Aenictus orientalis

Identification
A member of the ceylonicus group.

Key to Aenictus species groups

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

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 * . Eciton (Aenictus) ceylonicus subsp. orientalis Karavaiev, 1926d: 423, fig. 2 (w.) INDONESIA (Aru Is).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”).
 * Type-locality: Indonesia: Aru Is, Wammar, 19.iii.1913 (W. Karawajew).
 * Type-depositories: ANIC, SIZK.
 * Subspecies of ceylonicus: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 11.
 * Junior synonym of ceylonicus: Wilson, 1964a: 452; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Zhou, 2001b: 59.
 * Status as species: Shattuck, 2008c: 18.
 * Senior synonym of papuanus: Shattuck, 2008c: 18.
 * Senior synonym of similis: Shattuck, 2008c: 18.
 * Distribution: Indonesia (Aru, Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea.
 * papuanus. Aenictus papuanus Donisthorpe, 1941c: 129 (w.) NEW GUINEA (Papua New Guinea).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “a number of workers”).
 * Type-locality: Papua New Guinea: Mafulu, Wharton Range, 4000 ft, xii.1933, no. 556 (L.E. Cheesman).
 * Type-depositories: BMNH, MCZC.
 * Status as species: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 11; Chapman, 1963: 253.
 * Junior synonym of ceylonicus: Wilson, 1964a: 452; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Zhou, 2001b: 59.
 * Junior synonym of orientalis: Shattuck, 2008c: 18.
 * similis. Aenictus similis Donisthorpe, 1948g: 131 (w.) NEW GUINEA (Indonesia).
 * Type-material: 14 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Maffin Bay, 8.viii.1944 (E.S. Ross).
 * Type-depositories: CASC, MCZC.
 * Status as species: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 12.
 * Junior synonym of ceylonicus: Wilson, 1964a: 452; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Zhou, 2001b: 59.
 * Junior synonym of orientalis: Shattuck, 2008c: 18.


 * Eciton (Aenictus) ceylonicus subsp. orientalis: Three worker syntypes from Wammar, Aru Island, Indonesia.
 * Aenictus papuanus: Two worker syntypes from Malufu, Wharton Range, Papua New Guinea.
 * Aenictus similis: Fourteen worker syntypes from Maffin Bay, Irian Jaya, Indonesia (2 in ).

The following taxonomic notes are offered by Shattuck (2008):

In this species the pronotal humeral angles are well developed, causing the anterodorsal surface of the pronotum to be nearly vertical, in dorsal view the area between the humeral angles is weakly convex to weakly concave. This is in contrast to the otherwise similar A. prolixus and A. turneri where the humeral angles are weakly developed and the anterodorsal section of the pronotum is gradually sloping, the area between the humeral angles being moderately convex. In addition, A. orientalis can be separated from A. prolixus by the shorter scapes (SI 65–82 vs. 89–96) and from A. turneri by the yellow head and legs which contrast with the yellow-red mesosoma (the body is essentially uniform in colour in A. turneri).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec M. L. 2016. Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 608: 1–280.
 * CSIRO Collection
 * Esteves F. A., C. R. F. Brandao, and L. P. Prado. 2011. The type specimens of Dorylomorph ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae: Aenictinae, Ecitoninae, Cerapachyinae, Leptanilloidinae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia 51(22): 341-397.
 * 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.
 * Karavaiev V. 1926. Ameisen aus dem Indo-Australischen Gebiet. Treubia 8: 413-445.
 * Shattuck, S. O. 2008. Review of the ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia with notes on A. ceylonicus (Mayr). Zootaxa 1926:1-19.