Myopias maligna punctigera

This species was collected from rotten wood on the forest floor in lowland primary evergreen forest in southernmost Thailand. (Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard, 2018)

Identification
Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard (2018) - Body 11.40–11.50 mm in total length (large size). With head in full-face view subrectangular, posterolateral corner bluntly angulated; masticatory margin of mandibles with 7–8 teeth; median clypeal process slightly shorter than broad, subrectangular, widened forward, its anterior margin straight; lateral margin and anterior margin of median clypeal lobe meet forming sharp angle; eyes relatively large and convex, with 12–15 ommatidia along the longest axis; antennal scape robust and enlarged toward apical portion, reaching posterior margin of head; in profile, anteroventral corner of head without bluntly angled process; petiole rectangular or cylindrical, almost as long as high; subpetiolar process well developed, with concave ventral outline, with a downward pointed triangular denticle at anteroventral corner, and with a pair of small posteriorly pointed denticles at posteroventral corners. Dorsum of head, mesosoma and dorsum of petiole with dense foveae, with area between foveae smooth and shiny; ventral surface of head with sparse foveae; scape smooth and shiny; mandible largely smooth and shiny, with a few small punctures; metasoma and legs smooth and shiny with a few small punctures. Body entirely reddish brown to dark brown.

Thailand Myopias species: This species is easily distinguished from the other species as follows: large body size; posterolateral corner of head bluntly angulated; masticatory margin of mandible with 7–8 teeth; anterior margin of median clypeal lobe straight.

Distribution
Narathiwat Province, Thailand and Mentawei Islands, Indonesia.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea. Oriental Region: Thailand.

Nomenclature

 * . Trapeziopelta maligna var. punctigera Emery, 1900d: 663 (w.) INDONESIA (Sumatra: Mentawei Is).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Indonesia: Sumatra, Mentawei Is, Sipora I., Sereinu (E. Modigliani).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Combination in Myopias: Bolton, 1995b: 270.
 * Subspecies of maligna: Emery, 1911d: 93; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 76; Bolton, 1995b: 270; Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard, 2018: 158 (redescription).
 * Distribution: Indonesia (Sumatra), Thailand.

Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard (2018) - While this subspecies might represent a valid species, we did not directly examine the type specimens of Myopias maligna and the description by Smith (1861) is unfortunately rather uninformative. The exact taxonomic position of M. maligna and M. maligna punctigera thus deserve further work, outside the scope of this study.

Worker
Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard (2018) - Non-type workers (n = 10): TL 11.40–11.50, HL 2.05–2.15, HW 1.85–1.90, SL 1.55–1.65, ED 0.45–0.50, ML 1.55–1.60, PW 1.35–1.40, MSL 3.10–3.20, PL 0.95–1.05, PH 1.00–1.05, DPW 0.80–0.88, CI 88–90, SI 84–89, OI 24–26, MI 74–76, LPI 105, DPI 84–89.

Type Material
Jaitrong, Tasen & Guénard (2018) - Syntype worker, INDONESIA: Mentawei I., Sipora, Sereinu,, AntWeb image examined.