Heteroponera wilsoni Taylor, 2015, sp. n.
Creators: name: Taylor, Robert W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Heteroponera
Heteroponera wilsoni

description: 4. Heteroponera wilsoni sp. n.
(Figs 18–21).
Type locality. AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: Devils Thumb area, -16 34, 145 17 (10 km NW of Mossman)
Type deposition. Holotype ANIC, Paratypes in ANIC, QMBA.
Distribution, material examined. Known only from the following NE Qld localities, all in map grid cell 16/ 145. Each accession a single worker collected in rainforest. Unless noted all were taken by Berlese funnel from sieved rainforest leafmould, litter or moss from trees or rocks. Queensland: EA2 (Thornton Peak): Mt Hemmant, - 16 0 7, 1455 25, QMBA berlesate 865, 1050 m (GBM & H. Janetzki, 22 xi 1993). Thornton Peak, -16 10, 145 22, QMBA berlesate 619, 1100–1300 m (GBM, DKY & GIT, 1.xi.1983). EA3 (Windsor Tableland): Mt Windsor Tableland, -16 18, 145 0 5, 850 m (RWT, 20.iii.1975). EA4 (Carbine Tableland): Devils Thumb area, -16 34, 145 17 (10 km NW of Mossman) — QMBA berlesate 455 (GBM, DKY & GIT, 9–10.x.1982)—stick brushings, QMBA berlesate 459, 1180 m (GBM, DKY & GIT, 10.x.1982)—pyrethrum knockdown, rainforest, 1000–1180 m (GBM, DKY & GIT, 10.x.1982). Mossman Bluff Track —10 km W of Mossman (-16 28, 145 23) pyrethrum knockdown, trees and logs, 1200 m (GBM & GIT, 17.xii.1985)—Site 10, flight intercept trap, 1300 m (GBM, GIT & ANZSES, 1–17.i.1989).
Worker diagnosis. General features, conformation, coloration and major sculpturation as illustrated, and in the key to species above. Habitus similar to H. darlingtonorum (refer Figs) and H. relicta. Major sculpturation considerably different, as illustrated. Compared to H. relicta: antennal foveae superficially but more strongly sculptured, finely longitudinally striate; propodeal declivity shining, with some minute scaly microsculpture; posterior face of petiole smooth, shining. Vertexal border similarly concave in frontal view; posteroventrolateral extensions of occiput and opposing humeral epaulets less pronounced; ventrolateral sub-dentate extensions of pronotum above fore-coxae less well-developed and less-acutely pointed; humeral shoulders in dorsal view less pronounced; propodeal dorsum in profile less inclined posterodorsally; petiole in side view relatively narrow, the subpetiolar process somewhat reduced. Dimensions: (holotype; smallest available specimen, largest available specimen (both Mossman Bluff)): TL (ca): 5.28, 5.14, 5.42; HW: 1.27, 1.24, 1.31; HL: 1.21, 1.19, 1.26; CI: 104, 104, 104; EL: 0.25, 0.23, 0.25; SL: 0.72, 0.73, 0.75; SI: 59, 61, 57; PW: 0.86, 0.81, 0.88; WL: 1.55, 1.51, 1.59; petH: 0.83, 0.768, 0.87; petW: 0.54, 0.51, 0.55; GW 1.05, 1.04, 1.08.
Related taxa. See above under H. relicta.
In-group sympatric associations. Sympatric with H. rhodopygea at all sites of record except Mossman Bluff, where H. wilsoni is directly sympatric with H. relicta.
Biogeography. Known only from the farthest northern Endemicity Areas, EA2, 3 and 4. Etymology. Named for the preeminent myrmecologist Edward O. Wilson of the Museum of Comparative Zoology Laboratories, Harvard University.
description: Published as part of Taylor, Robert W., 2015, Australasian ants of the subfamily Heteroponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): (2) the species-group of Heteroponera relicta (Wheeler), with descriptions of nine new species and observations on morphology, biogeography and phylogeny of the genus, pp. 151-180 in Zootaxa 3947 (2) on pages 165-167, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3947.2.1