Myrmecina silvalaeva

This rainforest species is known from a limited number of collections from a small area of the wet tropics, northern Queensland. It has been collected from leaf litter samples.

Identification
Shattuck (2009) - Sculpturing on anterior mesonotum consisting of continuous transverse “U”-shaped carinae, the area immediately behind the pronotal collar weakly sculptured or essentially smooth. This species is most similar to Myrmecina eruga and Myrmecina pumila in having weakly developed sculpturing on the pronotum immediately behind the collar but differs in having transversely arched (rather than longitudinal) carinae on the dorsum of the mesosoma.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  silvalaeva. Myrmecina silvalaeva Shattuck, 2009a: 15, figs. 5, 7, 29-31, 47 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Worker
Antennal scapes smooth with one or two low ridges. First segment of funiculus cone-shaped. Sides of head behind compound eyes smooth. Sculpturing on dorsal surface of mesosoma “U”-shaped anteriorly and “V”-shaped posteriorly, dorsal surface of pronotum immediately behind the collar with very weak sculpturing and nearly smooth. Carinae extending continuously from the dorsal surface onto the lateral surfaces of the mesosoma. Metanotal spines short. Propodeal spines long. Erect hairs abundant, straight, relatively short. Colour dark brown-black, antennae, mandibles, legs and tip of gaster yellow-red.

(n = 3) — CI 93–96; HL 0.60–0.61; HW 0.56–0.59; MTL 0.29–0.29; SI 79–90; SL 0.47–0.52; WL 0.70–0.73.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Shattuck S. O. 2009. A revision the Australian species of the ant genus Myrmecina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2146: 1-21.