Rhytidoponera levior

Distribution
This taxon was described from Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  levior. Rhytidoponera punctata var. levior Crawley, 1925b: 581 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Clark, 1936: 61 (m.). Raised to species: Clark, 1936: 61. Senior synonym of douglasi: Taylor, 1986: 35.
 * douglasi. Rhytidoponera douglasi Brown, 1952f: 137. [Unnecessary replacement name for levior Crawley, 1925b: 581.] Junior synonym of levior: Taylor, 1986: 35.

Worker
Somewhat darker than typical punctata. The eyes are not quite so close to the occiput, the occipital angles more rounded, and there is no sign of a carina, though the border is slightly depressed in the middle. (In punctata there is a feeble occipital carina.) The scape passes the occipital border by exactly one-third (in punctata by rather more). Otherwise similar in form.

Whole body, as in the type, densely and finely reticulate, except the back of the occiput, which is smoother and more shining than in the type. The head in addition has small punctures, much smaller, rounder, more shining, and further apart than in punctata.

On the thorax the punctures are even smaller and less abundant than on the head, and on the petiole the sculpture is less coarse than in the type. The superficial punctures on the gaster are also smaller and less abundant.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Crawley 1925b.pdf|Crawley, W. C. 1925b. New ants from Australia. - II. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9(16): 577-598 PDF]]