Anochetus brevis

This species is only known from type specimens.

Identification
See the description below for distinguishing characteristics and Zettel (2012) for a key to Philippine Anochetus.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Philippines.

Castes
Queens and males of this species are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  brevis. Anochetus brevis Brown, 1978c: 581, fig. 2 (w.) PHILIPPINES.

Worker
Worker, holotype: TL 5.0, HL 1.20, HW 1.08, ML 0.61, WL 1.52, scape L 0.94, eye L 0.13 mm; CI 90, MI 50.

Paratype worker: TL 5.2, HL 1.21, HW 1.07, ML 0.60, WL 1.53, scape L 0,96, eye L 0.14 mm; CI 88, MI 50.

With the general characters of the risii group, but mandibles very short, relatively broad toward apices; light brownish-red in color, mandibles and antennae more yellowish. In body form and sculpture like a short-mandibulate Anochetus modicus, but the following additional differences from A. modicus:

1. Frontal striation obsolete, even inside frontal carinae. Pronotum completely smooth and shining, except for finely transversely striate cervix.

2. Mesonotal disc longer, elliptical, only twice as broad as long, convex, smooth and shining. Anterior edge blunt. Mesonotal saddle only a brief shallow groove, with longitudinal costulae represented only by tiny, indistinct, raised tubercles; area behind this, grading onto propodeal dorsum, vaguely diagonally costulate; propodeal dorsum transversely striate (about 20 striae).

3. Crenulation of ventral mesial margin of mandible reduced, fine, developed only near preapical tooth or angle.

4. Petiolar node like that of A. modicus, tall and slender, with narrowly rounded apex, but the anterior and posterior slopes in side view nearly perfectly straight in the upper 2/3. As seen from front, lower halves of node nearly parallel, upper halves convexly rounded and rapidly tapered to narrowly rounded apex, with just a hint of nippling near apex. Brief anterior peduncle present.

Meso- and metapleura smooth and shining except for borders of short striae along the anteroventral edges and posterior ends of the metapleura; mesopleuron with distinct transverse suture. Head, mandibles, legs (except finely punctulate tibiae and tarsi), node and gaster smooth and shining. Standing hairs numerous, fine and generally distributed over dorsal surfaces of body, underside of gaster, scapes and legs, mostly about 0.05 mm long, but 0.1 mm or longer on pronotum and gastric dorsum (many longer in A. modicus). Underside of head with moderately abundant suberect pubescence; mandibles with fine appressed pubescence; antennae and legs with fine, dense, decumbent pubescence (sparse on femora).

Type Material
Holotype and a paratype  very similar workers taken together on Mt. Apo, Mindanao Island, southern Philippines at 5-6000 ft (~1520-1830 m), by C. F. Clagg.

Additional References

 * General, D. and G. Alpert. 2012. A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines. ZooKeys. 200:1-111 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.200.2447.


 * Zettel, H. 2012. New trap-jaw ant species of Anochetus MAYR, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Philippine Islands, a key and notes on other species. Myrmecological News 16: 157-167.