Euponera malayana

Based on specimens in the, Bill Brown is of the view that this species is a junior synonym of Euponera sharpi.

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

Nomenclature

 *  malayana. Ectomomyrmex malayanus Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 34 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA. Combination in Trachymesopus: Brown, 1963: 7; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 307; in Euponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 87.

Worker
Length about 4.5 mm.

Head slightly longer than broad, subrectangular, as broad in front as behind, with nearly straight sides and feebly concave posterior border; occipital surface truncated; sides slightly compressed and with a blunt longitudinal ridge, less distinct than in many other species of the genus. Eyes small, somewhat impressed, consisting of about a dozen facets, situated near the anterior fifth of the head. Clypeus short, flattened, except in the middle between the frontal carinae where it forms a blunt, laterally compressed tubercle, sides depressed, anterior border broadly rounded and entire in the middle, sinuate on each side. Mandibles convex, with nine subequal teeth, the external borders rather straight in the middle. Frontal groove distinct as far as the middle of the head, Antennal scapes uniformly curved, reaching to the posterior corners; second funicular joint as long as broad, remaining joints, except the last, distinctly broader than long, last joint nearly as long as the three preceding joints together. Thorax narrower than the head, not much broader through the pronotum than through the mesoepinotum, the dorsal outline nearly straight; pronotum from above as long as broad, distinctly marginate on the sides; prosternum angulate but not dentate; meS0notum transversely elliptical, twice as broad as long; epinotum rather strongly compressed laterally and narrowed upward so that its base is nearly three times as long as broad, rounding behind into the nearly perpendicular declivity, which is sharply marginate on each side and flattened in the middle. Petiole fully twice as high as long, its ventral portion thick, convex and projecting, the node broadly elliptical from behind, narrowed above, with feebly convex anterior and flat posterior surface and rounded border. Postpetiole very flat and truncated anteriorly, broader than long and a little narrower than the first gastric segment, which is also broader than long. Legs rather short and stout.

Mandibles smooth and shining, with coarse, scattered punctures; head, pro-and mesonotum somewhat less shining, densely, regularly and umbilicately punctate; epinotum more shining and more finely punctate, the declivity smooth and impunctate as are also the anterior and posterior surfaces of the petiolar node and the anterior surface of the postpetiole; remaining portions on the abdomen rather finely and superficially, antennra and legs including coxae, subopaque and densely punctate.

Hairs yellowish, short, sparse and erect on the body, even sparser on the appendages; pubescence rather long and abundant, especially on the head; dense, appressed and almost concealing the integument on the legs and antennae.

Black; mandibles red, with black teeth; posterior gastric segments and posterior borders of postpetiole and first gastric segment reddish; antennre and legs, including the coxae, dull yellowish brown.

Type Material
Described from two specimens taken on Penang Island.



References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Wheeler W. M. 1929. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in Formosa, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 24: 27-64.