Rhytidoponera scabrior

Distribution
This taxon was described from Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  scabrior. Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) aspera var. scabrior Crawley, 1925b: 590 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of chalybaea: Brown, 1954g: 4. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Ward, 1980: 493.

Worker
Length 6 mm.

Rather smaller than the type. Colour similar, but the green of the thorax and petiole has more purple mingled with it.

Differs principally in the sculpture of the postpetiole and first segment of gaster. In aspera the postpetiole is covered with arched strial interspersed with shallow punctures, the space enclosed by the narrowed arches in the centre of the apical third being filled with fine vermicular reticulation; the following segment is smooth and shining in the centre, the sides with a slightly curved longitudinal striation, finer than on the postpetiole. In the variety the dorsum of the postpetiole is coarsely reticulate-punctate, with traces of ridges around the basal border, and the vermicular patch is much more extensive. The punctures are much larger, more abundant, and more clearly defined than in the type. In both the base of the segment beneath is striate. The following segment is entirely covered with a dense fine striation, finer in the type; the lines encircle the base, form a nucleus a third of the distance beyond, and from this point they run fanwise to the apical border.

The punctuation of the postpetiole is only slightly less coarse than on the thorax.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Crawley 1925b.pdf|Crawley, W. C. 1925b. New ants from Australia. - II. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9(16): 577-598 PDF]]