Myrmoteras insulcatum

This taxon is only known from the holotype gyne originating from Mt. Makiling, Laguna, Luzon Island.

Identification
Moffett (1985) - The only species of Myrmoteras completely lacking a frontal sulcus.

Zettel and Sorger (2011) - The type queen is unique in the genus by the combination of an absent median frontal sulcus and smooth and shiny surfaces of head and pronotum.

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

Nomenclature

 *  insulcatum. Myrmoteras (Myagroteras) insulcatum Moffett, 1985b: 45, figs. 33, 36, 37 (q.) PHILIPPINES.

Description
Holotype: TL 5.6, HW 1.07, HL 1.01 (CI 106), ML 1.53 (Ml 152), SL 1.08 (SI 100), EL 0.61, HFL 1.16 (TWl 22), WL 1.54 mm. Orbital grooves moderately developed. Frontal area present but somewhat poorly demarcated. Palpal formula 3,3. Mandibles with 14 to 15 teeth and two preapical denticles. Apical denticles both tiny, the smallest very tiny and closely applied to the larger, which is closely applied in turn to the apical tooth. A feeble groove extends longitudinally down the dorsal surface of mandible to at least penultimate tooth, but unlike other ants with such a groove (Myrmoteras morowali, Myrmoteras diastematum, and some Myrmoteras bakeri), the groove extends very close to inner, toothed margin.

Node of petiole with straight, nearly vertical anterior face, posterior face steep and curving; summit wide and rounded. Ventral margin of petiole feebly convex beneath node.

Head, trunk and gaster entirely smooth and very highly polished. Hair density moderate; hairs short and moderately abundant, rising 0.08 mm on head, 0.14 mm on trunk and gaster; eight hairs on node of petiole. Dark orange red, with clypeus and occipital lobe somewhat lighter, mandibles orange yellow, legs and antennae reddish orange.

Type Material
Holotype. Dealate queen deposited in from Philippines: Luzon: Lagunas: Mt. Makiling, ca. 150 m below summit, litter, Feb. 1968 (R. A. Morse).

Etymology
Name from Latin in + sulcus, referring to the lack of a frontal sulcus.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Agosti D. 1992. Revision of the ant genus Myrmoteras of the Malay Archipelago (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Rev. Suisse Zool. 99: 405-429.
 * Agosti, D. 1992. Revision of the ant genus Myrmoteras of the Malay Archipelago (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Rev. Suisse Zool. 99: 405-429
 * Agosti, D. 1992. Revision of the ant genus Myrmoteras of the Malay Archipelago (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Revue Suisse Zool. 99(2):405-429
 * Zettel, H. & D.M. Sorger. 2011. New Myrmoteras ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Southeastern Philippines. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 59(1):61-67