Rhytidoponera foveolata

Distribution
Heterick (2009) - SWBP, WA. Rhytidoponera foveolata is most common in the goldfields, although its distribution includes the Darling Range around Perth.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  foveolata. Rhytidoponera foveolata Crawley, 1925b: 581 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Clark, 1936: 70 (m.).

Worker
Length 8.5 mm.

Dark black-brown; mandibles, anteniue, and legs red-brown. A few scattered short pairs on the body, antennae, and legs; pubescence nil.

Head (from base of mandibles to occipital border) a fraction broader than long, only slightly narrower in front than behind, broadest at eyes, which are at the hinder third of sides. Occipital border almost concavity corresponding with the break in the slight occipital ridge. Both ridge and concavity are similar to those in punctata, but stronger. Sides of head feebly eon vex. Occipital shoulders moderately square. The scape passes the occipital border by more than one-third of its length. Mandibles minutely denticulate. Clypeus feebly convex, its anterior border depressed and forming a blunt angle. Frontal carinae five-eighths as wide behind as in front.

Thorax robust, the pronotum (which is not shouldered) hardly broader than the epinotum. In profile there is a slight impression at both sutures. The pronotum has a small acute spine at the lower angle. Petiole in profile not unlike that of punctata, but thinner, more concave in front, so that the apex projects forwards. From above it is narrower below and wider proportionately at the apex, the central impression deeper and narrower than in punctata. The node itself is broader than long. Beneath is a flat lamella ending anteriorly in a pointed tooth.

Whole insect shining. Mandibles and scapes striate. Whole of upper surface of head coarsely reticulate-punctate, the shining punctures more or less hexagonal and close together, leaving no space for ground-sculpture. Sides of head with a ground reticulation interspersed with small scattered circular punctures, mostly reticulate at the bottom. Back of head also reticulate with larger punctures. Sculpture of dorsum on thorax similar to that on upper surface of head, coarsest on the pronotum. Scapes longitudinally striate with a few punctures. Sides of thorax similar to the sides of head, but there are larger spaces bare of punctures; petiole similar, but the central impression closely and finely reticulate.

Postpetiole with a fine ground-reticulation, and, in addition, especially in front and at the sides, with broken fine striae interspersed with shallow elongate and ill-defined punctures; apical border rugose. First segment of gaster similar, but the superimposed sculpture is finer and the striae closer together, so that the segment appears to be longitudinally striate. On both the striae have a tendency to encircle the segments.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Gunawardene N.R. and J.D. Majer. 2004. Ants of the southern Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia: an investigation into patterns of association. Records of the Western Australian Museum 22: 219-239.
 * Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.