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus (holotype, King Edward River, WA, ANIC32-000009): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.