Myrmecia pilosula

Taylor, Robert W., 2015, Ants with Attitude: Australian Jack-jumpers of the Myrmecia pilosula species complex, with descriptions of four new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae), Zootaxa 3911 (4), pp. 493-520 : 496

The Myrmecia pilosula species complex

Diagnosis. Workers of the M. pilosula complex are easily recognized within Myrmecia ( Ogata and Taylor, 1991) . Relatively small species: total length, including mandibles, ranging overall from about 10 to 14 mm; mean size only slightly different in the separate species. Body color essentially uniformly dark blackish brown to black; mandibles, antennae, and frequently tarsi and/or tibiae reddish-orange; clypeus pale yellowish to light brown. Tip of apical antennomere flushed dark brown. Foreleg tarsi and tibiae in all known species prominently reddishorange; coxae, trochanters and femora always darkly colored, approximately matching body color; no transverse dorsal preoccipital carina; a ventral secondary tooth present near mandibular apex; mandibular dentition complete along length of jaw, all teeth essentially symmetrically erect, none inclined asymmetrically towards the mandibular base.

General morphology: General habitus as in the accompanying figures. Sculpturation generally similar among the species: mandibles smooth and shining, each dorsally with a few effaced apical longitudinal rugae. Head with longitudinal spaced striae separated by fine puncturation and effaced on the sides behind the eyes. Pronotum more strongly longitudinally striate than head, the nucal collar smooth to very finely transversely striate. Mesonotum similarly or more finely longitudinally striate than pronotum, varying to almost smooth, with a “leathery” appearance in several species due to superficial sculpturing, notably in both races of M. pilosula . Propodeal dorsum generally with a short anterior section bearing essentially longitudinal, often posteriorly divergent striate rugosity; the remainder transversely more strongly striate rugose. Petiolar dorsum ranging from almost smooth to quite strongly rugose, the intensity of sculpturation varying, but in most specimens approximately matching that of the mesonotum. In both races of M. pilosula the sculptural intensity in these areas varies allometrically and in concert. Postpetiole and gaster very finely and densely micropunctate, only moderately shining. The exposed anterior sections of the second and third gastral tergites (true abdominal segments 5 and 6), which each insert beneath the preceding tergite, minutely transversely striate and reflective.

Pilosity generally abundant on body and appendages, with the notable exception of M. haskinsorum (see key couplet 1 below); the hairs generally short and erect to suberect, longer and more flexuous on the underside and apex of the gaster, beneath the postpetiole and on the propleurae.

Pubescence generally very fine, often dense, varying in density and color interspecifically (generally either silvery grey or yellowish gold) as specified below in the species descriptions.