Dolichoderus goudiei Clark

Shattuck, Steven O. & Marsden, Sharon, 2013, Australian species of the ant genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 3716 (2), pp. 101-143 : 120-121

Dolichoderus goudiei Clark

( Fig. 13 )

Dolichoderus goudiei Clark, 1930: 264 .

Types. Holotype worker and 6 paratype workers from Maldon [approx. 37°00'S 144°04'E], Victoria (holotype and 3 paratypes in MVMA, 1 paratype in BMNH, 2 paratypes in WAMP); 2 worker paratypes without locality data (MCZC).

Diagnosis. Sculpturing on head minimal, either essentially absent or consisting of very fine reticulations; colour of head reddish-brown to black; pronotum and propodeum lacking spines; posterior face of propodeum weakly concave, separated from the dorsal face by at most a weakly defined angle; first tergite of gaster with elongate, erect hairs, and fine, silvery appressed pubescence.

This species most closely resembles D. australis , however D. goudiei has appressed pubescence on the first tergite of the gaster, which D. australis lacks (both species have elongate, erect hairs on the first gastral tergite).

Worker description. See Fig. 13 . All specimens similar to the figured individual.

Measurements (n=5). CI 86–89; EI 33–36; EL 0.28–0.30; HL 0.93–0.99; HW 0.80–0.88; ML 1.22–1.34; MTL 0.68–0.76; PronI 62.27–63.34; PronW 0.50–0.56; SI 108–110; SL 0.88–0.96.

Material examined. Australian Capital Territory: Capital Hill (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC); Kowen (Greaves,T.; L.W.) (ANIC); South Australia: Sevenhill (collector unknown; Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC); Victoria: 7mi. W Newmerella (Gross,G.F.) (SAMA); Maldon (Goudie,J.C.) (ANIC). New Zealand: Auckland Airport (Quarantine Inspection Service) (ANIC).

Comments. Dolichoderus goudiei occurs in dry sclerophyll and savannah woodlands across south-eastern Australia from the ACT to south-eastern South Australia. It has been found foraging on low vegetation and tree trunks. It was intercepted in New Zealand on orchid blooms shipped from Sydney, but has not become established there (Don, 2007).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Dolichoderus goudiei, worker from Maldon, Victoria (ANIC 32 - 060605). A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. First gastral tergite; E. Distribution of material examined.