Teratomyrmex greavesi McAreavey

Shattuck, S. O. & O’Reilly, A. J., 2013, Revision of the Australian endemic ant genera Pseudonotoncus and Teratomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), Zootaxa 3669 (3), pp. 287-301 : 296

Teratomyrmex greavesi McAreavey

( Fig. 6 )

Teratomyrmex greavesi McAreavey, 1957: 55 .

Types. Holotype worker and 6 worker paratypes from Blackall Range, Queensland (holotype in MVMA, 5 paratypes in ANIC, 1 paratype in MCZC, all examined).

Diagnosis. Pronotum very broad and high with large, wing-like projections laterally. Colour uniform throughout body; head narrower (CI <97 vs. CI> 99 in T. tinae ) and scape relatively longer (SI> 106 vs. SI <98 in T. tinae ). These characters easily separate T. greavesi from T. substrictus and T. tinae and this species is unlikely to be confused with them.

Worker description. Body uniform dark brown to almost black. Entire body covered in scattered long setae. Dense, adpressed pubescence on head, mesosoma, gaster and coxae. Head roughly square with convex sides, widest at eyes and tapering slightly inwards posteriorly and more sharply anteriorly. Mandibles small, with six teeth (not five, as reported in the original description), the first, second and fourth the longest. Clypeus triangular with slight central carina, the anterior margin straight laterally with a weak central angle. Frontal area smooth. Frontal carinae short, without ridges. Eyes large, convex, positioned one-third from posterior margin of head, one and a half times longer than wide. Ocelli very small but distinct. Scapes extending one third their length past posterior margin of the head. Mesosoma smooth. Pronotum wider than the rest of the mesosoma, with large winglike projections projecting laterally, the upper surface of these projections with small foveate depressions. Sides of pronotum convex, widest one third posteriorly from pronotal humeri. Promesonotal suture distinct, concave and roughly square. Mesonotum much narrower than the rest of the mesosoma, tapering inwards anteriorly to a narrow constriction. Propodeum narrow, twice as long as wide, but wider than maximum width of mesonotum, expanded dorsally with two small, almost vertical spines. Rear face of propodeum concave and smooth. Petiole narrow and tall, narrowed to a sharp angle dorsally which is concave with two very small spines at each tip. Gaster simple. Legs slender and straight.

Measurements. Worker (n=10)—CI 91–94; HL 0.71–0.90 mm; HW 0.66–0.85 mm; ML 0.95–1.31 mm; MTL 0.57–0.80 mm; PronW 0.61–0.80; SI 109–118; SL 0.72–0.96 mm

Additional material examined. Australia: New South Wales: Mt. Warning (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC). Queensland: Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Pk. (Lawrence,J.F. & Lawrence,N.) (ANIC); Blackall Range (Greaves,T.) (ANIC); Brisbane, Mount Coot-tha Park (Kohout,R.J.) (ANIC); c. Binna Burra (Taylor,R.W.) (ANIC, MCZC); Cedar Creek, Tamborine (Ross, E.S. & Cavagnaro, D.Q.) (MCZC); Joalah Nat. Park, Tamborine Mt. (Taylor,R.W.) (ANIC); Maleny (Darlingtons) (MCZC); Mt. Glorious (Gressitt,J.L. & Gressitt,M.; Major, J.D.) (ANIC, BPBM); Mt. Tenison Woods (Monteith,G.B. & Sarnes, G.) (ANIC); Numinbah Arch (Lowery,B.B.) (ANIC); Palm Grove N.P., 8km ESE North Tamborine (Shattuck,S. O.) (ANIC).

Comments. Teratomyrmex greavesi is found in a restricted area of extreme south-east Queensland with a single record just across the border in New South Wales. The majority of collections are from rainforest with a single reported as being from dry sclerophyll. Foraging seems to be largely on low vegetation while nests occur in rotten wood on the ground.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Teratomyrmex greavesi (Palm Grove N. P., 8 km ESE North Tamborine, Queensland, ANIC 32 - 043662): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body.