Melanesian ants of the genus Amblyopone (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)

Abstract

The known Melanesian ants of genus Amblyopone are reviewed, with a key to species and comprehensive scanning electron micrograph illustrations of each. They are: A. noonadan Taylor (New Britain); A. papuana, sp. nov. (New Guinea); A. celata Mann (eastern Solomon Islands); A. gnoma, sp. nov. (Guadalcanal) and A. australis Erichson (New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Hebrides; also widespread in Australia, New Zealand and Tasman Sea islands). The name 'A. australis' is currently applied to a complex of closely related, intractable, biological species.