Stictoponera palamala

This species is only known from types. These specimens were collected from a mixed dipterocarp forest.

Identification
Lattke (2004) - The shape of the mandibles, the smooth mandibular dorsum, and the dorsal bulge of the fourth abdominal tergite make this species easy to determine.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Malaysia.

Castes
Queen and male are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  palamala. Gnamptogenys palamala Lattke, 2004: 141, fig. 32 (w.) BORNEO.

Mandibular dorsum mostly smooth with scattered punctulae, masticatory margin separated from internal margin by sharp angle, the masticatory and internal margins diverging from each other. Tergite of abdominal segment 4 with basal half longitudinally strigose and bulging in lateral view, apical half transversely strigose and straight in lateral view.

Worker
Metrics. [Holotype] Paratype (n = 1): HL [1.51] 1.78, HW [1.29] 1.32, ML [0.77] 0.80, SL [1.35] 1.45, ED [0.25] 0.28, WL [2.06] 2.24 mm. CI [0.85] 0.74, SI [1.05] 1.10, MI [0.51] 0.61, OI [0.19] 0.21. Head with subparallel lateral margins in frontal view, posterior margin medially straight with lateral lobes slightly projecting posterad; anterior margin of clypeus forms obtuse angle with median blunt point, lamella not well developed; cephalic vertex with carina that borders posterior margin, joining both occipital lobes; frons densely foveolate, almost areolate, with fine longitudinal sulcus extending posterad of frontal triangle and ending at eye height; clypeus posteromedially foveolate, anteriorly longitudinally striate; mandibular dorsum mostly smooth with scattered punctulae, masticatory margin with low denticles and separated from internal margin by sharp angle, the two margins diverging from each other; scape longitudinally strigulose and punctate; occipital lamella angular at both ends.

Anteroventral margins of pronotum form sharp point in lateral view; anteroventral margin of anepisterum with smooth and prominent carinae; katepisternum wedge shaped; mesosoma densely foveolate; promesonotal suture brief; mesosoma with evenly convex dorsal margin curving posterad to peg like propodeal denticle in lateral view, then briefly concave before becoming convex again. Petiolar node evenly convex, areolate in lateral view; ventral process forming narrow, anteriorly placed lobe; postpetiolar dorsum with dense round foveolae anteriorly, posteriorly becoming less dense and oval; sternum medially smooth; tergite of abdominal segment 4 with basal half longitudinally strigose and bulging in lateral view, apical half transversely strigose and straight in lateral view. Fore coxae with low to prominent transverse strigulae in lateral view; fore tarsus opposite of strigil with row of stout setae. Head, mesosoma, petiole, and gaster reddish to dark brown; mandibles, antennae, legs brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Malaysia, Sarawak, Fourth Division, Gunung Mulu Natl. Pk., P.E. Hammond & J.E. Marshall, v-viii-1978, BM 1978-49. Deposited in. Paratype. One worker on the same pin as holotype, deposited in BMNH.

Etymology
The species name is a compound epithet derived from the feminine Latin nouns for “shovel,” pala, and “jawbone,” mala. It alludes to the shovel-like mandibles of this species.