Turneria frenchi

The identity of this species is currently uncertain. It was originally described in the genus Turneria by Forel (1911), transferred to Stigmacros by Shattuck (1990) and then back to Turneria by Taylor (1992). Type material is apparently lost and until it is found or replaced the status of this taxon is unlikely to be resolved.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  frenchi. Turneria frenchi Forel, 1911b: 207 (footnote) (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Stigmacros: Shattuck, 1990: 105; in Turneria: Taylor, 1992a: 67.

Description
Based on the original description, T. frenchi possesses the following characters: eyes convex and placed laterally on head, antennae exceeding occipital border, mesosoma margined laterally, promesonotal suture and metanotal groove deeply impressed, declivitous face of propodeum with dentiform processes basally, scale notched dorsally, and the integument smooth and shiny.

The identity of Turneria frenchi Forel (1911:207, worker from an unspecified locality in Australia) is problematic. Type material could not be located by Shattuck (1990) and is apparently lost. It is not present in the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique (P. Dessart, pers. comm.), which is the "Musée de Bruxelles" mentioned as the type depository in the original description. Shattuck (1990) could not find any specimens that agreed with the original description of this species but did find a single worker specimen identified by W. C. Crawley as T. frenchi, housed in. This specimen is an apparently undescribed species of Stigmacros (Campostigmacros), suggesting that Forel's specimen may well have been a Stigmacros as well.

However, Taylor (1992) found these arguments too speculative and moved this species back to Turneria. This is its currently placement.