Ponera scabra Wheeler, 1928b

Leong, Chi-Man, Guénard, Benoit, Shiao, Shiuh-Feng & Lin, Chung-Chi, 2019, Taxonomic revision of the genus Ponera Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Taiwan and Japan, with a key to East Asian species, Zootaxa 4594 (1), pp. 1-86 : 43-45

Ponera scabra Wheeler, 1928b

( Fig. 45 : worker)

Ponera scabra Wheeler, 1928b: 99 (w. q.). Type locality: Japan, Hyogo Prefecture, Mt. Maya. Santschi, 1941: 273 (q.); Ogata, 1987: 121 (m.); Imai & Kubota, 1972: 194 (k.). Ponera yakushimensis Tanaka, 1974: 32 (w. q.). Synonym by Yoshimura et al. 2009: 195.

Type material examined: JAPAN . 1 syntype, Hyogo Pref., Mte. Maya, “ 6.28.25 ”, Silvestri leg (MCZ: cotype 20482) [images examined].

Non-type material examined: JAPAN . 1 worker, Shiroyama, Kiu-Shiu , M Yano leg (NHMB: ANTC40459 ; Antweb. org: CASENT0915299) [images examined]. 2 workers, Kagoshima Pref., Kirishima Mts., Ohnamino-ike trl., 31 VIII 2008, Sk Yamane leg (CMPon170, CMPon171) . 1 worker, Tochigi Pref., Utsunomiya city, Tsuruta- Numa , 10 VI 1991 ( MTC: LCM_MT-Ponera-11) . 1 worker, Chiba Pref., Abiko, Konoyama , Katori Shrine , 4 IX 1991 ( MTC: LCM_MT-Ponera-12) .

Measurements (mm) and indices. Workers (n=3): HL 0.74–78; HW 0.61–0.64; SL 0.53–0.54; A06L 0.04; A07L 0.05; A08L 0.07; A09L 0.08; A10L 0.10; PrW 0.48–0.52; WL 0.97–1.05; PeH 0.48–0.53; PeNL 0.27–0.29; PeW 0.42–0.47; ATL 0.57–0.60; ATW 0.64–0.68; CI 78–85, SI 84–92, PeI 87–92, LPeI 53–56, DPeI 151–166, ATI 88–93.

Diagnosis (worker). This species is characterized by a long antennal scape; a clypeus with an acute median tooth; a petiolar node in lateral view thick with straight anterior and posterior margins. Ponera scabra presents similarities with P. rishen , P. kohmoku , and P. takaminei . Ponera scabra can be distinguished from P. takaminei by its indistinct metanotal groove, while distinct in P. takaminei . Ponera scabra is distinct from P. kohmoku by its small eyes consisting of 5–7 facets, but about 20 facets in P. kohmoku . Ponera scabra is distinct from P. takaminei by the straight posterior margin of petiolar node in lateral view, while convex in P. takaminei .

Description of worker. In full-face view, head rectangular and distinctly longer than broad (CI: 78–85), with slightly convex posterior margin, convex lateral margins and angularly rounded posterolateral corners ( Fig. 45C ). Eye small; composed of a total of 5 to 7 indistinct facets. Anterior clypeal margin with strong and acute medial tooth. Masticatory margin of mandible with a series of about 15 indistinct denticles, and three large teeth on the apical part. Antennal scape, when laid backward, almost reaching posterolateral corner; average ratio of the length of antennomeres = 1.25: 1.69: 2.93: 3.40 (n=3).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view slightly convex ( Fig. 45A ). Pronotum in dorsal view with broadly convex anterior margin, and well convex lateral margins ( Fig. 45B ). Metanotal groove indistinct. Lateral mesopleural suture distinctly incised. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view slightly narrow with straight lateral margins. Propodeal corner in lateral view angular; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 120 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view thick and arched, with broadly convex anterior margin, and concave posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view trapezoidal and thick, with straight anterior and posterior margins; anterodorsal corner convex and higher than posterodrosal corner ( Fig. 45A ). Subpetiolar process large with large and circular fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, almost straight ventral margin with a pair of well developed teeth. Third abdominal tergum distinctly broader than long (ATI: 88–93), with straight anterior margin, and slightly convex lateral margins.

Sculpture. Head densely punctate. Mandible sparsely punctate. Mesosoma densely punctate. Mesopleuron with densely striate and punctate. Metapleuron and propodeum striate. Propodeal declivity shining, but sparsely punctate. Lateral face of petiole densely punctate, posterior face smooth. The third and fourth abdominal segments densely punctate, other segments smooth and shining with few punctures.

Pubescence. Head, antennae, mesosoma, petiole, and gaster with evenly distributed short hairs. Mesopleuron, metapleuron, propodeum and lateral face of petiole with few short hairs. Dorsal and ventral faces of head, anterior margin of clypeus, sides of mandibles, dorsum of petiolar node, gastral sterna and posterior half of gastral terga with many long erect hairs. Subpetiolar process with a few long erect hairs.

Color. Body color black. Mandible, clypeus, antennae, legs, and apex of metasoma brown.

Description of queen. See Wheeler (1928b).

Description of male. See Ogata (1987).

Distribution. China (Guizhou, Henan and Yunnan), North Korea, South Korea, Japan (except of Okinawa and Yaeyama Islands).

Remarks. First of all, we found that a specimen (ANTC40459 collected from KiuShiu, Shiroyama, Japan) which was mistakenly pinned with the type label of Ponera scabra (see: Antweb.org 2017), deposited in the Natural History Museum of Basel (NHMB), Switzerland. Regarding the type locality of P. scabra Wheeler, 1928 , the species was described based on specimens collected from Mt. Maya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Therefore, the specimen (ANTC40459) does not belong to type series. Secondly, this specimen was reported by Santschi in 1937, who identified it as a gynecoid worker of P. scabra (see: Santschi, 1937: 364). However, this specimen is not P. scabra and can be easily identified as P. kohmoku Terayama, 1996 by the combination of the following characters: large compound eye (ca. 30 facets), distinct metanotal groove and subcircular petiolar node in dorsal view; in contrast to P. scabra , which present small compound eye (ca. 5 facets), an indistinct metanotal groove and an arched petiolar node in dorsal view. In summary, we assume that the other specimens of P. kohmoku workers were also misidentified as P. scabra gynecoid by Santschi (1937). Thus, no valid record of gynecoid worker exist in the Ponera genus after the exclusion of Santschi’s record (1937).

Figures

FIGURE 45. P. scabra worker (CMPon170), A: body, lateral view, B: body, dorsal view, C: head, full-face view.