Chelaner albipes

Like other members of the M. rubriceps species-complex, this taxon forages arboreally, several workers having been collected by pyrethrum knockdown. The Mt Webb specimen, however, was obtained from a berlesate sample. (Heterick 2001)

Identification
Heterick (2001) - A member of the rubriceps group. Arguably the most beautiful of all the Australian Monomorium, M. albipes cannot be mistaken for any other species. The burnished brown cuticle, the saddle-shaped promesonotum with long, white, erect setae, and the high, squamiform petiolar and postpetiolar nodes serve to identify this ant.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  albipes. Monomorium albipes Heterick, 2001: 418, figs. 42, 105, 106 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Worker
Holotype. HML 2.55; HL 0.87; HW 0.79; Cel 91; SL 0.62; SI 78; PW 0.53. Others. HML 2.44-2.72; HL 0.85-0.90; HW 0.76-0.81; Cel 88-95; SL 0.63-0.69; SI 81-85; PW 0.52-0.59 (4 measured).

As for the worker of Monomorium rubriceps, but with the following apomorphies.

Head. Head rounded; vertex planar; frons smooth and shining with combination of appressed setulae and erect and suberect setae. Eye large, eye width greater than 1.5x greatest width of antennal scape. Anteromedial clypeal margin convex, straight or slightly emarginate, median clypeal carinae indistinct. Palp formula unknown. Maximum number of mandibular teeth and denticles: four; mandibles (viewed from front) triangular and smooth, with piliferous punctures.

Alitrunk. Promesonotal sculpture absent, promesonotum smooth and shining; evenly flattened dorsally; setulae appressed. Metanotal groove present as feebly impressed furrow between promesonotum and propodeum. Propodeal sculpture absent; propodeum smooth and shining; dorsal propodeal face gently convex; processes absent (propodeum angulate in profile), or present on posterior propodeal angles as small denticles or sharp flanges. Propodeal angle present; length ratio of dorsal face to declivitous face near 2:1, or near 4:3; declivitous face of propodeum flat. Erect and suberect propodeal setae 5-l 0; propodeal setulae appressed, or decumbent and subdecumbent. Propodeal spiracle lateral and nearer declivitous face of propodeum than metanotal groove.

Petiole and postpetiole. Petiolar node conical, sharply tapered, or cuneate, dorsally rounded. Ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) near 2:1 to near 4:3. Anteroventral process vestigial. Height ratio of petiole to postpetiole near 1: 1 to near 4:3; height-length ratio of postpetiole near 2:1 to near 4:3. Ventral process vestigial to small, difficult to see or distinct.

General characters. Beautiful shining species, almost vitreous in appearance. Colour dark russet or piceous, mandibles dark orange, funiculus of antenna and tarsi amber. Worker caste monomorphic.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker (top point), Queensland, Gayundah Ck, Hinchinbrook Island, 11.xi.1984, G. Thompson, pyrethrum knockdown. Paratypes. Queensland: 2 workers, with same data as holotype (ANIC); 1 worker with same data as holotype, except for date (12.xi.l984) ; I worker, MtWebb Nat. Pk. l5°04'S, 145°07'E, 27-30.iv.1981, A. Calder & J. Feehan, berlesate ANIC 719, rainforest litter.



Etymology
Latin: “white-footed”.