Pristomyrmex occultus

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Wang (2003) - Worker. Masticatory margin of mandible with five teeth; pronotum with a pair of triangular short spines; dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk, as well as the two sides of pronotum, with coarse rugoreticulum.

Pristomyrmex occultus is a sibling species of Pristomyrmex quindentatus. The two species are all from the Oriental region. The separation of the two species is discussed under P. quindentatus.

Pristomynnex occultus is also very similar in appearance to Pristomyrmex brevispinosus. But in the workers of P. occultus, the masticatory margin of the mandible possesses five teeth, the length of the masticatory margin covered by three small denticles is slightly longer than that of diastema, and the propodeum is armed with a pair of fairly long spines. In P. brevispinosus, the masticatory margin of the mandible has four teeth, the length of the masticatory margin covered by two basal denticles is not longer than that of diastema, and the propodeum is armed with a pair of triangular teeth.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Malaysia.

Castes
Queen and Male are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  occultus. Pristomyrmex occultus Wang, M. 2003: 455, figs. 152-153 (w.) BORNEO.

Worker
Holotype TL 3.10, HL 0.84, HW 0.81, C1 96, SL 0.72, SI 89, EL 0.10, PW 0.56, AL 0.80. Workers. TL 3.04-3.2.3, HL 0.84-0.88, HvV 0.80-0.84, C1 93-98, SL 0.72-0.75, SI 87-93, EL 0.10-0.13, PW 0.52-0.56, AL 0.76-0.80, PPW 0.22-0.24, PPL 0.20-0.22, PP1 109-120 (n = 5).

Mandibles generally smooth and shining, with a few basal longitudinal rugae. Masticatory margin of mandible with five teeth arranged as the strongest apical + the second strongest preapical + a diastema + three small dentides of similar size of which the middle one is sometimes weak (i.e., smaller than the two others) or worn down, but the length of the masticatory margin covered by the three denticles is longer than the diastema. Basal margin of mandible lacking a toothlike prominence. Clypeus depressed, smooth, and shining. Anterior clypeal margin with a median denticle and two to three others on each side. Ventral center of clypeus with a strongly prominent tooth. Frontal carinae strong, extending to the level of the posterior margins of eyes. Antennal scrobes shallow. Frontal lobes weak; thus, the antennal articulations are almost entirely exposed. Antennal scapes, laid on the dorsal head, just reaching to the occipital margin of head. Eyes moderately sized, containing five to six ommatidia in the longest row. Occipital margin in full-face view feebly concave. Pronotum armed with a pair of triangular short spines. Propodeal spines acute, about two times the length of the pronotal teeth. Metapleural lobes prominent and rounded. Dorsum of alitrunk in dorsal view somewhat depressed. Petiole node high in profile, with a fairly long anterior peduncle; its anterodorsal angle higher than the posterodorsal. Subpetiole with a narrow, long, semitranslucent lamella. Postpetiole in profile rounded dorsally, in dorsal view slightly broader than long. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk, as well as the two sides of pronotum, with coarse, strongly sculptured rugoreticulum, but the scrobal areas lacking this sculpture. Petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining, except for a lateral longitudinal carina on each side that separates the tergite from the sternite. Gaster unsculptured. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk with numerous erect or suberect hairs. Two pairs of hairs present on the dorsum of petiole node and usually two to three pairs on the dorsum of postpetiole. First gastral tergite lacking erect or suberect hairs. A few of forward-projecting hairs present near the anterior clypeal margin. Scapes and tibiae with some erect to suberect short hairs. Color reddish-brown.