Epopostruma lattini

Epopostruma lattini is known from two disjunct populations, one in southern Western Australia and the other in southern South Australia. It has been found at honey baits on trees in the evening and in leaf litter, in dry sclerophyll and mallee habitats.

Identification
This large, distinctive ant can be recognised by the distinctive head shape, the bispinose lateral postpetiolar margins, by having the area immediately above the eye angular but no toothed and in having the posterolateral margin of the postpetiole (immediately anterior of the gaster) strongly concave.

Key to Epopostruma Species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  lattini. Epopostruma lattini Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 60 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Description
Area immediately above the eye angular. Pronotal spines present, long. Posterior section of metanotum and dorsal surface of the propodeum forming a continuous surface. Posterior face of propodeum between bases of spines and propodeal lobes with very narrow flanges with start below the bases of the spines. Petiolar spines present, long. Anterior face of postpetiole similar in length to or shorter than the dorsal face, the two faces joined by a broad convexity; sides of postpetiole expanded laterally in the form of distinct sharp teeth or spines; their lateral margins strongly concave; posterolateral margin (immediately anterior of gaster) strongly concave. Dorsum of petiole, postpetiole and gaster with numerous long, erect hairs, those on the mesosoma with strongly bent tips, those on petiole, postpetiole and gaster either straight or weakly arched. First gastral tergite and area immediately behind attachment with gaster smooth. Body colour dark yellow-red, ventral region of head, antennae, mandibles and legs lighter, gaster darker, brown.

Measurements

Holotype worker. TL 5.2mm, HL 1.24mm, HW 1.28mm, CI 103, MandL 0.59mm, MandI 48, SL 0.71mm, SI 55, PronW 0.72mm, ML 1.27mm.

CI (cephalic index) - HW/HL X 100. HL (head length) - The length of the head capsule excluding the mandibles, measured in full face view in a straight line from the mid point of the anterior clypeal margin to the mid point of the occipital margin. In species where one or both of these margins is concave the measurement is taken from the mid point of a transverse line that spans the apices of the projecting portions. HW (head width) - The maximum width of the head in full face view, excluding the eyes. MandI (mandibular index) - ML/HL X 100. MandL (mandible length) - The straight line length of the mandible at full closure, measured in the same plane for which the HL measurement is taken (i.e. full face view), from the mandibular apex to the anterior clypeal margin, or to the transverse line connecting the anteriormost points in those taxa where the margin is concave medially. ML (mesosomal length) (= Weber's length) - The diagonal length of the mesosoma in profile from the point at which the pronotum meets the cervical shield to the posterior basal angle of the metapleuron. PronW (pronotal width) - The maximum width of the pronotum in dorsal view. (Projecting spines, tubercles or other cuticular prominences at the pronotal humeral angles are ignored.) SI (scape index) - SL/HW X 100. SL (scape length) - The maximum straight line length of the scape, excluding the basal constriction or neck that occurs just distal of the condylar bulb. TL (total length) - The total outstretched length of the ant from the mandibular apex to the gastral apex; when measured in profile the sum of ML + HL + ML + lengths of waist segments + length of gaster.