Epopostruma curiosa

Epopostruma curiosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Epopostruma
Species:	E. curiosa
Binomial name
	Epopostruma curiosa; Shattuck, 2000 Specimen labels

This species is one of the most morphologically distinctive in the genus. Unfortunately nothing is known of its biology.

Identification

This species stands out from all others in the genus. It is unique in lacking pronotal spines and erect hairs on the upper surfaces of the mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster, the elongate, cone-shaped eyes and the enlarged petiole.

Keys including this Species

Key to Epopostruma Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -27.21666667° to -30.13333333°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Biology

Explore Overview of Epopostruma biology

While Epopostruma can be fairly common they are often overlooked. Workers are slow-moving and most lie motionless when disturbed. Their nests are small, with up to about 100 workers, and are found in open soil or in soil under rocks, logs or small sticks. They also nest in cracks in large rocks. When nesting in open soil they are often found near the bases of trees. Tree-trunks are clearly an important substrate for foraging workers.

Almost all species forage at night although one species is known to occasionally forage on mallee stems during the day. They are also regularly found in leaf litter. Workers have been attracted to honey baits on trees in the late evening and at night. Their elongate and specialised mandibles form a type of snap-trap which is used to captured soft-bodied prey such as Collembola. ‎

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

curiosa. Epopostruma curiosa Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 59, figs. 61, 73, 88 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Type Material

Holotype Specimen Labels

Holotype, worker, Killarney Gap, Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia, Room,P.M., ANIC32-003998, Australian National Insect Collection.

Description

In full face view the lateral margin of the head between the eye and the posterior corner a broad convexity. Eyes projecting laterally away from the head in a blunt cone. Pronotal spines absent. Posterior section of metanotum and dorsal surface of the propodeum forming a continuous surface. Posterior face of propodeum between bases of spines and propodeal lobes with broad flanges. Petiole greatly enlarged, lacking spines, postpetiole unusually small. Anterior face of postpetiole short and merging into the dorsal face; sides of postpetiole expanded laterally in the form of thin, solid wings, their outer margins convex; posterolateral margin of postpetiole (immediately anterior of gaster) flat. Dorsum of petiole, postpetiole and gaster lacking erect hairs. First gastral tergite smooth; gaster immediately behind attachment with gaster with short, longitudinal rugae. Body colour yellow-red, propodeal spines and flanges and petiole and postpetiole darker; gaster yellow with a dark central band.

Measurements

Holotype worker. TL 3.4mm, HL 0.74mm, HW 0.65mm, CI 88, MandL 0.43mm, MandI 58, SL 0.44mm, SI 68, PronW 0.44mm, ML 0.86mm.

References

Shattuck, S. O. 2000. Genus Colobostruma. Genus Mesostruma. Genus Epopostruma. Pp. 31-67 in: Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 57, worker described)