Stictoponera rugodens

The type, a worker, was collected from the edge of primary forest.

Identification
Lattke (2004) - The deeply rugose mandibles in Stictoponera rugodens are quite distinctive and find no parallel in any other species of Stictoponera, with the possible exception of Stictoponera lacunosa, which has a considerably rugose mandibular base, but the rugae are not as deep as in S. rugodens. Stictoponera lacunosa has a less prominent occipital lamella, the clypeal lamella has some minute sculpturing but not as finely scabrose, and its anterior margin is more convex; it is a smaller ant (HW < 0.75 mm), with relatively larger eyes (OI > 0.25) and narrower head (CI < 0.80). Stictoponera polytreta has prominent occipital lamella, as in S. rugodens, but differs in the more broadly convex dorsal margin of the petiolar node, a triangular subpetiolar process, and a relatively longer declivitous propodeal margin compared with its dorsal margin. It is also smaller bodied (HL < 0.85; HW < 0.65; WL < 1.25 mm) than S. rugodens.

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

Castes
The queen and male are unknown.

Nomenclature

 * . Gnamptogenys rugodens Lattke, 2004: 214, fig. 60 (w.) BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sarawak).
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Malaysia: Sarawak, Gunung Penrissen, 1000 m., 23.v.1994, no. 9a (I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Combination in Stictoponera: Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 12.
 * Status as species: Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 35; Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 12.
 * Distribution: Malaysia (Sarawak).

Frontal lobe followed posteriorly by smaller convexity formed by frontal carina; each lateral cephalic margin just posterad of mandible forms small concavity followed by small triangular projection; mandibles deeply rugose, especially toward base. Propodeal declivitous margin very short compared with dorsal margin in lateral view.

Worker
Metrics. Holotype: HL 0.94, HW 0.78, ML 0.42, SL 0.68, ED 0.18, WL 1.37 mm. CI 0.82, SI 0.87, MI 0.55, OI 0.23. Each lateral cephalic margin posterad of eye fairly straight in frontal view; briefly concave just anterad of eye, then mostly straight to broadly convex, followed by small triangular process; clypeal lamella laterally rounded and anteriorly straight, translucent, with reticulate etchings; frontal lobe convex followed posterad by smaller convexity formed by frontal carina; clypeus longitudinally strigulose posterad, sculpturing fading away anterad; mandibles edentate, deeply rugose basally; mandibular dorsal margin undulated basally in lateral view; occipital lamella medially straight, convex at both ends.

Pronotum laterally foveolate, foveolate-strigose posterad, smooth along ventral margin, anteroventrally bluntly angular; anepisternum undulate with punctae; katepisternum strigulose with irregular depressions along posterior margin, anterad smooth; metapleuron smooth, separated from propodeum by row of elongate foveolae that curve just below spiracle; propodeum with scattered foveolae; mesosoma with well developed humeral angle in lateral view. Petiolar node dorsum mostly smooth, sparsely foveolate, laterally densely foveolate, ventral process subquadrate; postpetiole laterally with deep anterior scalloping, slightly shallower posterad; postpetiolar sternite mostly smooth with shallow lateral foveolae, posterior margin with row of punctae; postpetiolar dorsum mostly smooth with sparse scalloped punctae, deeper anterad than posterad; fore coxa transversely strigose, smooth anterad. Dorsum of thorax and abdominal segments 1-4 with scattered erect to subdecumbent hairs. Body brown; mandibles, scapes, legs ferruginous brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Malaysia, Sarawak, Gunung Penrissen, 1000m, 23-v-1994, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt legs, edge of primary forest #9a. Deposited in.

Etymology
The species name is a compound epithet derived from the Latin words for “fold,” ruga (f.), and ‘tooth,” dens (m.) that alludes to the deep mandibular rugosities.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Lattke J. E. 2004. A taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the ant genus Gnamptogenys Roger in Southeast Asia and Australasia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). University of California Publications in Entomology 122: 1-266.
 * Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58