Anochetus graeffei

Within Australia this is one of the most widely distributed and commonly encountered species, occurring from the Kimberleys eastward through the Top End and then throughout eastern Queensland south into north-eastern New South Wales. It is most commonly encountered in rainforest habitats but also extends into dry sclerophyll woodlands. It has only rarely been found outside forested sites. Nests are generally under rocks or occasionally other objects on the ground but it is also known to nest directly in soil without covering, in termite nests and in rotten wood.

Identification
Very small (EL < 0.16mm); front of head with sculpturing extending to the posterior margin; pronotum with coarse and heavy striate-rugose sculpture; body very hairy, with abundant erect hairs on all surfaces. This is the most heavily sculptured species of Anochetus within Australia, approached only by Anochetus victoriae. These two taxa can be separated by the rugulose rather than striate sculpturing on the dorsum of the pronotum and the smaller eye (eye length < 0.16mm vs. > 0.22mm) in A. graeffei.

Keys

 * Key to the Anochetus Species of Asia, Melanesia and the Pacific Region
 * Key to Australian Anochetus Species
 * Key to Anochetus of India

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia, New Caledonia. Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Krakatau Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Guinea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Philippines , Samoa , Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Wallis and Futuna Islands. Oriental Region: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar , Nicobar Island, Thailand. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  graeffei. Anochetus graeffei Mayr, 1870b: 961 (w.) SAMOA. Mayr, 1876: 86 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1212 (l.); Imai, Brown, et al. 1984: 5 (k.). Senior synonym of amati, minutus, oceanicus, punctiventris: Wilson, 1959a: 507; of rudis, taylori: Brown, 1978c: 557 (see also p. 586). See also: Shattuck & Slipinska, 2012: 11.
 * punctiventris. Anochetus punctiventris Mayr, 1879: 659 (w.) INDIA. Forel, 1900c: 63 (q.). Junior synonym of graeffei: Wilson, 1959a: 507.
 * rudis. Anochetus rudis Emery, 1889b: 499 (w.) MYANMAR. Subspecies of punctiventris: Forel, 1900c: 60; Emery, 1911d: 109. Revived status as species: Bingham, 1903: 41. Junior synonym of graeffei: Brown, 1978c: 577.
 * oceanicus. Anochetus punctiventris subsp. oceanicus  Emery, 1897c: 597 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Emery, 1914f: 400 (q.m.). Junior synonym of graeffei: Wilson, 1959a: 507.
 * taylori. Anochetus punctiventris r. taylori Forel, 1900c: 63 (w.) INDIA. Raised to species: Bingham, 1903: 43. Junior synonym of graeffei: Brown, 1978c: 557.
 * amati. Anochetus amati Karavaiev, 1925c: 285, fig. 8 (q.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). Junior synonym of graeffei: Wilson, 1959a: 507.
 * minutus. Anochetus minutus Karavaiev, 1925c: 288, fig. 10 (w.q.) WEST MALAYSIA. Junior synonym of graeffei: Wilson, 1959a: 507.

Type Material


This is one of the most widely distributed species within the genus, occurring from southern India east through SE Asia to Australia and onwards to the Cook Islands; it is also one of the most morphologically variable (Brown, 1978). The concept of this species adopted by Shattuck & Slipinska (2012) follows that proposed by Brown (1978). While a detailed study of the entire species, including examination of specimens from throughout its broad range, was outside the scope of their study, a preliminary analysis does not suggest obvious subdivisions and Brown's interpretation of the variation he noted as intra- rather than interspecific is accepted. Additionally, an examination of specimens from inland north Queensland which Brown flagged as possibly belonging to a separate but closely related species could not be confirmed and material from this region is treated as belong to A. graeffei.

Description
Worker description. Body smaller (head length < 1.14mm), with abundant erect or semierect hairs. Eyes very small (eye length < 0.16mm). Sculpturing on front of head nearly reaching posterior margin and extending slightly laterally. Dorsum of head with abundant semierect hairs as well as a few erect hairs. Scapes not reaching posterolateral corners ('lobes') of head; with abundant, slightly elevated pubescence and a limited number of erect hairs. Pronotum with characteristic punctate, irregularly rugose sculpture. Anterior section of pronotum with transverse wrinkles and ridges. Mesonotum and dorsum of propodeum with coarse striate-rugose sculpture. Dorsum of propodeum rounded laterally, with slightly rounded angle and numerous erect hairs. Metapleuron smooth and shining anteriorly. In anterior view petiolar node with apex rounded. Erect hairs on hind tibiae short and scattered. Colour from yellowbrown to brown, head from yellow to yellow-brown, antennae, mandibles and legs yellow or yellow-brown.

Measurements. Worker (n = 5): CI 92–93; EI 14–15; EL 0.13–0.15; HL 0.95–1.13; HW 0.89–1.06; HFL 0.77–0.89; ML 1.09–1.30; MandL 0.52–0.59; MTL 0.54–0.66; PronI 59–63; PronW 0.52–0.64; SL 0.76–0.87; SI 83–89.