Chronoxenus butteli

Turneria butteli Forel was transferred to Chronoxenus by Heterick and Shattuck (2011). This taxon had previously been placed in Iridomyrmex (Shattuck, 1990). However, the broadly arcuate anterior clypeal margin and the narrow mandible with reduced dentition exclude it from Iridomyrmex. Although the queen is dealated, her appearance is consistent with subtribe Bothriomyrmecina (sensu Dubovikoff, 2005). As the wings are not present and the palps are not visible, the important diagnostic characters for separating the members of the Bothriomyrmecina cannot be used in this case. Given the provenance of the specimen (Sumatra), the ant is unlikely to belong to Arnoldius, Bothriomyrmex or Nebothriomyrmex, although a conclusion cannot be reached for Loweriella, for which the queen is unknown. However, the balance of probabilities is with Chronoxenus—the queen in this instance is very similar morphologically to the holotype queen of Chronoxenus wroughtonii javanus Forel—and the holotype specimen of I. butteli is provisionally placed in that genus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia.

Nomenclature

 *  butteli. Turneria butteli Forel, 1913k: 92 (q.) INDONESIA (Sumatra). Combination in Iridomyrmex: Shattuck, 1990: 105; in Chronoxenus: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 166.