Vollenhovia oblonga

Key
Indian Vollenhovia
 * Mesosoma smooth and shiny, with a few delicate scattered punctures anteriorly; mandibles with 6 teeth; body length ≤ 2 mm . . . . . .Vollenhovia oblonga (subspecies laevithorax, larger size worker 3.75—4.0 mm)
 * Mesosoma punctured; mandibles with 7 teeth; body length ≥ 2.5 mm Vollenhovia gastropunctata

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: Guam, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Guinea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu. Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  oblonga. Myrmica oblonga Smith, F. 1860b: 107 (w.) INDONESIA (Batjan I.). Wheeler, W.M. 1919e: 144 (q.). Combination in Vollenhovia: Emery, 1897d: 560. Senior synonym of poneroides: Emery, 1897d: 560; Donisthorpe, 1932c: 463. Current subspecies: nominal plus alluaudi, bandarensis, dispar, laevithorax, pedestris, rufescens.
 * poneroides. Myrmica poneroides Smith, F. 1860b: 107 (q.) INDONESIA (Batjan I.). Combination in Vollenhovia: Mayr, 1886c: 361. Junior synonym of oblonga: Emery, 1897d: 560; Donisthorpe, 1932c: 463.

Type Material


Myrmica oblonga

Two worker syntypes in. Labelled “Bac.” (= Batjan I.). One specimen has the gaster missing.

Myrmica poneroides

Three queen syntypes in (2 on one card, 1 on another), one queen syntype in. The singleton labelled “Batchian.” (= Batjan I.), the others labelled “Bac.” Both  cards also have old labels, “Myrmica poneroides.”

Description
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description (Smith, 1860) page 107 as Myrmica oblonga.

Worker

Length - 1 ¾ line.

Obscure ferruginous, with the antennae, head anteriorly, mandibles, legs, and the apex of the abdomen, pale ferruginous. The head oblong and delicately striated; the eyes small and placed forward at the sides of the head. Thorax smooth and shining, with a few delicate scattered punctures anteriorly. Abdomen oblong-ovate, the apex pointed; thinly sprinkled with pale glittering hairs.

Hab. Bachian.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H. 2011. List of Indian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Halteres 3: 79-87.
 * CSIRO Collection
 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * Clouse R. M. 2007. The ants of Micronesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Micronesica. 39: 171-295.
 * Clouse, R.M. 2007. The ants of Micronesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Micronesica 39(2): 171-295.
 * Field Museum Collection, Chicago, Illinois (C. Moreau)
 * Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
 * Lucky A., L. E. Alonso, E. Sarnat, and J. Hulr. 2015. Ants and scolytine beetles. In: Richards, S.J. and N. Whitmore (editors) 2015. A rapid biodiversity assessment of Papua New Guinea's Hindenburg Wall region. Wildlife Conservation Society Papua New Guinea Program. Goroka, PNG.
 * Smith F. 1863. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Mysol, Ceram, Waigiou, Bouru and Timor. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 7: 6-48.
 * Smith F. 1865. Descriptions of new species of hymenopterous insects from the islands of Sumatra, Sula, Gilolo, Salwatty, and New Guinea, collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 8: 61-94.
 * Smith, Fr. "Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the Islands of Bachian, Kaisaa, Amboyna, Gilolo, and at Dory in New Guinea." Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 5 (1860): 93-143.
 * Taylor R. W. 1976. The ants of Rennell and Bellona Islands. Natural History of Rennell Island, British Solomon Islands 7: 73-90.
 * 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.
 * Taylor R. W. 1991. Nomenclature and distribution of some Australasian ants of the Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 30: 599-614.
 * Terayama M., and S. Haruhiko. 2005. Ants from Guam Island, Mariana islands, Micronesia. Ari 27: 1-5.
 * Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1919. The ants of Borneo. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 63:43-147.
 * Wheeler, William Morton. 1927. The Ants of Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 62(4): 121-153
 * Wilson, Edward O. 1959. The Ants of Rennell and Bellona Islands. Nat. Hist. Rennell Isl. By Solomon Isl. 4:13-23.