Stictoponera gabata

The types were collected at the edge of a primary montane forest. Nothing else is known about the biology of this species.

Identification
Modified from Lattke (2004) - This species keys close to Stictoponera binghamii and to Stictoponera fontana. S. binghamii has much narrower occipital lobes when seen laterally and a lower posteromedian propodeal elevation and lacks the prominent posterolateral crests, as seen in S. gabata. Stictoponera gabata differs from S. fontana in the sharp angles separating the concave posterior cephalic margin from the sides when seen in frontal view. In S. fontana the posterior cephalic margin is relatively straight and the occipital lamella is inconspicuously visible in the background as a pair of small horns. S. gabata has smaller eyes than S. fontana and the anterior margin of the clypeal lamella forms an obtuse and blunt median angle. The subpetiolar process of S. gabata is more triangular than in S. fontana, without an acute posterior angle, and the propodeum has prominent posterolateral crests.

Distribution
Known from Sarawak.

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

Worker
Queens and males are unknown.

Nomenclature

 * . Gnamptogenys gabata Lattke, 2004: 111, fig. 23 (w.) BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sarawak; Indonesia: Kalimantan), WEST MALAYSIA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 4 paratype workers.
 * Type-locality: holotype Malaysia: Sarawak, Gunung Matang, 20 km. W Kuching, 800 m., 13.v.1994, no. 2a (I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt); paratypes: 1 worker with same data, 3 workers Sarawak, Gunung Penrissen, 1000 m., 23.v.1994, no. 9a (I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt).
 * Type-depositories: BMNH (holotype); BMNH, MIZA (paratypes).
 * Combination in Stictoponera: Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 12.
 * Status as species: Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 35; Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 12.
 * Distribution: Malaysia (Peninsula, Sarawak), Indonesia (Kalimantan).

Head densely foveolate in lateral view; occipital lamella convex, relatively broad. Humeral angle well developed, lamellate; pronotum anteroventrally with blunt point. Mesosomal dorsal margin, just posterad of denticles, with declivitous margin extending posterad in lateral view, forming shelf like outline. Propodeal declivity mostly smooth with posteromedian, parallel-sided raised area and prominent posterolateral crests.

Worker
Metrics. [Holotype] Paratypes (n = 3): HL [1.21] 1.03-1.20, HW [1.02] 0.89-1.00, ML [0.67] 0.54-0.64, SL [1.07] 0.90-1.02, ED [0.20] 0.19-0.22, WL [1.70] 1.45-1.69 mm. CI [0.84] 0.83-0.86, SI [1.05] 1.00-1.05, MI [0.66] 0.61-0.64, OI [0.20] 0.20-0.22. Head with broadly convex lateral margins in frontal view, posterior margin relatively flat, anterior margin of clypeal lamella converging medially to brief convex lobe; frons rugulose-foveolate; clypeus longitudinally strigulose, posterolaterally foveolate; scape mostly smooth with scattered longitudinal strigulae; head densely foveolate in lateral view; occipital lamella convex, relatively broad, curved or angular at either end. Mesosoma mostly densely foveolate in lateral view; humeral angle lamellate, pronotum anteroventrally with blunt point; mesopleuron with scattered longitudinal strigulae; anterodorsal metapleural extension slender; foveolae on lateral propodeal face not as dense as on pronotum; mesosomal and petiolar node dorsum mostly densely foveolate; propodeal declivity mostly smooth with posteromedian, parallel-sided raised area and prominent posterolateral crests, propodeal denticle slender, short. Petiolar node higher posterad than anterad in lateral view; ventral process projecting anterad, posteriorly angular; postpetiolar dorsum mostly smooth with scattered foveolae, each more abruptly depressed anterad than posterad, posterior margin with narrow strigulose strip; postpetiole laterally foveolate, foveolae not as oval as on dorsum; dorsum of abdominal segment 4 varying from mostly smooth to undulate with scattered punctae; posterior margin with narrow band of longitudinal strigulae; tergite anteroventrally with brief oblique strigulae; sternum strigulose. Fore coxa transversely strigulose in lateral view; fore tarsus opposite strigil with stout seta followed apically by row of slender setae; metacoxal tooth slender, slightly arched. Dorsum of thorax and abdominal segments 1-4 with scattered erect to subdecumbent hairs. Head, mesosoma, petiole, and gaster dark brown; mandibles, antennae, legs ferruginous brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Malaysia, Sarawak, Gunung Matang, 20km W Kuching, 800m, 13-v-1994, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt 2a. Deposited in. Paratypes. One worker on same pin as holotype deposited in. Two workers in, 1w in from Malaysia, Sarawak, Gunung Penrissen, 1000m, 23-v-1994, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt 9a.

Etymology
The species name is derived from the Latin noun for “dish” or “platter”, gabata (f.), and alludes to the broad posterolateral propodeal lobes.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Lattke J. E. 2004. A taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the ant genus Gnamptogenys Roger in Southeast Asia and Australasia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). University of California Publications in Entomology 122: 1-266.
 * 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