Pristomyrmex minusculus

This species occurs in rainforest and has been collected in litter samples, and in a rotting tree.

Identification
A member of the levigatus species group.

Wang (2003) - Worker. Masticatory margin of mandible lacking a diastema and possessing four teeth, of which the third tooth, counting from the apex, smallest; pronotum with a pair of teeth.

This species has a wide distribution in the Oriental region. It is also dispersed to North Queensland, Australia. Pristomyrmex minusculus must be derived from a P. levigatus-like ancestor. It is indistinguishable, in the queen, from Pristomyrmex levigatus at present. The workers of P. minusculus have almost same appearance as those of P. levigatus, except for a derived character-the pronotum with a pair of small teeth. In the levigatus group, this critical character is possessed only by the workers of P. minusculus, thus making them easily recognizable.

Identification Keys including this Taxon

 * Key to Australian Pristomyrmex Species
 * Key to Pristomyrmex workers

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Guinea, Palau, Tonga.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  minusculus. Pristomyrmex minusculus Wang, M. 2003: 507, figs. 229-232 (w.q.) PALAU IS (Peleliu I.).

Type Material
Holotype Worker. . Palau Is: Peleliu I., east coast, 26.i.1948 (H. S. Dybas). Paratypes, 16 workers and one queen (MCZC,, , NACA). Nine workers and one queen with same data as holotype; one worker, Wallis Is.: NukuTapu I., 28.iii.1965 to l.iv.1965 (G. Hunt). Two workers, Indonesia: Seram, above Haruru, near Masohi, 50 to 1.50 m, 18.iii.1981 (W. L. Brown); one worker, Indonesia: Irian Jaya, 12 km S of Sorong, forest fragment, l.v.1981 (W. L. Brown); two workers, Tonga Is.: Falehau, Niuatoputapu, moss + lichen, from coconut tree trunks, l.ix.1971 (W. and G. Rogers); two workers, YapGroup, vii-viii.50. (R. J. Goss).



Worker
Holotype. TL 3.02, HL 0.76, HW 0.80, CI 105, SL 0.66, SI 83, EL 0.14, PW 0.52, AL 0.78. Workers. TL 2.52-3.02, HL 0.66-0.78, HW 0.66-0.80, CI 99-106, SL 0.54-0.66, SI 77-84, EL 0.10-0.14, PW 0.45-0.52, AL 0.59-0.74, PPW 0.20-0.24, PPL 0.14-0.19, PPI 126-143 (n = 16).

Mandibles usually smooth and shining but sometimes with a few small shallow punctures. A broad-based short tooth present about midway on the basal margin of the mandible. Clypeus unsculptured. Anterior clypeal margin with a median tooth and two lateral teeth, but the median tooth often smaller than the others, sometimes the median tooth indistinct. Ventral surface of clypeus with a weak transverse ruga. Palp formula 1,3. Frontal carinae extending to the level of the posterior margins of the eyes. Scrobal areas shallow, short, present lateral to the frontal carinae in full-face view. Frontal lobes weakly expanded. Eyes moderately sized. Occipital margin feebly concave. Alitrunk in dorsal view more or less flat. Pronotum with a pair of acute small teeth; in some small specimens, this pair of teeth are very weak but visible, and in dorsal view they become a pair of sharp points on the two sides of the pronotum. Propodeum armed with a pair of spines, varying in length and shape, straight to slightly upcurved along their length. Metapleural lobes subtriangular, but rarely with a rounded apex. Petiole node in profile high with the anterodorsal angle higher than the posterodorsal, its anterior surface usually subparallel to the posterior one, its anterior peduncle about as long as the node. Subpetiole with a narrow rim. Postpetiole in profile high, rounded dorsally. Petiole node and postpetiole in dorsal view broader than long. Dorsum of head between the frontal carinae smooth and shining but sometimes with a few foveolate punctures bordering the frontal carinae, present on the genae and around the eyes. Dorsum of alitrunk smooth and shining. Petiole and postpetiole each with a lateral longitudinal ruga on each side that separates the tergite from the sternite. Gaster unsculptured. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk with sparse erect to suberect hairs. Dorsal surfaces of petiole node and postpetiole each usually with two pairs of hairs and first gastral tergite with a few hairs. A few pairs of forward-projecting hairs present near the anterior clypeal margin. Scapes and tibiae with some erect to suberect short hairs. Color yellow-brown to reddish-brown; appendages lighter.

Queen
TL 3.08, HL 0.72, HW 0.74, CI 103, SL 0.60, SI 81, EL 0.17, PW 0.60, AL 0.82, PPW 0.24, PPL 0.18, PPI 133 (n = 1).

Generally similar to worker, except for normal caste differences. In addition, pronotal armaments absent; propodeum with a pair of teeth or short spines that are shorter than those in the con specific worker.