Metapone mathinnae Taylor & Alpert, 2016, sp.n.

27. Metapone mathinnae sp.n.

(Figs 156–159)

Type locality. AUSTRALIA; TASMANIA: Flinders Island: Vinegar Hill [40°12'S, 148°15'E].

Distribution, material examined. Known only from the holotype worker, collected 29 ii 1952 by the late John H. Calaby of CSIRO Division of Wildlife Research, who regularly collected termite samples for the ANIC. The dissected mouthparts including the mandibles are stored in glycerine in a micro vial pinned below the pointmounted specimen.

Type deposition. ANIC (Type No. 32-069960).

Worker diagnosis. General and diagnostic features as illustrated. Readily identified in the key to Australian species above. Smaller than other known Australian Metapone workers (M. mjobergi, M. hoelldobleri and M. tillyardi), and probably those of the gyne-based species (assuming likely relative gyne/worker sizes). Lateral clypeal borders straight, anteriorly convergent. Anterior clypeal border slightly concave, anteroventral corners angular to subdentate in frontal view. Eyes minute, maximum diameter ca 0.04 mm, with minimal surface structure visible in reflected light and several very indistinct minute facets. Subpetiolar process much as in the three species just cited, especially the first two (see Figs). Subpostpetiolar process distinctive among Australian species and unusual in Metapone at large—a thin semicircular transverse plate, more slender and parallel-sided in profile than those of any other known Australian species.

Dimensions: TL: ca 5.4 (mandibular component estimated); HL: 1.08; HW: 0.84; CI: 78; CpL: 0.39; CpI: 36; MSL: 1.36; PML: 0.82; PMW: 0.59; PMI: 60; PDW: 0.49; PetL: 0.34; PetW: 0.44; PetH: 0.61; PpetL: 0.32; PpetW: 0.47; PpetH: 0.53; GW: 0.90. Palpal formula: Maxillary 1: Labial 2 (dissected).

Possible termite associations: Available termite distribution records (Watson & Abbey, 1993) imply that M. mathinnae is likely associated with either (or both?) of the termite species known from Flinders Island, namely Porotermes adamsoni (Froggatt) (Termopsidae) and Kalotermes convexus (Walker) (Kalotermitidae), both of which occur also in south-eastern Australia and mainland Tasmania (ibid, maps 2, 34). The only two other recorded Tasmanian termites (and possible hosts) are Stolotermes brunneicornis (Hagen) (Termopsidae) and Bifiditermes improbus (Hagen) (Kalotermitidae). The former is known only from mainland Tasmania and the latter is widespread elsewhere on the Australian mainland (ibid. maps.4, 7).

Etymology. Named for the martyred native Tasmanian Mathinna (1835–1852), the adopted, Europeanised daughter of 1837–1843 “Van Diemen’s Land” Lieutenant Governor John Franklin (of previous and later Arctic exploration fame) and his wife Lady Jane (Griffin) Franklin. Mathinna was abandoned when the Franklins returned to England from Tasmania in 1843, and died tragically, socially rejected, soon afterwards (see Flanagan, 2008).