Eurhopalothrix punctata

Wilson collected two stray workers in rain forest leaf litter. (Brown and Kempf 1960)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  punctata. Rhopalothrix punctata Szabó, 1910a: 366, fig. 3 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Combination in Eurhopalothrix: Brown & Kempf, 1960: 221.

Worker
Brown and Kempf (1960) - TL 1.9-2.1, HL 0.52-0.55, HW 0.57-0.60 (CI 109-110), scape L 0.31-0.32, greatest diameter of eye ca. 0.03 mm, WL 0.52-0.53 mm, 2 workers from different localities measured.

In size and general body form, punctata resembles Eurhopalothrix australis, but it lacks specialized erect hairs except for those fringing the scape borders, a few clavate ones on the gastric apex, and a few short clavate ones on the gastric undersurface. The appressed ground pilosity is also much finer and less conspicuous than in Eurhopalothrix brevicornis and australis, especially on promesonotum, nodes and gastric dorsum, so that the body appears naked at first glance. The vertex bears a shallow impression, and there is no transverse carina on the clypeus. Alitrunk distinctive in form, lacking metanotal groove. Petiolar node subcubic seen from the side, but distinctly broader than long as seen from above, with rounded sides and straight anterior border. Postpetiole reniform, less than twice as broad as petiolar node. Color deep reddish-brown.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Brown W. L., Jr., and W. W. Kempf. 1960. A world revision of the ant tribe Basicerotini. Stud. Entomol. (n.s.) 3: 161-250.
 * CSIRO Collection
 * Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
 * Lucky A., E. Sarnat, and L. Alonso. 2011. Ants of the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea, Chapter 10. In Richards, S. J. and Gamui, B. G. (editors). 2013. Rapid Biological Assessments of the Nakanai Mountains and the upper Strickland Basin: surveying the biodiversity of Papua New Guineas sublime karst environments. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 60. Conservation International. Arlington, VA.
 * Lucky A., L. E. Alonso, E. Sarnat, and J. Hulr. 2015. Ants and scolytine beetles. In: Richards, S.J. and N. Whitmore (editors) 2015. A rapid biodiversity assessment of Papua New Guinea's Hindenburg Wall region. Wildlife Conservation Society Papua New Guinea Program. Goroka, PNG.
 * Snelling R. R. 1998. Insect Part 1: The social Hymenoptera. In Mack A. L. (Ed.) A Biological Assessment of the Lakekamu Basin, Papua New Guinea, RAP 9. 189 ppages
 * Snelling R. R. 2000. Ants of the Wapoga river area, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. In Mack, Andrew L. and Leeanne E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A Biological Assessment of the Wapoga River Area of Northwestern Irian Jaya, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 14, Conservation International, Washington, DC.
 * Szabó J. 1910. Formicides nouveaux ou peu connus des collections du Musée National Hongrois. [part]. Ann. Hist.-Nat. Mus. Natl. Hung. 8: 364-368.
 * Taylor R. W. 1980. Australian and Melanesian ants of the genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf - notes and new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 19: 229-239.
 * Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.