Eurhopalothrix philippina

The types were collected at ~ 600 m in the Cuernos de Negros Mountains on Negros Islands in the Philippines.

Identification
This species is easily recognized by means of its oddly-shaped head and reduced pilosity.

Key to Old World Basicerotini

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines.

Nomenclature

 *  philippina. Eurhopalothrix philippina Brown & Kempf, 1960: 224, figs. 47, 50 (w.q.) PHILIPPINES.

Worker
Holotype: TL 2.9, HL 0.66, HW 0.71 (CI 108), scape L 0.31, greatest diameter of eye ca. 0.05, WL 0.78 mm. Paratype workers (3): TL 2.8-3.0, HL 0.65-0.68, HW 0.70-0.74 (CI 108-109), scape L 0.39-0.40, greatest diameter of eye ca. 0.05, WL 0.77-0.83 mm.

This species is distinct in the shape of its head note especially the occipital lobes, with sharply converging posterolateral borders and gently rounded posterior angles, giving the head a roughly pentagonal outline. The lateral mandibular borders are very feebly concave to approximately straight, depending on how they are viewed.

The alitrunk is like that of Eurhopalothrix biroi, except that the propodeal lamellae are much wider in philippina. Petiolar node cuboidal, about as high as it is long seen from the side; seen from above, almost as long as wide. Petiolar peduncle with a low, rounded anteroventral process. Postpetiole elliptical, with a faint median impression, almost twice as broad as long and almost twice as wide as the petiolar node.

Erect specialized hairs limited to a single pair of slender clavate ones on the middle of the occiput, a fringe of spatulate ones along the anterior scape margins, and a few clavate ones on the apical gastric segments. Appressed, fine to spatulate ground pilosity very poorly developed, dilute and inconspicuous, only that of legs, gastric dorsum, upper surfaces of scapes and parts of the cephalic dorsum visible under ordinary light at 72X. Color deep reddish-brown, antennae and legs lighter.

Variation among the few paratypes, all from the same series and somewhat attacked by mold, is inconsequential.

Type Material
Holotype worker 3 paratype workers with the female paratype MCZ,  from the vicinty of Dr. J. W. Chapman's vacation "camp" in the Cuernos Mountains, near Dumaguete, Negros, Philippine Islands, altitude about 600 M. (Chapman leg.).