Prenolepis jerdoni

Identification
Williams and LaPolla (2016) - Gracile with elongate legs (HTI > 185), antennae (SI > 185), and mesosoma (BLI > 175); in profile view, the mesosoma is especially slender and has a distinct shape, with the propodeum much taller than the pronotum; no erect macrosetae on the propodeum; petiole is narrow and elongate (PetWI < 55); scale of petiole is rounded at its apex.

This species can most easily be distinguished from Prenolepis subopaca by its shiny cuticle and lack of pubescence on the dorsal surface of the mesosoma and gaster. By contrast, P. subopaca has thick patches of pubescence on the mesosoma, propodeum, and gaster and a very dull and finely sculpted cuticle. Prenolepis jerdoni has very large compound eyes that are similar to those of Prenolepis naoroji, but P. naoroji has a distinct light blue cuticular iridescence and a shorter petiole than P. jerdoni.

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

Nomenclature

 *  jerdoni. Prenolepis jerdoni Emery, 1893e: 222, pl. 8, fig. 20 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA. Imai, Brown, et al. 1984: 68 (k.).

Worker
Williams and LaPolla (2016) - (n=24): CMC: 7–12; EL: 0.21–0.29; EW: 0.19–0.24; HL: 0.59–0.92; HLA: 0.30–0.48; HLP: 0.21–0.31; HW: 0.50–0.78; IOD: 0.38–0.50; LF1: 0.18–0.26; LF2: 0.10–0.20; LHT: 1.15– 1.57; MMC: 0–1; MTW: 0.31–0.51; MW: 0.19–0.35; PDH: 0.23–0.45; PMC: 0–3; PrCL: 0.42–0.62; PrCW: 0.19– 0.31; PrFL: 0.73–1.24; PrFW: 0.14–0.24; PTH: 0.22–0.35; PTL: 0.33–0.53; PTW: 0.15–0.27; PW: 0.39–0.56; SL: 0.98–1.52; TL: 2.44–4.86; WF1: 0.06–0.08; WF2: 0.05–0.07; WL: 0.93–1.52; BLI: 174–199; CI: 82–87; EPI: 142–179; FLI: 125–178; HTI: 186–212; PetHI: 94–98; PetWI: 48–51; PrCI: 44–52; PrFI: 17–21; REL: 30–42; REL2: 35–49; REL3: 52–63; SI: 186–213.

Medium to dark brown; overall cuticle lightly reticulate and shiny; abundant decumbent setae on scapes and legs; very long, erect macrosetae on head, pronotum, and gaster; no erect macrosetae on the propodeum; head slightly longer than broad and oval in shape with indistinct posterolateral corners and a convex posterior margin; compound eyes very large (REL > 30; REL2 > 35) and strongly convex, barely surpassing the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; torulae do not touch the posterior border of the clypeus; clypeus strongly medially convex and without prominent anterolateral lobes; mandibles with 5–7 teeth (usually 6) on the masticatory margin; gracile with elongate legs (HTI > 185), antennae (SI > 195), and mesosoma (BLI > 175); ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; metatibia relatively elongate (HTI > 185); in profile view, propodeum is much taller than pronotum and domed with a rounded dorsal face; petiole is narrow and elongate (PetWI < 55) with a rounded dorsal apex of the scale.

Male
Williams and LaPolla (2016) - (n=3): EL: 0.39–0.41; HL: 0.71–0.73; HW: 0.73–0.74; SL: 0.48; TL: 3.45–3.69; WL: 1.44–1.61; BLI: 195–222; CI: 101–102; REL: 54–57; REL2: 53–56; SI: 64–66.

Dark brown; abundant long, erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; entire cuticle covered in dense pubescence; head broader than long and oval in shape; three large ocelli present; compound eyes very large and convex, surpassing the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; antennae with 13 segments; scapes very short, barely surpassing the posterior margin of the head; mandibles especially narrow and curved with a single apical tooth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; mesosoma large to accommodate flight muscles and without a constriction; small collar-like pronotum; large and strongly convex shelf-like mesonotum; petiole is triangular and elongate with the dorsal apex of the scale rounded, as seen in worker; genitalia oriented posteriorly; parameres elongate and roughly triangular; ental surface of parameres flattened; digiti are long and slender; cuspi are broad, triangular, and very short relative to the rest of the genitalia; parameres are covered in very long, erect macrosetae; edges of cuspi are covered in short, erect macrosetae; 9th sternite is large, broad and long.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Eguchi K., and S. Yamane. 2003. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in a lowland rainforest, northwestern Borneo. New Entomol. 52(1,2): 49-59.
 * Emery C. Formiche raccolte da Elio Modigliani in Sumatra, Engano e Mentawei. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale 40: 661-722.
 * Katayama M., K. Kishimoto-Yamada, H. O. Tanaka, T. Endo, Y. Hashimoto, Sk. Yamane, and T. Itioka. 2015. Negative correlation between ant and spider abundances in the canopy of a Bornean tropical rain forest. Biotropica (in press).
 * Kishimoto-Yamata K., F. Hyodo, M. Matsuoka, Y. Hashimoto, M. Kon, T. Ochi, S. Yamane, R. Ishii, and T. Itioka. 2012. Effects of remnant primary forests on ant and dung beetle species diversity in a secondary forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Insect Conservation DOI 10.1007/s10841-012-9544-6
 * 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
 * Philpott S.M., P. Bichier, R.A. Rice, and R. Greenberg. 2008. Biodiversity conservation, yield, and alternative products in coffee agroecosystems in Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodivers. Conserv. 17: 1805-1820. Data obtained from Stacy Philpott
 * Tanaka H. O., S. Yamane, and T. Itioka. 2012. Effects of a fern-dwelling ant species, Crematogaster difformis, on the ant assemblages of emergent trees in a Bornean tropical rainforest. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 105(4): 592-598.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1919. The ants of Borneo. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 63:43-147.
 * Widodo E. S., T. Naito, M. Mohamed, and Y. Hashimoto. 2004. Effects of selective logging on the arboreal ants of a Bornean rainforest. Entomological Science 7: 341-349.
 * Williams J. L., and J. S. LaPolla. 2016. Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the ant genus Prenolepis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 4200: 201-258.