Pseudoneoponera sublaevis

Colonies of this queenless species are among the smallest known in all ants : 9±2.5 workers (sample of 12 colonies) (Peeters et al. 1991). Occurs in Australian Eucalyptus forests.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Biology
P. sublaevis reproduces via gamergates, but only a single worker in the colony is mated and performs all reproduction in the colony (Ito & Higashi, 1991; Peeters et al., 1991). Workers in a colony are organized in a strict linear hierarchy determined by age and by ritualized dominance displays (Higashi et al., 1994).

Colonies are exceptionally small (9±2.5 workers, sample of 12 colonies) (Peeters et al., 1991).

Castes
Winged queens are absent in this species

Nomenclature

 *  sublaevis. Bothroponera sublaevis Emery, 1887b: 442 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, W.M. 1918c: 299 (l.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952c: 621 (l.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971c: 387 (l.). Combination in Pachycondyla (Bothroponera): Emery, 1901a: 45; in Bothroponera: Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 22; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 310; in Bothroponera: Joma & Mackay, 2013: 2; in Pseudoneoponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 135. Current subspecies: nominal plus kurandensis, murina, reticulata (unresolved junior homonym), rubicunda.