Pristomyrmex wheeleri

This species occurs in rainforest, nesting in the soil, usually under or between rocks, often in a tangle of small plant roots; it probably restricts its foraging activity to the soil and leaf litter (Taylor, 1965, 1968).

Identification
A member of the quadridens species group.

Wang (2003) - Worker. Masticatory margin of mandible with three teeth; anterior clypeal margin at most with three teeth; propodeal spine length ca. 0.18 to 0.28, about equal to or slightly longer than pronotal spines; dorsum of alitrunk smooth, but with a transverse ridge present at the approximate position of metanotal groove; petiole node and postpetiole dorsally with some hairs; first gastral tergite lacking hairs.

Pristomyrmex wheeleri occurs occurs in East Australia. Its two close relatives are Pristomyrmex erythropygus and Pristomyrmex quadridentatus, also from East Australia. Characters separating P. wheeleri from P. erythropygus and from P. quadridentatus are provided under P. erythropygus and under P. quadridentatus, respectively.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  wheeleri. Pristomyrmex wheeleri Taylor, 1965b: 48, figs. 11-13; pl. 3 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Wang, M. 2003: 480 (q. and ergatoid q.)

Worker
Wang (2003) - TL 3.26-4.54, HL 0.92-1.17, HW 0.97-1.34, C I 103-116, SL 0.94-1.18, SI 88-100, EL 0.17-0.24; PW 0.56-0.74, AL 0.88- 1.08, PPW 0.24-0.31, PPL 0.22-0.28, PPI 104- 122 (n = 40).

Mandibles usually smooth and shining, except for some small hair pits. Masticatory margin of mandible with three teeth arranged as an apical + a preapical + a long diastema + a somewhat truncated basal tooth. Basal margin of mandible lacking a curved lobe or tooth. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina. Anterior clypeal margin usually with three strong teeth: a median tooth and one on each side, but sometimes the median tooth weak or vestigial. Ventral surface of clypeus usually with a short transverse carina. Palp formula 2,2. Frontal carinae not or just extending to the level of the posterior margins of the eyes. Antennal scrobes absent. Frontal lobes nearly completely absent; thus, the antennal articulations are almost entirely exposed. Antennal scapes, laid on the dorsal head, slightly surpassing the occipital margin. Eyes usually containing eight to nine ommatidia in the longest row. Pronotal spines varying in length from 0.12 to 0.28. Propodeal spines (ca. 0.18-0.28) equal to or slightly longer than the pronotal spines. Metapleural lobes small, usually triangular. Petiole node in profile with a long anterior peduncle; its anterodorsal angle is on a higher level than the posterodorsal; sometimes posterodorsal angle indistinct, showing a single curved surface. Postpetiole in dorsal view slightly broader than long and broadening from front to back. Dorsum of head smooth and shining. Dorsum of alitrunk smooth, but with a transverse ridge present at the approximate position of metanotal groove. Petiole, postpetiole, and gaster smooth and shining. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk with numerous erect or suberect long hairs. A pair of long hairs bilaterally distributed on the dorsum of petiole node and on the postpetiole, respectively; sometimes the crests of both petiole node and postpetiole with additional one to two pairs of short hairs. First gastral tergite lacking erect or suberect hairs. Usually, three pairs of forward-projecting hairs present near the anterior clypeal margin. Scapes and tibiae with some erect to suberect short hairs. Color: head deep reddish-brown; alitrunk, pedicel segments, and gaster yellow-brown to reddish-brown.

Queen
Wang (2003) - Ergatoid. TL 4.06, HL l.08, HW l.16, CI 107, SL l.06, SI 91, EL 0.21, PW 0.68, AL l.06, PSL1 0.18, PSL2 0.25, PPW 0.28, PPL 0.26, PPI 108 (n = l. Note : This is a paratype).

Similar to worker; color and pilosity as in worker, but head with three ocelli and promesonotum convex. Flight sclerites and wings lacking, but a black speck is present on each lateral margin of the mesonotum.

Queen. TL 4.62- 5.06, HL l.09-l.28, HW l.18-l.42, CI 107-115, SL l.06-l.20, SI 82-90, EL 0.22- 0.28, PW 0.80-0.90, AL l.14-l.34, PPW 0.30-0.36, PPL 0.26-0.30, PPI 107-133 (n = 5 ).

General shape with normal caste differences from the conspecific worker; a pair of acute minute spines present on the humeral angles of the pronotum; propodeal spines rather long, ca. 0.20 to 0.24; other characters similar to worker.