Epopostruma frosti

This species has been collected in mallee, dry sclerophyll, dry sclerophyll on a ridge with much low heath scrub and tall gums on a hillside. Specific collection sites or situations include sugar baits late in the evening and at night, honey bait on tree trunks on a cold, moonless night, diurnal and nocturnal foragers, under logs, under a mossy limestone rock with the nest in carton material, and nests in soil and leaf litter. It is known to occur in southern South Australia and Western Australia.

Identification
This species is immediately recognisable by the sharp angles or small teeth immediately above the eyes.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  frosti. Hexadaceton frosti Brown, 1948e: 120, fig. 2 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973c: 211 (l.). Combination in Epopostruma: Taylor, 1973: 26. See also: Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 60.

Description
Area immediately above the eye forming a sharp angle or small tooth. Pronotal spines present, elongate. 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 thin flanges. Petiolar spines present, elongate. Anterior face of postpetiole indistinguishable from the dorsal surface; sides of postpetiole expanded laterally in the form of distinct sharp teeth or spines; in dorsal view the anterior and posterior teeth approximately the same length; posterolateral margin of postpetiole (immediately anterior of gaster) flat to weakly concave. Dorsum of petiole, postpetiole and gaster short erect hairs. First gastral tergite smooth. Body colour yellow-red, head. legs and sometimes gaster slightly lighter than mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole.

(n=7): TL 4.7-5.6mm, HL 1.14-1.29mm, HW 1.21-1.43mm, CI 103-111, MandL 0.57-0.67mm, MandI 47-52, SL 0.66-0.74mm, SI 52-56, PronW 0.64-0.81mm, ML 1.14-1.36mm.

Type Material
Brown (1954) - Through the courtesy of Mr. F. E. Wilson and Mr. N. Tindale I have been able to locate more precisely the spot at which the type was taken. This "N. Mecklenburg" was a German colony before the first war, and the name has now been changed to Putpayerta; the locality is in the surveyor's Hundred of Nuriootpa, on the North Para River, South Australia, and is agricultural country at present. Originally, it is presumed to have been covered with low rainfall vegetational types, such as mallee scrub and savannah woodland. The original collector was J. O. Tepper.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
 * Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.