Zasphinctus steinheili

Brown (1975) - A raid of Sphinctomyrmex steinheili observed by me in Victoria, Australia (Wilson, 1958: 136) was waged against a small Stigmacros (Formicinae) species during the afternoon the Sphinctomyrmex ran over bare soil, but took advantage of cracks in the earth where they could. The Stigmacros workers were seen' scattering and hiding on pieces of eucalypt bark and dead leaves lying on the ground, often carrying their own larvae. Their behavior recalled that of Formica fusca- or pallidefulva group species raided by F. sanguinea-group slavemakers in the Northern Hemisphere, and may imply the use of “propaganda” allomones such as those sprayed by the slavemakers to spread panic in the slave Formica colonies they are attacking (Wilson and Regnier, 1971).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Castes
A total of 20 ergatoid queens from 3 colonies were dissected mostly soon after collecting, during an egg-laying period (Buschinger et al. 1989). Sixteen females were all mated and fully fertile, having long ovarioles (when straightened out, as long as both gaster and petiole). Growing as well as mature oocytes, and corpora lutea were present in most of the ovarioles, indicating previous egg-laying. Colonies are thus polygynous.

Nomenclature

 * fallax. Sphinctomyrmex (Eusphinctus) fallax Forel, 1900b: 73 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of steinheili: Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 225.
 *  steinheili. Sphinctomyrmex (Eusphinctus) steinheili Forel, 1900b: 72 (q., not w. as stated; see Clark, 1925a: 62) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 225 (w.l.); Wheeler, G.C. 1950: 104 (l.); Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 348 (k.). Combination in Eusphinctus (Eusphinctus): Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 225; in Sphinctomyrmex: Brown, 1975: 33. Senior synonym of fallax: Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 225; of fulvipes, hedwigae, hirsutus: Brown, 1975: 33. See also: Wilson, 1958c: 136; Buschinger, Peeters & Crozier, 1990: 287.
 * hedwigae. Sphinctomyrmex (Eusphinctus) fallax subsp. hedwigae Forel, 1910b: 21 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Subspecies of steinheili: Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 228. Junior synonym of steinheili: Brown, 1975: 33.
 * hirsutus. Eusphinctus hirsutus Clark, 1929: 118, pl. 1, figs. 1, 2 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of steinheili: Brown, 1975: 33.
 * fulvipes. Eusphinctus fulvipes Clark, 1934c: 49, pl. 4, fig. 1 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of steinheili: Brown, 1975: 33.

Sphinctomyrmex fallax type material

Syntype workers from Mackay, Queensland (2 in, ).

Sphinctomyrmex steinheili type material

Syntype workers from Mackay, Queensland (2 in, 1 worker (as queen) in , ).

Sphinctomyrmex fallax hedwigae type material

Syntype workers from New South Wales (5 workers in, ).

Eusphinctus hirsutus type material

Syntype workers and queen(s) from Cann River, Victoria (13 workers in, worker(s) and queen(s) in ).

Eusphinctus fulvipes type material

Syntype worker(s) and queen(S) from Gellibrand, Victoria (.