Odontomachus schoedli

This species was collected at higher elevations in strongly degraded forests.

Identification
Sorger & Zettel (2011) - Odontomachus schoedli is only known from the western mountain ranges of northern Luzon. In Benguet it is sympatric with Odontomachus infandus. The main differences between these two species are the striation of the pronotum, which is transverse in O. schoedli but more or less longitudinal in O. infandus, and the shape of the petiole, which is remarkably short and with a very straight anterior face of the node (including spine) in O. schoedli, whereas it has a longer, curved spine in O. infandus (only weakly developed in the smallest specimens). The uniformly light chocolate brown colour of head and mesosoma of O. schoedli is striking, but we have seen a few specimens of O. infandus from northern Luzon with the same colouration.

Distribution
Endemic to the Philippines: only in the north of Luzon: Mountain Province, Benguet.

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

Nomenclature

 *  schoedli. Odontomachus schoedli Sorger & Zettel, 2011: 151, figs. 4, 10, 16, 47 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon I.).

Worker
Measurements: holotype worker: CI 72, HL 2.95, HW 2.12, MdI 58, MdL 1.70, MsL 4.17, PnW 1.25, PtH 1.18, PtL 1.12, PtW 0.49, SI 146, SL 3.08, TL 16.25; paratype worker with smallest HW: CI 72, HL 2.98, HW 2.13, MdI 55, MdL 1.65, MsL 4.00, PnW 1.20, PtH 1.18, PtL 1.18, PtW 0.51, SI 144, SL 3.07, TL 12.75; paratype worker with largest HW: CI 73, HL 3.60, HW 2.62, MdI 59, MdL 2.13, MsL 5.93, PnW 1.52, PtH 1.48, PtL 1.53, PtW 0.56, SI 137, SL 3.58, TL 16.13.

Structures: Head striate; striation reaching occipital margin. Pronotum with fine, transverse striation. Mesopleuron with fine transverse striation. Petiole stout, with short spine, bent backwards only very slightly.

Pilosity: Pubescence sparse, long.

Colour: Head and mesosoma medium brown, petiole and gaster dark brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker : Luzon: Mountain Province: south of Sagada, Bagnen, slopes of Mt. Polis, 1600 m, 26.II.1999, leg. S. Schödl (23). Paratypes (24 workers (,, , UPLB): same locality data as holotype, 13 workers, leg. H. Zettel (189), 6 workers. Benguet: west of Baguio, at km 7 of Asin Road, 17.II.1999, leg. S. Schödl (11), 2 workers, leg. H. Zettel (179), 2 workers; Baguio, leg. C.F. Baker, 1 worker.

Etymology
This species is named for our late colleague Stefan Schödl, former curator for Hymenoptera at the Natural History Museum Vienna, who collected a major part of the type series.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Sorger, D.M. and H. Zettel. 2011. On the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Philippine Islands: V. The genus Odontomachus LATREILLE, 1804. Myrmecological News. 14:141-163.