Pristomyrmex acerosus

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Worker - Masticatory margin of mandible lacking a diastema and possessing four teeth, of which the third tooth, counting from the apex, smallest; subpetiole with a pinlike long process. This is the only species in the genus that has so far been found to have a semitranslucent, pinlike, long process on the ventral surface of the petiole. However, further collecting is required. If this long process is present in other specimens, this holotype represents a good species; otherwise, this holotype would be an aberrant specimen, and P. acerosus would become a junior synonym of P. levigatus. (Wang 2003)

A member of the Levigatus species group / Key to Pristomyrmex workers

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Vanuatu.

Castes
Queen and Male are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  acerosus. Pristomyrmex acerosus Wang, M. 2003: 491, figs. 201-202 (w.) VANUATU.

Worker
Holotype - TL 2.80, HL 0.76, HW 0.7.5, CI 99, SL 0.66, SI 88, EL 0.12, PW 0.48, AL 0.76, PPW 0.22, PPL 0.17, PPI 129.

Mandibles smooth and shining. A broad-based short tooth pre sent about midway on the basal margin of the mandible. Clypeus depressed, unsculptured, its anterior margin with three denticles: a median tooth and one on each side. Frontal carinae just extending to the level of the posterior margins of eyes. Antennal scrobes absent. Frontal lobes weakly expanded basally. Eyes moderately sized. Occipital margin feebly concave in full-face view. Dorsum of alitrunk in profile convex. Pronotum unarmed. Propodeum with a pair of subtriangular short spines. Metapleural lobes rounded. Petiole node in profile high, with the anterodorsal angle higher than the posterodorsal, its anterior face subparallel to the posterior one, anterior peduncle of the node about as long as the node. Subpetiole with a semitranslucent pinlike long process. Postpetiole with a rounded dorsum. In dorsal view, petiole node subrounded; postpetiole broader than long, somewhat transrectangular. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk smooth and shining, except for some small, shallow hair pits. Petiole, postpetiole, and gaster unsculptured, smooth, and shining. Dorsal surface of head with numerous erect to suberect hairs. Dorsum of alitrunk with sparse hairs. Two pairs of hairs present on the dorsum of petiole node. A few on the dorsum of postpetiole and on the first gastral tergite, respectively. Three pairs of forward-projecting hairs present near the anterior clypeal margin. Scapes and tibiae with some suberect short hairs. Color lightly yellow-brown.

Type Material
Holotype Worker. . New Hebrides: Malekoula I. (N), Vao Isl, 0 to 20 m, 7.ix.1979 (W. C. Gagne, G. M. Nishida, and G. A. Samuelson).