Anochetus strigatellus

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Identification
Modified from Brown (1978) - This species is similar to Anochetus incultus and Anochetus modicus. It can be distinguished from the latter by the expanded frontal striation and the less reduced (longer) mesonotal disc, as well as by the fine, crisp propodeal striation and the darker body color.

Key to the Anochetus Species of Asia, Melanesia and the Pacific Region

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

Castes
Queens and males of this species are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  strigatellus. Anochetus strigatellus Brown, 1978c: 582 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA.

Worker
Worker, holotype: TL 5.4, HL 1.28, HW 1.17, ML 0.80, WL 1.67, scape L 1.11, eye L 0.21 mm; CI 91, MI 63.

A slender, dark reddish-brown species resembling Anochetus incultus from the Philippines but with extensive frontal striation fanning out over the central vertex, with the disc of the pronotum smooth and shining (inside some peripheral striation), and with the propodeal dorsum longitudinally sulcate and transversely, distinctly but finely striate (ca. 40 striae, plus several more on the propodeal declivity).

The frontal striation reaches back to within 0.2 mm of the nuchal carina. Cervix and front slope of pronotal disc transversely striate; lateral margins of disc diagonally striate; lower sides of pronotum smooth and shining. Mesonotal disc about 3x as wide as long, convex in side view, with a moderately distinct anterior rim, transversely striate, Metanotal saddle with brief but coarse, mainly longitudinal costulae. Mesopleura smooth and shining, with a nearly complete transverse suture. Metapleura smooth and shining except for short diagonal striation along anteroventral and posterodorsai borders. Scapes surpass posterior borders of «occipital» lobes by about 0.1 mm when head is viewed in perfect full-face.

Petiole with node slender, evenly tapered to a narrowly rounded apex in side view; anterior slope nearly perfectly straight, posterior slope feebly convex. In front view, node with weakly convex sides, but tapered rapidly and convexly above mid-height to a blunt, narrowly rounded apex, with just a hint of nippling near apex; almost no anterior peduncle. Gaster slender, not constricted behind first segment.

Standing hairs fairly abundant, fine, 0.1 to 0.2 mm long on gaster and pronotum, but mostly shorter elsewhere; fairly long hairs on anterior underside of head and anterior procoxae; some oblique hairs on scapes and legs. Mandibles and femora with short, sparse, appressed to decumbent pubescence; antennae and extremities of legs with shorter but dense pubescence.

The paratypes are similar to the holotype, but are very slightly smaller; discrepancies in TL are due to different shrinkage of the gaster. TL 5.2-5.5, HL 1.24-1.26, HW 1.13-1.15, ML 0.79 in all, WL 1.57-1.64, scape L 1.10-1.11, eye L 0.20 mm in all; CI 90-91, MI 63-64.

Type Material
Holotype and 5 paratype workers (BMNH and ) taken together, labeled "Trengganu, Malaya, II 1974, T. Clay."