Echinopla wardi

The holotype was collected from low vegetation in second-growth rain forest.

Identification
Zettel and Laciny (2015) - A member of the Echinopla serrata group. Predominantly black, small species, TL = 3.8–4.3. Surface polyporous, dorsal margins of mesosoma with sharp tubercles. Head wider than long (CI = 110). Mesosoma roughly 1.25 times as long as pronotal width (MI 122–126), with sharp and deep incision in front of propodeum. Pronotal width equal to head width, if eyes excluded. Propodeum shorter than promesonotum. Petiole dentate, with three sharp teeth laterally below lateral spine. Gaster tergite 1 about one fourth longer than wide, anteriorly with relatively large pores and shiny interspaces; disk with dense subcumbent pilosity. Setae on dorsal surface, legs and scape relatively short. Setae on tibia reaching or surpassing base of distally following setae.

Echinopla wardi is similar to Echinopla australis from Australia, but this species has yellow legs and funiculus, relatively long pilosity, and pronotal width distinctly smaller than head width. According to the original description (André 1892), Echinopla rugosa from Borneo has similar structures of mesosoma and petiole, but differs by uniformly black colour with bronze shimmer and slightly smaller size. Unfortunately the holotype depository of this enigmatic species is unknown and no further specimen has become known. See also notes for Echinopla madli and Echinopla brevisetosa.

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

Nomenclature

 *  wardi. Echinopla wardi Zettel & Laciny, 2015: 104, figs. 5-8 (w.) MALAYSIA.

Worker
Holotype: TL 3.8; HW1 1.11; HW2 1.02; HL 1.01; EL 0.23; SL 0.96; SW 0.12; HaL 0.16; PML 0.72; PMW 1.02; PpL 0.57; PpW 0.91; PH 0.45; PL 0.40; PW 0.91; GL 1.27; GW 1.11. Indices: CI 110; SI 80; MI 126.

Paratype. TL 4.3; HW1 1.17; HW2 1.11; HL 1.07; EL 0.23; SL 0.96; SW 0.12; HaL 0.14; PML 0.76; PMW 1.11; PpL 0.59; PpW 1.00; PH 0.51; PL 0.38; PW 1.03; GL 1.37; GW 1.24. Indices: CI 110; SI 81; MI 122.

Structures: Head wider than long, subtrapezoidal, with slightly convex sides; dorsally and laterally polyporous, with closely set pores, posterolaterally with a few minute tubercles, matt; ventral surface smooth and shiny. Compound eye relatively small, moderately protruding, positioned slightly behind mid-length of head. Frons with prominent median carina; frontal lobes chiefly horizontally oriented, largely covering antennal fossae in dorsal aspect, maximum distance of margins slightly behind mid-length, as great as half of HW2. Clypeus with distinct median carina, anterior margin almost straight. Mandibles striate, masticatory margin with five teeth. Antennal scape moderately long, weakly s-curved, steadily widened from base to apex; antennomeres 8–10 approximately as wide as long.

Mesosoma stout, length ca. 1.25 times pronotum width; propodeum shorter than promesonotum. Surface polyporous, with closely set pores, dorsal margins with sharp tubercles. Pronotum with distinct lateral angles, as wide as head excluding eyes. Promesonotal suture weak, indicated by a convex row of deeper pits. Mesometanotal suture sharp and deep, medially narrow, laterally widened. In dorsal aspect mesosoma with waist-like incision in front of propodeum. Legs moderately long; femora not much widened.

Petiole wide and stout, subtriangular in lateral view, strongly transverse in dorsal aspect; surface structure as on mesosoma; sharp dorsal crest bearing four sharp teeth medially and one pair of small denticles laterally; lateral tooth strongly developed; below lateral tooth with one long and two short, sharp teeth. Gaster tergite 1 clearly longer than wide, completely covering the following tergites; hind margin moderately convex, finely serrate; surface polyporous, interspaces smooth and shiny; distances of pores mostly smaller than their diameters.

Pilosity: Entire trunk dorsally and laterally with dense, appressed white pilosity and moderately long white standing setae; only the standing setae on anterior part of gaster tergite 1 distinctly longer. White standing setae on scape about as long as the setae on head. Legs with fine appressed pilosity. Femora with some long standing setae on flexor side. Tibiae and first tarsomeres of middle and hind leg with rows of oblique white setae; their length as long as their distance.

Colour: Trunk black, without metallic shimmer, appearing grey by whitish pilosity. Antenna with black scape; funiculus basally black, becoming gradually paler towards testaceous apex. Mandible basally black, distally brown; other mouthparts yellowish. Legs chiefly blackish, but coxae of middle and hind legs brown, all trochanters dark testaceous, and tarsi distally reddish testaceous.

Type Material
Holotype (worker, ) from Malaysia, Johor, 13 km NE Kota Tinggi, 1°49’N; 103°50’E, 50 m a.s.l., 22.XI.1988, on low vegetation in second-growth rain forest, leg. Philip S. Ward (PSW09591-12; ANTWEB CASENT 0280337). Paratype (worker, ) from West Malaysia, Pahang, 70 km SW Kuala Rompin, Endau Rompin National Park, Gunung Beremban, 600 m a.s.l., 13.IV.–3.V.2010, leg. Petr Cechovsky.

Etymology
Dedicated to Phil S. Ward (University of California) who collected the holotype and kindly donated it to NHMW.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Zettel H. and A. Laciny. 2017. Further additions to the taxonomy and distribution of the ant genus Echinopla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien B. 119: 7-16.