Vollenhovia amamiana

Japanese Name

Oo-umematsu-ari

Terayama, M. & Kinomura, K. (1998) Taxonomic studies of Japanese Formicidae, part 3. Genus Vollenhovia Mayr. Nature and Human Activities 2: 1-8.

Total length of workers around 3 mm. Body color reddish brown; legs, antennae and mandibles lighter. The head width measurement is relatively small compared to other Japanese species; head width/head length ratio 0.71. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded. Mandibles each with 7 teeth. Eyes more strongly convex than in other Japanese species. Posterolateral margins of propodeum angulate, without dentiform processes. Petiolar node high, its posterior margin steep. Subpetiolar process well developed, forming a large lamellate plate about 0.07 mm deep. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole shagreened, gaster and legs smooth.

This species nests in the rotten wood in forests.

Amami-oshima I., Tokunoshima I.