Eurhopalothrix greensladei

The type material was collected from rainforest leaf litter.

Identification
P. greensladei is probably cognate with Eurhopalothrix procera. It is remarkably intermediate in structure between procera and Eurhopalothrix isabellae. Most of the characters listed above, which distinguish greensladei from procera, are present also in isabellae, frequently in a more exaggerated state. Furthermore, several extreme characters of isabellae (notably the aberrant mandibular form, the heavy mesosomal sculpturation, and the very reduced vestiture) are foreshadowed in greensladei. (Taylor 1968)

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

Nomenclature

 *  greensladei. Eurhopalothrix greensladei Taylor, 1968b: 342, figs. 6, 7 (w.) SOLOMON IS.

Worker
Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 4.2, 4.0-4.6, HL, 0.94, 0.92-0.98; HW, 1.05, 1.03-1.08; CI, 112, 110-114; ML, 0.26, 0.25-0.27; MI, 28, 27-28; SL, 0.56, 0.54-0.57; SI, 53, 52-53; greatest diameter of eye, 0.08, 0.08-0.09; PW, 0.60, 0.58-0.61; WL, 1.13, 1.10-1.14; petiolar node width, 0.25, 0.24-0.26; postpetiole width 0.61, 0.57-0.62; gastric width, 0.82, 0.78-0.83. Similar to Eurhopalothrix procera but differing from its Guadalcanal race, as described above, in the following characters:

(1) Size and proportions: smaller size, with relatively broad head (higher CI), short mandibles (lower MI), and short scapes (lower SI).

(2) Outer mandibular borders feebly but distinctly concave.

(3) Pronotal gibbosities very feeble; the dorsum of the sclerite barely depressed in the middle.

(4) Promesonotal sulcus lacking on dorsum of mesosoma and vestigial on its sides. Promesonotal dorsum, in side view, less strongly inflated.

(5) Dorsum of petiolar node slightly longer than broad.

(6) Ventral edge of subpetiolar process entire, lacking serrations.

(7) Postpetiolar tumosities weakly developed, relatively obtuse; the depression between them maximally about o• 1 times as deep as the distance between their apices.

(8) Sculpturation of mandibles, antennae, and legs as in Guadalcanal procera. Clypeus moderately shining, with almost effaced traces of dense, coarse puncturation. Frons moderately shining, with scattered, weakly incised, large punctures (average diameter and distance of separation about 0.02 mm). Promesonotal dorsum very coarsely longitudinally rugo-reticulate. Dorsum and sides of propodeum subopaque, coarsely and irregularly punctate; declivity finely granulose. Sides of mesosoma coarsely punctate, except for small areas on inferior edges of pronotum, and lower parts of the mes- and metepisterna, which are smooth, with a few scattered large punctures. Petiole and postpetiole moderately coarsely granulose-punctate, most strongly on petiolar dorsum and apices of postpetiolar tumosities. Gastric puncturation much less sharply and clearly incised than in procera.

(9) Vestiture much weaker, except on legs and antennae. Hairs of ground pilosity smaller; very scattered on clypeus, lacking on frons (except for a few on outer corners of occipital lobes); moderately abundant, though not prominent, on promesonotum and petiolar dorsum; generally restricted on postpetiolar dorsum to apices of lateral tumosities. One bilateral pair of erect, bristle-like, feebly clavate hairs each on verticocciput and pronotal humeri. Erect hairs completely lacking on first gastric tergite. Second and third gastric tergites each with a single transverse row of erect, feebly clavate bristles; similar but less clavate bristles moderately abundant at apex of gaster and on its venter, the most anterior lying at about mid-length of first sternite.

(10) Colour dark reddish brown; mandibles, clypeus, antennae, legs and tip of gaster lighter.

Type Material
Holotype worker. British Solomon Islands: Guadalcanl: Mt. Austen (Berlese funnel sample, leaf litter, secondary rain forest c. 1000 ft), 21.iv.l965, P. J. M. Greenslade (Acc. No. 16991). Deposited in (Type No. 31180). Paratype workers. Guadalcanal: Mt. Austen, four specimens collected with the holotype and nine collected separately in leaf litter, Berlese funnel samples (each record a single specimen unless otherwise noted), ll.ii.1963, 25.iv.1963, 29.xi.1963, February 1966 (2 specimens), March 1966 (4 specimens). Kukum, in decayed log, 22.vi.l963. All material collected by Dr. or Mrs. P. J. M. Greenslade (Acc. Nos. 4290, 6314, 11048, 21210, 21316, 6779). Deposited in, , BSI, MCZ,. Mt. Austen (9°28'S., 159°59'E.) is 4 miles inland from Kukum, which is a Solomon Is. Department of Agriculture farm on the coast, about 4 miles east of Honiara.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Taylor R. W. 1968. Notes on the Indo-Australian basicerotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 333-348.
 * Taylor R. W. 1980. Australian and Melanesian ants of the genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf - notes and new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 19: 229-239.