Odontomachus malignus Smith, 1859

Odontomachus malignus Smith, 1859 View in CoL

Material examined. Lim Chu Kang mangrove, 23 Sep (year unknown), D.H. Murphy leg., ZRC _ HYM_0000902; males, Pulau Semakau Old Fragment, 1°12’23.9”N, 103°45’37.6”E, Jul-Nov 2012, J. Puniamoorthy et al. leg., malaise trap, ZRC GoogleMaps _ BDP (multiple); male, Pulau Semakau New Fragment, SMN2, 1°12’04.5”N, 103°45’46.1”E, 6-13 Dec 2012, same collectors as previous, malaise trap, Reg. 29626, ZRC _ BDP0016086 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Material not physically examined. Unknown.

Literature. Wang et al. (2020).

Localities. Lim Chu Kang mangrove; Pulau Semakau.

Habitat/Ecology. A worker of this species was found foraging in mangrove at low tide, close to mudflats opening to the sea. Nests have never been found in mangroves in Singapore. Most specimens were males collected in malaise traps set up in mangroves at an offshore landfill. It is possible that these males could have originated from actual nests in extensive coral rubble surrounding the mangrove fragments on this landfill.

Remarks. This species is similar to O. litoralis , but can be differentiated from the latter by the absence of a strongly carinate posterior propodeal edge in the worker, and also a generally less coarse or shagreened, somewhat shinier mesosoma. Odontomachus malignus has been reported to nest in coastal coral rubble and limestone rockfaces facing the sea in other countries – this apparent nesting preference may also distinguish it from O. litoralis which has only been found nesting in mangroves.