Dolichoderus affinis

Viehmeyer 1916: 141 - Malay Peninsula: beneath the bark of a branch of a dead tree; Le Pelley 1943: 79 - Philippines and Java: trophobiosis with Planococcus lilacinus (Cockerell) (Pseudococciclae); Manmohini Devi et al. 1987: 104 - India: trophobiosis with the aphids, Greenidea formosana heeri Raychaudhuri and Aphis gossypii Glover. Dill 2002 - often in trophobiotic associations with different pseudococcids, aphids (e. g. Pseudoregma sp.) and membracids [e.g. Ebhul varius (Walker)]; polygynous, nest in hollow, dead tree branch.

Identification
Dill (2002) - Morphologically near Dolichoderus thoracicus except for posterior margin of ascending dorsal face of propodeum more sharply edged and, in profile, distinctly overhanging the concavely curved declivity. Regarding this character, the affinis workers somewhat resemble those of Dolichoderus pilinomas of the Dolichoderus cuspidatus group. However, the propodeum of the latter rises distinctly higher.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore. Oriental Region: India, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China.

Biology
Malay Peninsula: polygynous; keeping aphids; nest in bamboo internodes and underneath loose bark; exuviae of Microdon pupae (Diptera: Syrphidae) in one nest; queens orientate towards light. As reported by Viehmeyer 1916 for the synonym ''D. affinis nigricans.

Nomenclature

 *  affinis. Dolichoderus affinis Emery, 1889b: 508, pl. 11, fig. 20 (w.) MYANMAR. Viehmeyer, 1916a: 141 (q.). Combination in D. (Hypoclinea): Emery, 1894c: 229. Senior synonym of nigricans: Xu, 1995a: 36. Current subspecies: nominal plus glabripes, mus.
 * nigricans. Dolichoderus affinis var. nigricans Emery, 1895k: 474 (w.) MYANMAR. Junior synonym of affinis: Xu, 1995a: 36.

Description
Worker

Bingham (1903): Reddish brow n to dark brown, the mandibles, antennae and legs lighter in colour; head, thorax and abdomen sparsely pilose and pubescent. Head shining, very finely closely punctate, longer than broad; cheeks and front very convex; mandibles proportionately large, the apical tooth long, acute and slightly curved; clypeus, antennae and eyes as in D. bituberculatus. Thorax: the pronotum slightly flit and anteriorly margined ; the mesonotum raised, somewhat flat, indistinctly medially sulcate ; metanotum slightly convex and sloping from back to front, its apical portion truncate and concave; the whole thorax irregularly but very distinctly punctured, wrinkled and sculptured, but not so coarsely as in D. bituberculatus; legs long, rather markedly pilose. Node of the pedicel inclined forward. thick at base, transverse above; abdomen somewhat elongately oval, smooth and shining, very convex above.

Length: 3.5 - 4 mm

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