Anochetus maryatiae

Anochetus maryatiae is a soil nesting species.

Identification
Nurul Aida and Idris (2011) -(worker): TL < 7.5 mm, HL+ML > 2.5; inner ventral margins of mandible with 3-4 serial spaced denticles; pronotum clearly reticulate, propodeum transversely rugulo-striate; anterior and posterior faces of the petiole smooth and shining, with fine punctures which associated with hairs.

Anochetus maryatiae easy to distinguish from its closely related species, Anochetus tua due to its reticulate pronotum. Moreover, A. maryatiae is lighter in colour has smaller total length (TL). If we pass A. maryatiae through the key of Brown (1978), we arrive at the risii group. Nevertheless it does not fit any of those species. Anochetus maryatiae is placed within this group (Brown 1978) which includes mandibles each with distinct dorsal and ventral margins, the upper edentate (except for preapical angle), the lower one with small, serial, spaced teeth, or crenulate, or smooth. Intercalary tooth of mandibular apex arises from well beyond midlength of ventral apical tooth. Preapical angle usually well marked. Mesonotal disc with a blunt anterior rim, or none. Petiolar node pointed or narrowly rounded at apex. This group centered in South East Asia extending to the Philippines and mainland New Guinea.

The risii group in Malaysia includes three species (Brown 1978); Anochetus agilis: very slender, elongate, CI < 83; pronotum smooth and shining over at least the large central part of its disc; Anochetus strigatellus: center of vertex extensively striate, the striation extending to within 0.2 mm of the nuchal carina; petiolar apex narrowly rounded or nipple-like, not spiniform; A. tua: size large, combined length of head and closed mandibles (HL+ML) > 2.5 mm; frontal spread over a wide area of the central vertex, pronotum completely sculptured, indefinite rugulosity with shagreening, mostly U or V-like in pattern. Anochetus maryatiae differs from A. agilis, A. strigatellus and A. tua by having a completely reticulate pronotum.

Distribution
Selangor, Malaysia.

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

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  maryatiae. Anochetus maryatiae Nurul Aida and & Idris, 2011: 302, figs. 1-2 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA.

Worker
Holotype (Paratype n = 1), TL = 7.00 (7.04) mm, HL= 1.56 (1.61) mm, HW = 1.25 (1.32) mm, ML = 1.00 (1.06) mm, SL = 1.44 (1.50) mm, AL = 3.45 (3.45) mm, EL = 0.25 (0.27) mm, OMD = 0.54 (0.56) mm, LF1= 0.21 (0.22) mm, LF2= 0.15 (0.16) mm, LF3 = 0.19 (0.20) mm, LF4 = 0.20 (0.22) mm, PrWM = 0.81 (0.84) mm, PDH = 0.46 (0.46) mm, PL= 0.46 (0.46) mm, PH = 0.53 (0.57) mm, DPW = 0.26 (0.26) mm, CI = 80 (82), MI = 64 (66).

Head, mesosoma and gaster brownish; legs lighter. Relatively big-sized species (refer ranges HW, HL and TL). Head in full face view longer than broad; widest across the eyes (Figure 2(a)). The head narrows posteriorly, with a pair of occipital lobes posterior. The eyes large and convex, filling more than half the length of the orbital fossa. Mandibles long and slender, broadest toward apices; mandible length less than head width; mandible length 0.7× head length; inner dorsal margins of mandible straight and edantate, but inner ventral margins of mandible with 3-4 serial spaced denticles. Apical tooth sharp; dorsal apical tooth shorter than ventral apical tooth. Intercalary tooth of mandibular apex small, sharp and rising from the dorsal side of the ventral apical tooth well beyond its midlength (Figure 2(d)). Antennae long and slender from front view; scape surpasses posterior margins of occipital lobes of head an amount more than the length of the first funicular.

Pronotum and mesonotum convex from lateral view (Figure 2(b)). Mesonotal disc 3.5× as wide as long. Mesonotum slightly lower than propodeum. Anterior dorsum propodeum convex weakly and straight towards posterior dorsum propodeum. Anteroventral mesopleurum margin has small lobes. Mesopleurum with complete transverse suture. Peduncle of petiole short. Petiolar node big and blunt at apex (Figure 2(e)), anterior slopes convex, posterior slopes convex and steep. Subpetiolar process anterior; with acute angled anteroventral. First gastric segment convex anteriorly, remaining tergum convex and sternum straight.

Coarse striation of vertex; frontal striation long, more ½ head length and weaker towards nuchal carina. Mandible smooth and opaque. Cervix transversely striate. Anterior pronotum rugulos inverted U-like in pattern, while pronotum and lateral disc margin coarse reticulate and opaque (Figure 2(c)). Promesonotum suture smooth and shiny. Mesonotum disc striate transversely, smooth and opaque. Propodeum transversely rugulo-striate. Mesopleurum smooth, shiny but with microscupture at end posterior. Metapleurum weakly diagonal rugulo-striate. Petiolar node transversely weak rugulos in median and transversely striate. Legs half opaque and smooth. Gaster punctured weakly, smooth and shiny.

Head with less hair, short and erect. Mesial mandible margin with 2 long hairs, 0.80-0.91 mm semi erect in basal and few short hairs along mesial margin. Pronotum moderate hairs, medium length and erect, mesonotum scarce hairs, medium length and erect, propodeum also with scarce hairs, short and semi erect. Petiole with little hair, short and semi erect. Gaster with less hair, short and semi erect. Pronotum hair length up to 0.14-0.20 mm and dorsum gaster up to 0.16-0.17 mm. Other parts with shorter hairs.

Type Material
Holotype Worker. Malaysia, Selangor, Ulu Gombak, sp. 16, 13.i.2003, Fuminori, 1. Paratype: Malaysia, Selangor, Ulu Gombak, sp. 16, 13.i.2003, Fuminori, 1.

Etymology
A. maryatiae is derived from the name of Prof. Datin Dr. Maryati Mohamed, an ANeT (International Network for Ant Research in Asia) President, and also for her contributions and expertise as ant taxonomist in Malaysia.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Nuril Aida K. I., and A. B. Idris. 2011. Anochetus maryatiae, a new species of Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sains Malaysiana 40(4): 301-304.