Chimaeridris burckhardti

Known only from the worker holotype, nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
The three headed club of the antennae and the general form of the worker are quite Pheidole like in appearance. Chimaeridris differs from Pheidole in having a head that is larger than a typical Pheidole minor and smaller than a typical Pheidole major. The Chimaeridris worker mandibles are also hook shaped. Chimaeridris boltoni, the only other species in the genus, can be differentiated from Chimaeridris burckhardti by its larger size and by a number of other characters listed in the species description below.

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

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 * . Chimaeridris burckhardti Wilson, 1989: 66, fig. 2 (w.) BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sabah).
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Malaysia: Sabah, Mt Kinabalu, Liwagu Trail, 1500 m., 21.v.1987 (I. Löbl & D.H. Burckhardt)..
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 145; Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 44.
 * Distribution: Malaysia (Sabah).

Worker
Holotype. Head Width (exclusive of eyes) 0.46 rom, Head Length 0.50 mm, Scape Length 0.40 mm, Eye Length 0.08 mm, Pronotal Width 0.24 mm.

Known only from the holotype. C. burckhardti shares the diagnostic generic character states with Chimaeridris boltoni, and differs from it as follows:

(1) Smaller overall size.

(2) Proportionately larger head.

(3) Basal tooth of mandible overall narrower and more acute at tip.

(4) Occipital border more strongly concave.

(5) Promesonotum more strongly convex, its dorsal surface more elevated relative to that of the propodeum, and its dorsal border smoother in side view.

(6) Propodeal spine a short tooth only slightly longer than the propodeal spiracle is wide (in C. boltoni it is several times longer than the spiracular width and about as long as the posterior propodeal face).

(7) A generally much lighter sculpturation. No rugoreticulum is present, and foveolae are absent over the body except for the propodeum and posterior margin of the katepisternum; hence most of the body is smooth and shining. Abundant costulae (low ridges) occur over all of the head, arranged in concentric circles away from a center at the antennal fossa to a distance halfway to the eye, and mostly in parallel longitudinal rows elsewhere. The clypeus bears two horizontal costulae on each of its lateral wings, in contrast to several longitudinal costulae in C. boltoni. The promesonotum, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster are mostly smooth and shining.

(8) Entire body and all of appendages concolorous brownish yellow.

Type Material
Holotype (unique): Liwagu Trail, Mt. Kinabalu, 1500 m; Ivan Lobi and Daniel H. Burckhardt May 21, 1987; specimen placed in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva.

Etymology
This species is named for Daniel Burckhardt, who helped collect the holotype and generously made it available for the present study.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58