Dolichoderus canopus, Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013

Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013, Australian species of the ant genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3716 (2), pp. 101-143 : 110-111

Dolichoderus canopus sp. n.

( Fig. 4 )

Types. Holotype worker from 6.5km ENE Canopus Homestead, Danggali Conservation Park, 33°29'S 140°46'E, South Australia, 21 May 1996, T.A. Weir & K. Pullen (ANIC, ANIC32-000797); 1 paratype worker, same data as holotype except ANIC32-0066652 (ANIC).

Diagnosis. Pale markings absent from lower margin of the eyes; sculpturing pattern of head and pronotum, although with large fovea, is indistinct; in dorsal view the pronotum with only weakly defined shoulders, with the area between the shoulders convex to flat; pronotum and propodeum lacking spines; dorsum of propodeum weakly and evenly convex, the length shorter (at most approximately the same length) than the posterior face; a narrow, distinct carina separating the dorsal and posterior faces; posterior face of propodeum weakly concave; gaster dark brown to black with sparse pubescence on the first gastral tergite, with hairs generally not overlapping or entirely absent; tibiae with erect or suberect hairs.

This species is most similar to D. formosus and D. nigricornis but can be distinguished by the weaker sculpturing pattern on the head compared to the distinct sculpturing pattern of D. formosus and D. nigricornis ( Figs 4 , 11 and 17 ).

Worker description. See Fig. 4 . The two known specimens of this species are nearly identical.

Measurements (n=2). CI 85–85; EI 36–37; EL 0.31–0.32; HL 1.01–1.01; HW 0.86–0.86; ML 1.32–1.38; MTL 0.73–0.73; PronI 64.92–68.22; PronW 0.56–0.58; SI 114–117; SL 0.98–1.00.

Comments. This species is currently known from only two specimens collected in a berlesate sample consisting of litter from under Casuarina cristata trees taken in southern South Australia. Nothing more is known of its biology.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dolichoderus canopus, holotype worker (ANIC 32 - 000797). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.

FIGURE 11. Dolichoderus formosus, worker from Armadale, Western Australia (ANIC 32 - 061196). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.

FIGURE 17. Dolichoderus nigricornis, worker from Irwin, Western Australia (ANIC 32 - 061209). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.