Synopsis of Aenictus species groups and revision of the A. curra x and A. laeviceps groups in the eastern Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae)
Author
Jaitrong, Weeyawat
Author
Yamane, Seiki
text
Zootaxa
2011
3128
1
46
journal article
45801
10.5281/zenodo.207090
a51dd241-f273-4211-8dd3-e2fd556a8e43
1175-5326
207090
Aenictus currax
group
Diagnosis.
Head in full-face view with occipital corner convex and with a distinct protuberance, which gives the head a unique “horned” appearance; occipital margin forming a carina. Antenna 10-segmented. Anterior clypeal margin roundly convex, lacking denticles. Mandible subtriangular; its masticatory margin with a large apical tooth followed by a medium-sized subapical tooth, and 4–6 denticles. Frontal carina short, extending a little beyond posterior margin of torulus; parafrontal ridge feeble and incomplete or almost absent. With mesosoma in profile promesonotum convex dorsally and sloping gradually to metanotal groove. Legs slender. Subpetiolar process present; its anteroventral corner always angular, and directed forward and downward.
Head and first gastral segment entirely smooth and shiny. Body black, dark brown to reddish brown;
typhlatta
spot present, always located at the occipital corner of head.
Remarks.
Our concept agrees well with Wilson’s (1964) definition of the “
currax
group”. This species group is closely related to the
A. leptotyphlatta
group and
A. laeviceps
group, all bearing
typhlatta
spots on the worker head, and also sharing the black or dark brown to reddish brown body, and entirely smooth and shiny head (
Jaitrong & Eguchi 2010
). The
A. currax
group is distinguished from the latter two by the following characteristics: anterior clypeal margin roundly convex, lacking denticles; head in full-face view with occipital corner convex and with a distinct protuberance, which gives the head a unique “horned” appearance; in profile “
typhlatta
spot” always located at occipital corner; subpetiolar process present, triangular with the apex always directed forward and downward.
Distribution.
Vietnam
,
Laos
,
Myanmar
,
Thailand
, Malay Peninsula (S.
Thailand
and W.
Malaysia
), Sumatra, Borneo (Sabah,
Sarawak
,
Brunei
, and E. Kalimantan), Sulawesi, New
Guinea
, and
Australia
.
Currently valid names for the Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian forms.
A. cornutus
Forel, 1900
;
A. currax
Emery, 1900
;
A. diclops
Shattuck, 2008
;
A
.
glabrinotum
Jaitrong et Yamane
,
sp. nov.
;
A. gracilis
Emery, 1893
;
A. huonicus
Wilson, 1964
;
A. pfeifferi
Zettel et Sorger, 2010
;
A
.
parahuonicus
Jaitrong et Yamane
,
sp. nov.
;
A
.
wayani
Jaitrong et Yamane
,
sp. nov.