Dolichoderus turneri Forel

Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013, Australian species of the ant genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3716 (2), pp. 101-143 : 139-140

Dolichoderus turneri Forel

( Fig. 26 )

Dolichoderus turneri Forel, 1902: 462 .

Types. 20 worker syntypes from Mackay [approx. 21°09'S 149°11'E], Queensland (1 in NHMB, 1 in MCZC, 3 in ANIC, 15 in MHNG).

Diagnosis. Sculpturing on head consisting of large, shallow to moderately deep fovea; pronotum and propodeum lacking spines; dorsum of pronotum heavily sculptured, the surface dull; posterior face of propodeum strongly concave, separated from the dorsal face by a distinct carina; first gastral tergite with abundant pubescence, the individual hairs overlapping; gaster much lighter in colour (dull yellow) compared to body (dark brown to black).

This species is easily confused with D. scrobiculatus but differs in having a distinctively lighter coloured gaster (dull yellow) than the rest of the body (dark brown) whereas the entire body of D. scrobiculatus is uniformly coloured dark brown to black.

Worker description. See Fig. 26 . The known specimens are morphologically uniform and show minimal variation.

Measurements (n=5). CI 95–107; EI 22–26; EL 0.25–0.27; HL 1.05–1.08; HW 1.01–1.15; ML 1.37–1.45; MTL 0.77–0.84; PronI 78.89–89.97; PronW 0.81–1.03; SI 78–97; SL 0.89–0.98.

Material examined. Queensland: 15km WNW Bald Hill, McIlwraith Ra. (Naumann,I.D.) (ANIC); Eungella Nat. Pk., Mackay (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC); Mackay (collector unknown; Turner,G.) (ANIC).

Comments. Dolichoderus turneri occurs in dry sclerophyll woodlands along coastal Queensland. It is an uncommon species and has been collected only a handful of times.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Dolichoderus turneri, worker from Mackay, Queensland (ANIC 32 - 061285). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.