New Asian ants for the tribe Basicerotini, with an on-line computer interactive key to the twenty-six known Indo-Australian species (Hymenoptera : Formicidae : Myrmicinae)

Abstract

The 24 known Old World species of Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf and 2 of Rhopalothrix Mayr are reviewed. All are Indo-Australian. Nine species are described as new: Eurhopalothrix browni (Sabah); E. chapmani (Luzon); E. coronata (Sumatra, Sarawak, Sabah); E. dubia (Sabah); E. jennya (Sarawak); E. omnivaga (W. Malaysia, Sumatra, Sarawak, Sabah, Sulawesi); E. platisquama (W. Malaysia, Sumatra); E. rothschildi (Sarawak) and E. seguensis (Sarawak). These and the 3 previously described Asian Eurhopalothrix species are illustrated and their distributions mapped. E. philippina Brown & Kempf is recorded from Luzon. All palaeogean basicerotines are keyed conventionally, and an on line computer interactive key to all is offered on disc.