Colobostruma elliotti

This species is found across southern areas of Australia in mainly in dry sclerophyll and similar habitats or occasionally more moist sites. It forms small colonies between rocks.

Identification
Colobostruma elliotti is the only species in this group with 4- or 5-segmented antennae, the others have 6 or more segments (Shattuck 2000).

Key to Australian Colobostruma Species

Distribution
This taxon was described and is only known from Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  elliotti. Epitritus elliotti Clark, 1928c: 42, figs. 1, 2 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Clarkistruma: Brown, 1948e: 124; in Colobostruma: Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 60. See also: Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 42.

Worker
Shattuck (2000) - TL 2.4 - 2.8, HL 0.61 - 0.67, HW 0.56 - 0.65, CI 92 - 97, ML 0.13 - 0.15, MI 19 - 23, SL 0.30 - 0.36, SI 51 - 55, PW 0.34 - 0.40, AL 0.65 - 0.74 ( 6 measured). Anterior region of head rounding gradually from the dorsal to lateral surfaces, not phragmotic. Ridge immediately in front of eye weakly defined, concave. Frontal lobes and lateral margins of clypeus smooth relative to the surrounding surface of the head. Mandibles broadly triangular. Hairs on dorsum of head short, thin. Posterior margin of head broadly concave. Antenna with 4, or rarely 5, segments; when 5-segmented the third funicular segment from the base is much shorter than the second segment. Scape strongly elbowed and with a broadly rounded subbasal lobe. Pronotum with weakly developed humeral angles. Propodeum high, its posterior face slightly less than the height of the petiolar node and with broad, thin lamellae; in profile the dorsum of the alitrunk weakly convex. Lateral postpetiole drawn outwards into thin flange-like wings, the wings with translucent windows along their posterior margins only. First gastral tergite with weak, indistinct sculpturing, superimposed with low, closely spaced carinae on the anterior one- half. Body colour pale, dull yellow overlain with irregular infuscation.

Type Material
Shattuck (2000) - Syntype workers and queen, AUSTRALIA: Victoria, Western District, Mt Arapiles (J. Clark) [not seen].

Additional References

 * Shattuck, S. O. 2000. Genus Colobostruma. Genus Mesostruma. Genus Epopostruma. Pp. 31-67 in: Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028.