Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis

Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis occurs in forested areas ranging from Eucalyptus and Allosyncarpia woodlands to rainforests. Nests are in sandy soil.



Worker of A. kimberleyensis

Nomenclature
Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis Shattuck,S.O. (2008). Australian ants of the genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa. 1677 : 25–45 (p. 31).

Type Material
 * Holotype, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia (ANIC (Canberra): worker (32-017982)).
 * Paratype, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia (ANIC (Canberra): 3 workers (32-017983)).
 * Paratype, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia (MCZ (Cambridge): 3 workers).

Diagnosis
Hairs on underside of head randomly distributed and not forming a distinct psammophore; head relatively narrow, its posterior margin broadly arched in full face view; scape relatively long; erect hairs on mesosomal dorsum tapering to sharp points; propodeal spines long, the dorsal surfaces of propodeum and propodeal spines connected through a gentle concavity followed by a gentle convexity. This species is most similar to A. barbara and can be separated from it by the narrower head and longer scapes.

This species is very similar to A. barbara but the limited material currently available suggests that two species are involved. Specimens here considered to belong to A. kimberleyensis have narrower heads and longer scapes compared to specimens placed in A. barbara. It should be noted that these differences are slight and that some smaller specimens of both species do overlap, but the majority of specimens (especially larger ones) show little overlap. No other characters could be found which differ between these two sets of specimens. Given that these two species are currently allopatric it is possible that only a single variable species is involved. However, the characters used here to separate these species (head shape and scape length) have proven to be reliable in diagnosing other species in the genus (species with numerous additional supporting characters). Given this, these differences are taken as being significant and suggest that two separate species are present.

Description
Posterior margin of head broadly arched in full face view, the arch beginning at the occipital collar and with at most a weak angle separating the posterior and lateral margins of the head (often posterior and lateral margins forming a continuous surface). Hairs on venter of head randomly distributed and not forming a distinct psammophore. Mandibular sculpture composed of irregularly sized striations. Erect hairs on mesosomal dorsum tapering to sharp points. Propodeal spines long. Dorsal surfaces of propodeum and propodeal spines connected through a gentle concavity followed by a gentle convexity (so that the base of each spine is raised slightly above the dorsal surface of the propodeum). Petiolar node (in dorsal view) slightly longer than broad.

Measurements
Worker (n = 7, units = mm). CI 83; EI 17; EL 0.19-0.22; HL 1.25-1.38; HW 0.04-0.17; ML 1.83-2.02; MTL 1.25-1.43; SI 149; SL 1.63-0.80


 * CI: Cephalic index: HW/HL x 100.
 * EI: Eye index: EL/HW x 100.
 * EL: Maximum eye length with eye in full face view.
 * HL: Maximum head length in full face (dorsal) view, measured from the anterior-most point of the clypeal margin to the posterior-most point of the head proper (excluding the occipital collar).
 * HW: Maximum head width in full face (dorsal) view excluding the eyes.
 * ML: Mesosomal length measured from the anterior surface of the pronotum proper (excluding the collar) to the posterior extension of the propodeal lobes.
 * MTL: Maximum length of mid tibia, excluding the proximal part of the articulation which is received into the distal end of the femur.
 * SI: Scape index: SL/HW x 100.
 * SL: Length of the scape (first antennal segment) excluding the basal neck and condyle.

Distribution
Australian National Insect Collection