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Damoetas sp. Ku-rin-gai Ant Mimic

Several apparently widespread Damoetas spp are rather hard to tell apart from other small ant mimics like Ligonipes and Rhombonotus, except for the lack of fringing on the front legs. Ligonipes and Rhombonotus have prominent thick black clumping fringes of hairs on the tibiae of leg 1. Compared with Ligonipes, Damoetas males have a more compact palp and a shorter, wavy embolus. The Ku-rin-gai species found near Sydney may be broadly distributed throughout Australia. It is a small ant mimic with a constricted abdomen forming an and-like waist. The cephalothorax is quite long with forward pointing appressed hairs, meaning lying flat to the surface. It is found on dry foliage and other surfaces in dry eucalypt forest where it feeds on arthropods. ♀ 5mm ♂ 4mm

Male adult, small, 3mm


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, small, dentition


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, small, palp


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, small, palp from side


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, Leg I


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, 4mm


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, in alcohol


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, dentition


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, leg I,


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, palp


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, larger, palp from side


Damoetas sp.
Photo: Robert Whyte

 
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