Tapinoma melanocephalum australis Santschi, 1928 junior synonym of current valid taxon Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793)
Tapinoma (Micromyrma) melanocephalum var. australis Santschi, 1928a: 53 (w.) Date of publication 25.ii.1928. VANUATU. Australasia.
Primary type information: Primary type material: syntype workers (number not stated). Primary type locality: Vanuatu (“New Hebrides”): Santo I., Moq. Narbow (= Hog Harbour), 8.viii.1925 (P.A. Buxton). Primary type depositories: BMNH, NHMB. Primary type specimen: CASENT0911572. Type notes: 1) Baroni Urbani, 1977e: 86, cites 12 worker syntypes in NHMB. 2) Shattuck, 1994: 148, cites 11 worker syntypes in BMNH (as holotype + 10 paratypes, but Santschi, 1928a never designated a holotype). 3) Santschi, 1928a: 53, cites localities on several Samoan islands (Pago Pago, Savai’i, Tutuila, Upolu), but states “the type of this variety is from New Hebrides (Buxton)”. 4) These New Hebrides specimens are the ones described in Santschi, 1928e: 475.
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