Epopostruma wardi

Habitats where this species has been encountered include dry sclerophyll, heavy swampy sclerophyll, wet sclerophyll on a steep slope with grassland and gums, wet sclerophyll on a steep slope and a plateau. Collections situations include leaf litter, in a lump of mossy soil at base of a eucalypt, at honey bait on scribbly gum, foraging on Angophora 10 feet above the ground and under rocks. It is known to lie motionless when disturbed.

Identification
Epopostruma wardi can be recognised by the distinctive head shape and the bispinose lateral postpetiolar margins together with having the area immediately above the eye rounded and the the posterolateral margin of postpetiole (immediately anterior of the gaster) flat to weakly concave rather than strongly concave.

Key to Epopostruma Species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  wardi. Epopostruma wardi Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 61, figs. 63, 75, 82, 83 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Description
Area immediately above the eye angular. Pronotal spines present, long. Posterior section of metanotum and dorsal surface of the propodeum forming a continuous surface. Posterior face of propodeum between bases of spines and propodeal lobes with very narrow flanges with start below the bases of the spines. Petiolar spines present, long. Anterior face of postpetiole similar in length to the dorsal face, the two faces joined by a broad convexity; sides of postpetiole expanded laterally in the form of distinct sharp teeth or spines; their lateral margins strongly concave; posterolateral margin (immediately anterior of gaster) flat to weakly concave. Dorsum of petiole, postpetiole and gaster with numerous long, erect hairs, the majority bend near their tips. First gastral tergite smooth, the area immediately behind attachment with gaster with very short rugae. Body colour yellow-red, head, appendages and gaster sometimes slightly lighter, dorsum of head sometimes with a small infuscated spot.

Measurements

Holotype worker. TL 5.1, HL 1.24, HW 1.33, CI 107, MandL 0.56, MandI 45, SL 0.66, SI 50, PronW 0.74, ML 1.25.

CI (cephalic index) - HW/HL X 100. HL (head length) - The length of the head capsule excluding the mandibles, measured in full face view in a straight line from the mid point of the anterior clypeal margin to the mid point of the occipital margin. In species where one or both of these margins is concave the measurement is taken from the mid point of a transverse line that spans the apices of the projecting portions. HW (head width) - The maximum width of the head in full face view, excluding the eyes. MandI (mandibular index) - ML/HL X 100. MandL (mandible length) - The straight line length of the mandible at full closure, measured in the same plane for which the HL measurement is taken (i.e. full face view), from the mandibular apex to the anterior clypeal margin, or to the transverse line connecting the anteriormost points in those taxa where the margin is concave medially. ML (mesosomal length) (= Weber's length) - The diagonal length of the mesosoma in profile from the point at which the pronotum meets the cervical shield to the posterior basal angle of the metapleuron. PronW (pronotal width) - The maximum width of the pronotum in dorsal view. (Projecting spines, tubercles or other cuticular prominences at the pronotal humeral angles are ignored.) SI (scape index) - SL/HW X 100. SL (scape length) - The maximum straight line length of the scape, excluding the basal constriction or neck that occurs just distal of the condylar bulb. TL (total length) - The total outstretched length of the ant from the mandibular apex to the gastral apex; when measured in profile the sum of ML + HL + ML + lengths of waist segments + length of gaster.