Tetraponera notabilis

This species is known from the type locality in northern Thailand and from a lowland rainforest site in peninsular Malaysia.

Identification
Ward (2001) - The presence of posteroventral petiolar teeth, short scapes, large eyes and dense punctate sculpture on the anteromedial third of the pronotum places T. notabilis in the Tetraponera nitida complex. Within this complex it is easily identified by its elongate head, slender petiole, and longer legs (LHT /HW 0.85-0.89, v. 0.69-0.79 in other members of the complex). An alate queen from the type locality exhibits the same features as the workers, in more exaggerated form (CI 0.66, PLI 0.38, PWI 0.32, LHT/HW 0.90).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  notabilis. Tetraponera notabilis Ward, 2001: 640, figs. 76, 84 (w.q.) THAILAND.

Worker
HW 0.87-0.90, HL 1.13-1.24, LHT 0.74-0.80, CI 0.73-0.77, FCI 0.14, REL 0.43-0.45, REL2 0.58-0.60, SI 0.55, SI3 0.92-0.94, FI 0.52-0.53, PLI 0.43-0.49, PWI 0.36-0.38, PDI 1.03-1.07, LHT/HW 0.85-0.89, CSC 2-4, MSC 2-3.

Slender, medium-sized species, with elongate head (CI <0.80); anterior clypeal margin broadly convex, slightly crenulate medially; distance between frontal carinae slightly exceeding maximum scape width; eye large, its length greater than that of the scape; pro femur short and broad (FI >0.50); mesosoma elongate, with well defined lateral pronotal margins; mesopropodeal impression with a short transverse band of longitudinal carinulae followed by a smooth, pit-shaped depression; propodeum slightly higher than wide, in posterior view the summit broadly rounded; in lateral profile, dorsal face of propodeum rounding gradually into the declivitous face; petiole elongate and thin, much longer than high or wide (see PLI and PWI indices), and with a pair of posteroventral teeth formed by lateral projections of the petiolar sternite; metabasitarsal sulcus associated with a slightly darkened ridge and occupying about two-thirds the length of the segment. Integument with numerous fine punctures on a smooth, shiny background; punctures on upper half of head mostly ≤0.015 mm in diameter, and separated by several to many diameters; punctures denser (separated by about their diameters or less) on anteromedial third of pronotum, on mesonotum and on dorsal face of propodeum; lower malar area with coarser punctures and with weak, irregular longitudinal rugulae. Standing pilosity relatively scarce, present on gaster, venter and apex of head and on the following dorsal surfaces: 2-4 setae on posterior third of head, 2-3 on pronotum, 4-6 on petiole and 7-9 on postpetiole; several standing hairs also present on scape and on posterior face of pro femur; shorter appressed pubescence common on most of body, forming a dense mat on postpetiole and gaster where the appressed hairs overlap extensively. Black, with mandibles, tarsi and funicular segments 2-11 dark brown; protibia, protarsus, scape and first funicular segment lighter medium-brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Sakaerat lowland, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, 10.vii.l999 (S. Yamane). Paratypes. 2 workers, I alate queen, same data as holotype (, KUES, ).