Anochetus subcoecus

This species has been collected from leaf litter in primary forest.

Identification
Chen et al. (2019) - China: This species can be easily separated from other named species of this genus by its very small eyes and distinct propodeal teeth.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan, Tibet. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 * . Anochetus subcoecus Forel, 1912a: 46 (w.) TAIWAN.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Taiwan (“Formosa”): Kosempo (H. Sauter).
 * Type-depository: DEIE.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 59; Teranishi, 1940: 56; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 42; Brown, 1978c: 559, 590; Terayama, 1989a: 28; Wang, M. 1993a: 226 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 65; Lin & Wu, 2003: 67; Terayama, 2009: 116; Zhou & Ran, 2010: 103; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 58; Leong, Tsai, et al. 2018: 128 (in key); Chen, Yang & Zhou, 2019: 68 (redescription).
 * Distribution: China, Taiwan.

Worker
TL 4.90–5.34, HL 1.05–1.11, HW 0.94–0.97, CI 85–87, SL 0.80– 0.83, SI 82–84, ED 0.08–0.09, PW 0.54–0.56, MSL 1.16–1.19, PL 0.20–0.21, PH 0.44–0.45, DPW 0.24–0.26, LPI 246–250, DPI 118–121 (n = 5). In full-face view head longer than broad, posterior margin strongly concave. Mandibles linear, gradually broadened apically; inner margin without denticles; apical portion with three distinct teeth. Antennae 12-segmented; scapes short, not reaching to posterior corner of head. Eyes very small.

In lateral view mesosoma stout. Pronotum moderately convex. Promesonotal suture narrowly impressed. Dorsal margin of mesonotum nearly straight, weakly sloping posteriorly. Metanotal groove weakly concave. Dorsum of propodeum almost straight, posterodorsal corner with a pair of short blunt teeth. Petiole thin and erect, long triangle shaped, narrowing apically, anterior margin straight, posterior margin weakly convex, dorsal margin acute; subpetiolar process developed, nearly rectangular and angled ventrally.

Frons and vertex longitudinally striate, remainder of head punctate, frontal lobes weakly striate, clypeus and antennal scrobes smooth and shining. Mesosoma, petiole and gaster smooth and shining, propodeum weakly punctate.

Dorsum of head with scattered suberect hairs and dense subdecumbent pubescence; dorsa of mesosoma and gaster with abundant suberect hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence; scapes and tibiae with dense subdecumbent dense subdecumbent pubescence. Body yellowish brown.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Brown Jr., W.L. 1978. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, Tribe Ponerini, Subtribe Odontomachiti, Section B. Genus Anochetus and Bibliography. Studia Entomologia 20(1-4): 549-XXX
 * Brown W.L. Jr. 1978. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section B. Genus Anochetus and bibliography. Studia Ent. 20(1-4): 549-638.
 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * Chen Y., C.-W. Luo, H. W Li, Z. H. Xu, Y. J. Liu, and S. J. Zhao. 2011. The investigation of soil ant resources on the West slope of Mt Ailao. Hubei Agricultural Sciences 50(7): 1356-1359.
 * Chen Z., Z. Yang, and S. Zhou. 2019. Review of the ant genus Anochetus Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from China, with revival of the valid status of Anochetus gracilis. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 68: 49–74.
 * Fontanilla A. M., A. Nakamura, Z. Xu, M. Cao, R. L. Kitching, Y. Tang, and C. J. Burwell. 2019. Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along tropical, subtropical, and subalpine elevational transects in southwest China. Insects 10, 128; doi:10.3390/insects10050128
 * Forel A. 1912. H. Sauter's Formosa-Ausbeute. Formicidae (Hym.) (Schluss). Entomol. Mitt. 1: 45-61.
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
 * Liu X. 2012. Taxonomy, diversity and spatial distribution characters of the ant family Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in southeastern Tibet. PhD Thesis 139 pages
 * Liu X., Z. Xu, N. Yu, and C. Zhang. 2016. Distribution patterns of ant species ( Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Galongla Mountains and Medog Valley of Southeastern Tibet. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 52(11): 88-95.
 * Lu Z., and Y. Chen. 2016. Effects of habitat on ant functional groups: a case study of Luchun County, Yunnan Province, China. Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture 24(5): 801-810.
 * Song Y., Z Xu, C Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F Mo. 2013. An analysis on the ant fauna of the Nangun River Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Song Y., Z. Xu, C. Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F. Mo. 2013. An Analysis on the Ant Fauna of the Nangun river Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
 * Terayama M. 1989. The ant tribe Odontomachini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Taiwan, with a description of a nes species. Edaphologia 40: 25-29.
 * Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
 * Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Terayama. M. and Inoue. N. 1988. Ants collected by the members of the Soil Zoological Expedition to Taiwan. ARI Reports of the Myrmecologists Society (Japan) 18: 25-28
 * Wheeler W. M. 1929. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in Formosa, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 24: 27-64.
 * Xu Z. 1999. [An analysis on the ant fauna of the tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna of China.] Zoological Research 20: 379-384.
 * Zhang N. N., Y. Q. Chen, Z. X. Lu, W. Zhang, and K. L. Li. 2013. Species diversity, community structure difference and indicator species of leaf-litter ants in rubber plantations and secondary natural forests in Yunnan, southwestern China. Acta Entomologica Sinica 56(11): 1314-1323.