Dolichoderus clusor

Dolichoderus clusor has been collected in Banksia woodlands (Heterick, 2009) and dry sclerophyll where it forages on tree trunks. It is currently known from two widely disjunct populations, one near Perth, Western Australia and the other in the general vicinity of Adelaide, South Australia.

Identification
Sculpturing on head consisting of large, shallow to moderately deep fovea; dorsum of pronotum essentially smooth and shiny, the sculpturing at most very fine; pronotum and propodeum lacking spines; posterior face of propodeum separated from the dorsal face by a distinct carina, posterior face deeply concave; pubescence on first gastral tergite abundant, the individual hairs overlapping.

This species most closely resembles Dolichoderus scrobiculatus and Dolichoderus turneri; however the smooth sculpturing and shiny surface of the pronotum will distinguish D. clusor from both of these. Additionally, D. clusor is currently only known from South Australia and Western Australia while D. scrobiculatus and D. turneri occur in northeastern New South Wales and Queensland.

Identification Keys including this Taxon

 * Key to Australian Dolichoderus Species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Biology
Wheeler (1934), Rottnest Island: Numerous workers taken by Dr. Darlington, Dr. Dixson and myself near Government House (X.22.'31) and at Longreach Bay (X.24.'31). In the former locality they were nesting in a mass of dead, compressed grass under a stone.

Nomenclature

 *  clusor. Dolichoderus clusor Forel, 1907h: 285 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in D. (Hypoclinea): Emery, 1913a: 12. See also: Clark, 1930b: 262.

Description
Pilosity on first gastral tergite varying from fairly thin to quite abundant and thick. Otherwise all specimens similar.

Measurements (n=5). CI 83–88; EI 29–35; EL 0.26–0.29; HL 0.94–1.04; HW 0.78–0.91; ML 1.25–1.46; MTL 0.69–0.75; PronI 63.77–68.87; PronW 0.53–0.63; SI 108–118; SL 0.89–1.00.

There is some variation in the abundance of pilosity on the first gastral tergite, which varies from fairly thin to quite abundant and thick. In general South Australian material is hairier than specimens found in Western Australia. However, this variation is continuous and shows a geographic pattern, suggesting that it is intraspecific rather than interspecific.