Huberia

The little that is known about the biology of what is New Zealand's only endemic ant genus is given on the species pages of the two Huberia species: Huberia brounii and Huberia striata.

Identification
Brown (1958) - The two known species of Huberia are typically myrmicine in habitus, and are generally considered to be related to Monomorium, which genus they do resemble in many points. Huberia, however, has 11 antennal segments in the worker and female, and 12 segments In the male, or one less for each of the castes than Monomorium usually has; even the 11-segmented Monomorium species have 13-segmented antennae in the male caste. With palpal segment counts, the situation is reversed; Huberia workers and females have 5 maxillary and 3 labial segments, and the male of H. striata, at least, has this count also; Monomorium antarcticum has 3 maxillary segments and 2 labial, while workers of a number of other species of Monomorium all have 2, 2 counts (males commonly 3, 2). The clypeus in Huberia has a median longitudinal sulcus usually distinct, but distinct carinae are not present on either side of it as is normal for Monomorium.

Huberia has a slender alitrunk in the worker, with deeply impressed metanotal groove and paired stout, acute teeth on the propodeum. The petiole is pedunculated and unarmed, the postpetiole rounded above and also unarmed; gaster not truncate anteriorly. The worker and female have more or less extensive areas of striation on head and alitrunk, though in H. striata, the body may often be predominantly smooth and shining. Gaster smooth and shining. Hairs fine and tapered, not unusually abundant.

Distribution
The genus is confined to New Zealand and neighboring islands.

Nomenclature

 *  HUBERIA [Myrmicinae: Myrmicini]
 * Huberia Forel, 1890b: cv. Type-species: Tetramorium striatum, by monotypy.