Hypoponera regis Bolton & Fisher, 2011

Bolton, B. & Fisher, B. L., 2011, Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 2843, pp. 1-118 : 97-98

Hypoponera regis Bolton & Fisher sp.n.

(Figs 106 – 108)

HOLOTYPE WORKER. Measurements: HL 0.64, HW 0.49, HS 0.565, SL 0.46, PrW 0.39, WL 0.80, HFL 0.46, PeNL 0.21, PeH 0.36, PeNW 0.21, PeS 0.260. Indices: CI 77, SI 94, PeNI 54, LPeI 58, DPeI 100.

Eyes absent. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, just fails to reach the midpoint of the posterior margin in full-face view; SL/HL 0.72. Funiculus with 5 enlarging apical segments. Metanotal groove entirely absent from dorsum of mesosoma. Mesonotal-mesopleural suture absent from side of mesosoma. Propodeal declivity separated from sides by blunt angles; without acute raised margins or a sharp carinae. Posterior surface of petiole node without short cuticular ridges that radiate from just above the peduncle. Node of petiole in dorsal view as long as broad (DPeI 100), the anterior face convex and the posterior transverse. Petiole in profile higher than long, the anterior face of the node extremely feebly inclined posteriorly and the anterodorsal angle more broadly rounded than the posterodorsal; length of node just above anterior tubercle is slightly greater than length of dorsum. Subpetiolar process in profile with a blunt, obtuse, ventral angle. Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view is less than width of second gastral tergite at its midlength. Sides of second gastral tergite shallowly convex in dorsal view. Midline length of second gastral posttergite, from posterior margin of cinctus to apex, is fractionally less than the maximum width of the segment. Cinctus of second gastral tergite strongly developed and conspicuous, broad and deep, with numerous weak cross-ribs at its base. Disc of second gastral tergite with crowded superficial punctures so that the surface appears microreticulate at lower magnifications. First and second gastral tergites dorsally pubescent and with a number of short, fine, standing setae that project well above the level of the pubescence. Full adult colour yellow.

Holotype worker, Ta n z an i a: Tanga Region, Kilindi Forest Reserve, 1015 m., 27-30.viii.2005, CEPF-TZ-3.1-F34, 5.57934S, 37.57971E, primary forest, pitfall trap (P. Hawkes, J. Makwati & R. Mtana) (SAMC).

Only four species of the abeillei group in Africa have workers with a DPeI <120: angustata , bulawayensis , perparva and regis . Of these four, angustata and perparva are minute, with combined measurements of HL 0.38 – 0.45, HW 0.27 – 0.35, SL 0.20 – 0.26, as opposed to the markedly larger regis measurements of HL 0.64, HW 0.49, SL 0.46. Separation of regis from bulawayensis is relatively simple and is given in the key.