Metapone tricolor

Identification
Head relatively elongate and narrow in frontal view (CI 66–68). Petiolar node in dorsal view clearly much longer than wide. A species possibly restricted to dry sclerophyll habitats (apparently widespread in Eastern Australia, far north Queensland to Victoria and SE South Australia (gyne only, Figs 141–145)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  tricolor. Metapone tricolor McAreavey, 1949: 4, figs. 17-19 (q.) AUSTRALIA.

Description
Gyne diagnosis. General features as described by McAreavey (1949) and in the key and figures presented here. Clypeus narrowed anteriorly, with slight anterolateral extensions, barely denticles. Subpetiolar process, relatively simple; subpetiolar lamella translucent, almost semicircular and nearly as long as the ventral edge; posterior subpetiolar surface approximately equilaterally-triangular, its outer edges minutely carinate. Distinguished from most other known Australian Metapone species by medium size, (HW 0.84–0.89), narrow, elongate head (CI 66–68), relatively light sculpturation, and the clypeal and subpetiolar structure. Gynes of the larger Australian Metapone species have the collective HW range of 0.99–1.45. The M. mathinnae worker holotype has HW 0.84, CI 78, and the type series M. tecklini gynes HW 0.83–0.92, CI 75–77. Dimensions: (holotype, Strathalbyn specimen, Kangaroo Island specimen): TL: ca 7.8, 6.7, 7.4; HL: 1.31, 1.27, 1.29; HW: 0.89, 0.84, 0.88; CI: 68, 66, 68; CpL: 0.41, 0.42, 0.43; CpI: 31, 33, 33; MSL: 2.33, 2.16, 2.29; ScW: 0.79, 0.75, 0.74; PetL: 0.63, 0.55, 0.58; PetW: 0.45, 0.47, 0.49; PetH: 0.82, 0.73, 0.78; PpetL: 0.56, 0.45, 048; PpetW: 0.63, 0.56, 0.61; PpetH: 0.71, 0.63, 0.66; GW: 0.97, 0.92, 96. Measurements of the Strathalbyn specimen apart from TL are separately all within 87–97% of those of the holotype (mean 92%), for the Kangaroo Island specimen 88–99% (mean 96%). The least consistent dimensions are those of the petiole and postpetiole, indicating differences in relative proportions