Vombisidris freyae

This species was collected only during nocturnal beating of low vegetation in a transect study (General et al., 2020), suggesting that V. freyae is a nocturnal, arboreal forager.

Identification
General (2020) - With typical Vombisidris dentition; subocular groove complete, almost straight; sparse, blunt erect setae on dorsum of head and body; body, except gaster, rugoreticulate; gaster largely smooth, but with short basigastral costulae; metanotal groove absent; body concolorous golden yellow, with pale yellow legs.

There are two species of Vombisidris known to occur in the Philippines. They can be distinguished from one another using the following couplet:


 * Head and body dark brown; antennal scrobe indistinct; subocular groove sinuate; propodeal spiracle low, situated at the level of the propodeal spine . . . . . Vombisidris philippina


 * Head and body golden yellow; antennal scrobe distinct but shallow; subocular groove straight; propodeal spiracle high on the side, situated higher than base of propodeal spine . . . . . Vombisidris freyae

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines.

Nomenclature

 * . Vombisidris freyae General, 2020: 33, figs. 1-3 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon).
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 2 paratype workers.
 * Type-locality: holotype Philippines: Luzon I., Camarines Sur Prov., Mt Isarog Natural Park, Municipality of Pili, Del Rosario Village, 600 m., 23.ii.2019 (D.E.M. General, et al.); paratypes with same data.
 * Type-depositories: UPLB (holotype); MCZC, NMPM (paratypes).
 * Distribution: Philippines (Luzon).

Worker
Holotype, (two paratype specimens shown in parenthesis): HL 0.63 (0.69, 0.64); HW 0.56 (0.63, 0.60); SL 0.41 (0.46, 0.45); EL 0.16 (0.16, 0.15); WL 0.83 (0.94, 0.88); PW 0.43 (0.46, 0.45); FL 0.50 (0.55, 0.51); CI 90 (91, 94); SI 73 (74, 75); EI 29 (26, 25); FI 89 (88, 85).

Head longer than broad, lateral margins behind eyes subparallel; dorsum rugoreticulate, with microreticulate interstices. Torulus obscured by short, narrow frontal lobes. Antennal scrobes shallow, with smaller reticulation than head dorsum, dorsally bordered by frontal carinae that are scarcely more pronounced than rugoreticulum. Subocular groove complete, almost straight. Clypeus reticulate, convex in lateral view; in full-face view, true anterior clypeal margin medially convex but not obscured by convexity of clypeus. Compound eye with 8-9 ommatidia in longest row. Mandibles smooth, with faint longitudinal striation. Dorsum of mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole with coarse rugoreticulum. In lateral view, dorsum of mesosoma weakly convex; metanotal groove obsolete; propodeum follows the slight curvature of the mesosomal outline; propodeal declivity sharply sloped downward; propodeal spines situated at the top of the propodeal declivity, distinctly curved in dorsal view; propodeal spiracle high on the side, well separated from the metapleural gland bulla; petiolar peduncle without teeth protecting petiolar spiracle; petiolar spiracle at about midlength of peduncle; dorsal face of peduncle forming a very obtuse angle with the anterior face of petiolar node; subpetiolar and subpostpetiolar processes present. In dorsal view, postpetiole subtrapezoidal, widest anteriorly. Gaster ovate, dorsally smooth except for short basigastral costulae, with blunt erect setae slightly shorter than those on mesosoma. Sting simple and functional. Pilosity: Dorsum of head and body with long erect blunt setae. Setae on dorsum of mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole longer than those on head dorsum. Colour: Head, body, gaster, mandibles, and antennae golden yellow; legs light yellow.

Etymology
This species is lovingly dedicated to the author’s granddaughter, Freya Marie General Booth.