Talaridris

A monotypic genus. Talaridris mandibularis is a small litter dwelling tropical rainforest ant that, like the similar Rhopalothrix, is not well collected. It has been found in litter and humus.

Identification
Worker and female: Antennae with 7 segments total. Very similar to Rhopalothrix, but with somewhat different mandibles. These are elongate as in Rhopalothrix, but curve dorsad from the plane of the head, finally broadening into an obliquely oriented apical masticatory border with acute and rounded teeth. There are inconspicuous denticles arranged along the inner dorsal margins of the blades also. Of the apical series, the largest acute teeth, one at each end of the series, may correspond to the long, acute subapical and ventral apical teeth forming the "apical fork" of Rhopalothrix, in which case the intervening teeth would represent elaborations of the two intercalary teeth or denticles of Rhopalothrix. In fact, the distinction between these two genera is relatively trivial, and when more species of Rhopalothrix become known, it may well prove advantageous to merge Talaridris with it. (Brown and Kempf 1960)

Distribution
Known from northern South America and Trinidad.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  TALARIDRIS [Myrmicinae: Basicerotini]
 * Talaridris Weber, 1941a: 184. Type-species: Talaridris mandibularis, by original designation.
 * Talaridris junior synonym of Rhopalothrix: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 1994: 32.
 * Talaridris revived from synonymy: Bolton, 1994: 105.
 * Talaridris junior synonym of Basiceros: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 88.

Worker
Size small. Head angular, broader than long, occipital margin concave, occipital corners angulate, sides in front of corners expanded as lobes, sides converging from thence to mandibles; anterior clypeal margin concave, frontal lobes small; antennal scrobes deep, complete and receiving distal part of scape and funiculus; eyes minute, situated on upper margin of middle antennal scrobes on posterior half of head; mandibles porrect, arcuate, narrow in front view but expanded apically so that the two mandibles meet to form a basket, expanded apical portion with a series of irregular teeth, denticles and lobes, basal portion of mandibles with a series of denticles medially; antennae 7-jointed, scapes broad, strongly elbowed and attached by a distinct pedicel, terminal funicular joint long and narrow, as long or longer than the preceding funicular joints taken together. Pro-mesonotum in profile not markedly impressed, meso-epinotal impression marked; thorax about two-thirds as broad through pronotum as its length to the epinotal spines; epinotum with distinct basal and declivous surfaces, spines large and triangular, continued downward as a lamella on either side. Petiole strongly pedunculate and with a distinct node, mid-ventrally with a small tooth near the epinotum and directed forwards, postpetiole from above transverse, anterior margin concave, posterior medial margin produced as two gibbosities. Gaster ovate, first gastric segment concave anteriorly and covering about three-fourths of the gaster; sting short, exserted. Legs moderately long and slender. Opaque, punctate. Pilosity of coarse squamate hairs on the antennal scapes and body; scale-like or clavate hairs on appendages more numerous. Ferruginous.

Queen
Similar to the worker. Size small but distinctly larger than the worker. Winged. Eyes and ocelli large and prominent, the eyes located before the distal end of the antennal scrobes and partially dividing them; mandibles as in worker; general configuration of head as in worker; epinotal spines and lamellae as in worker. Opaque, punctate, with squamate and clavate hairs as in worker. Ferruginous.

Etymology
From Talapos, a wicker-basket, sometimes a wicker-basket for fowls, and iopis, the "knowing or provident one," in allusion to the remarkable mandibles which come together at their apices in somewhat the form of a basket. According to Dr. W. M. Wheeler, Hesiod referred to the ant, probably specifically the harvesting ant (Messar), as the "knowing or provident one."