Dolichoderus etus

Dolichoderus etus is interesting in that while it is known from a fairly restricted region of eastern and coastal New South Wales it is found in forested habitats ranging from dry to wet sclerophyll. It is curious that a species with an apparently broad habitat range should be so geographically restricted. Nests are in soil under rocks.

Identification
Pronotum and propodeum with elongate spines; the short pronotal spines are directed anteriorly and approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, in dorsal view a line drawn between their tips intersects the pronotal collar; the first gastral tergite generally lacking hairs but with abundant appressed fine pubescence and occasionally a few very short, scattered hairs present.

Dolichoderus etus can be distinguished from all other Australian Dolichoderus species by its short, anteriorly directed pronotal spines combined with the general lack of erect hairs and the presence of very fine pubescence on the first gastral tergite.

Key to Australian Dolichoderus Species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  etus. Dolichoderus etus Shattuck & Marsden, 2013: 116, fig. 9 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Description
Other than slight variation in the intensity of leg colour, sometimes even within a single individual, all specimens are similar.

Measurements (n=5). CI 90–99; EI 17–20; EL 0.30–0.35; HL 1.73–1.91; HW 1.65–1.82; ML 2.73–2.93; MTL 1.84–2.11; PronI 66.21–69.32; PronW 1.13–1.21; SI 113–125; SL 1.99–2.15.