Recurvidris Bolton

Recurvidris Bolton, 1992

Taxonomy. The genus was first described by Forel (1890) as Trigonogaster, but the name was preoccupied by a pteromalid chalcid, so the new name Recurvidris was proposed by Bolton (1992). It was classified in the tribe Crematogastrini by Bolton (2003). Workers of Vietnamese species have the following features.

Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view oval or subrectangular; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median portion of clypeus in lateral view relatively steeply sloping anteriad; anterior clypeal margin lacking an isolated median seta; posteromedian portion of clypeus relatively broadly inserted between frontal lobes; mandible relatively narrow; masticatory margin oblique, with 4-5 teeth; antennae 11-segmented, with distinct 3-segmented club; eye well developed, weakly pointed anteroventrally; mesosoma long; promesonotal dome raised above anterodorsal border of propodeum, with a long posterior slope to propodeum; promesonotal suture absent dorsally; metanotal groove weakly impressed dorsally; propodeal spine curving upwards and forwards from base; propodeal spiracle located close to dorsal face of propodeum, far in front of base of propodeal spine; propodeal lobe vestigial; petiole pedunculate, with a tiny to large, triangular subpetiolar process; petiolar node low and weakly conical in lateral view; postpetiole in lateral view dorsoventrally narrowed posteriorly, in dorsal view broadly attached to first gastral segment; first gastral segment behind postpetiole in lateral view extremely dorsoventrally compressed; gastral shoulder absent.

The worker of Recurvidris is somewhat similar to that of Crematogaster (Orthocrema) species (for distinguishing characters see under Crematogaster).

Vietnamese species. Three species has been found from Vietnam: glabriceps Zhou [= sp. eg-1; = sp. 6 of SKY: Eguchi et al. 2005] (Tam Dao, Van Ban); sp eg-2 (Ba Be, My Yen, Pu Mat, Van Ban); sp. eg-3 (Van Ban).

Bionomics. Vietnamese Recurvidris species inhabit forest edges and woody habitats, but rarely grasslands. They nest in the soil and build a chimney-shaped mound on the nest entrance with soil particles.