Mayriella abstinens

Nests are found mainly in soil, either in the open or between rocks, and they have been found nesting within the mounds of Myrmecia auriventris, Myrmecia brevinoda and Myrmecia flavicoma and Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) mayri. They also nest arboreally under dead bark and in rotten wood on the ground. Workers forage on the ground (where they are often found in leaf litter samples) as well as arboreally.

Identification
Key to Australian Mayriella species.

This taxon can be separated from other Australian species of this genus by the presence of well developed sculpturing in the posterior section of the scrobe, the large, closely spaced pits on the mesosomal dorsum, and the parallel lateral surfaces of the postpetiole. It can be separated from the south-east Asian Mayriella transfuga by the less angular petiolar node and more heavily sculptured postpetiole. M. abstinens shows considerable variation in several morphological traits. The most obvious of these include the overall body color and the length of the propodeal spines. The body color varies from uniform light yellow to uniform dark brown, as well as bicolored dark yellow and dark brown. The propodeal spines vary in shape from short and triangular to elongate and thin. (Shattuck and Barnett 2007)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia, New Zealand.

Habitat
This species has been collected in habitats ranging from dry sclerophyll woodlands (less commonly) to rainforests (more commonly), and once in a garden.

Nomenclature

 *  abstinens. Mayriella abstinens Forel, 1902h: 452 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 349 (k.). Senior synonym of hackeri, venustula: Shattuck & Barnett, 2007: 441.
 * hackeri. Mayriella abstinens subsp. hackeri Wheeler, W.M. 1935e: 157, fig. 1 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973a: 36 (l.). Raised to species: Taylor, 1991b: 602. Junior synonym of abstinens: Shattuck & Barnett, 2007: 441.
 * venustula. Mayriella abstinens subsp. venustula Wheeler, W.M. 1935e: 158 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Raised to species: Taylor, 1991b: 602. Junior synonym of abstinens: Shattuck & Barnett, 2007: 441.

Worker
Shattuck and Barnett (2007) - Sculpturing in posterior section of antennal scrobe well developed and distinct; sculpturing on dorsal surface of mesosoma consisting of large, closely spaced pits (or rarely smaller and more widely spaced); propodeal spines varying from short and triangular to elongate and thin; dorsal surface of petiole in lateral profile uniformly convex, without distinct dorsal and posterior faces and forming an obtuse angle with the anterior face; in dorsal view, postpetiole with the anterior and posterior regions approximately the same width (the region connecting them either flat or weakly convex); postpetiole and gaster lacking erect hairs dorsally.

Measurements. Worker (n = 10): CI 0.89-0.97; HL 0.42-0.57; HTL 0.23-0.32; HW 0.39- 0.50; ML 0.42-0.57; PW 0.29-0.37; SI 0.58-0.73; SL 0.24-0.36.