Eurhopalothrix omnivaga

The type specimens were collected from Berlese funnel extractions of rainforest leaf-litter or mould.

Identification
Key to Old World Basicerotini

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

Nomenclature

 *  omnivaga. Eurhopalothrix omnivaga Taylor, 1990b: 413, figs. 24-26, 50 (w.q.) WEST MALAYSIA.

Worker
All Class A attributes present, with those of Class B, unless otherwise indicated. Dimensions (mm): HL 0.66; HW 0.71; CI 108; ML 0.21; MI 32; SL 0.42; SI 59; PW 0.44; WL 0.81. Posterior borders of mandibles oblique, framing a narrow, roughly triangular transverse gap against the clypeus when closed. Eyes moderately large, with 6-8 facets. Occipital border broadly, distinctly, but relatively very shallowly emarginate; posterior occipital angles almost obliterated, broadly rounded and very obtuse (about 120°). Petiolar node in dorsal view essentially square, its length and breadth subequal (any bias longitudinal). One pair of specialised enlarged hairs only on frons, each hair clavate, barely expanded, very slender, almost parallel-sided and apically pointed. Such hairs are apparently normally lacking on promesonotum, petiolar node, postpetiole, and dorsum of first gastral tergite; a few large hairs, as usual, at the gastral apex. Ground pilosity almost lacking, except a few small hairs on the postpetiolar dorsum, scapes, tibiae and tarsi, and exceedingly minute hairs in the punctures of the first gastral tergum.

Mainland Malaysian specimens and those from the Kuching area collectively have HW 0.66-0.75; the 3 from Gunong Mulu 0.65-0.70; those from Sabah 0.63-0.68, and specimens from Sulawesi 0•63-0•66. Reduction in average size of E. omnivaga workers from west to east thus seems evident. The series from Liwa, Sumatra, has the largest specimens of all with HW 0.73-0.78.

Queen
General features as in the worker, with the usual differences of full alate sexuality. Specialised posterior cephalic hairs as in worker. Additional such hairs (maximum known complement; apart from those at the gastral apex) as follows: a single hair above each eye [represented in 4 of 7 specimens (these from Sungei Simei Falls, Quoin Hill and Sepilok), and thus probably easily lost]; those of pronotum, scutum and scutellum as described for Eurhopalothrix jennya (and apparently homologous); a single posterolateral pair on postpetiole, apparently homologous with those of other species (although they are lacking on E. omnivaga workers); gastral hairs more abundant than in the worker, less-clearly deployed in longitudinal rows (again similar to the condition in E. jennya). The mesosomal hairs seem to be easily shed, and most specimens have an incomplete complement.

Type Material
W. Malaysia: Selangor: Ulu Combak Field Station, near Kula Lumpur (03°08'N., 101°42'E.). All specimens from Berlese funnel extractions of rainforest leaf litter or mould. Holotype and most paratypes in (type No. 7780); holotype gold-palladium coated for SEM study. Worker paratypes in, , , , MKUB, MKUC.