Ponera chiponensis Terayama, 1986

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 : 31-34

Ponera chiponensis Terayama, 1986

( Fig. 38 : worker; Fig. 39 : dealate queen)

Ponera chiponensis Terayama, 1986: 593 (w. q.). Type locality: Taiwan, Taitung City, Chihpen .

Type material examined: TAIWAN. Paratypes, 2 workers, Taitung City, Chihpen , 22 VII 1982, M Terayama leg (MTC: LCM_MT-Ponera-17). 1 worker, Taitung city, Chihpen , 24 VII 1982, M Terayama leg ( MTC: LCM_MT- Ponera-18). 1 dealate queen, Taitung city, Chihpen, 24 VII 1982, M Terayama leg ( TARI) .

Non-type material examined: TAIWAN . 1 worker, Taitung county, Chihpen , 8 IX 1988, CC Lin leg. 2 workers, 22.16°N; 120.73°E, ca. 700m alt., Pingtung county, Lilung , 31 I 2016, FC Hsu leg (CMPon061, CMPon062, CMPon063).

Measurements (mm) and indices. Workers (n=6): HL 0.50–0.56; HW 0.39–0.43; SL 0.32–0.37; A06L 0.02; A07L 0.02; A08L 0.04; A09L 0.06; A10L 0.07; PrW 0.32–0.33; WL 0.64–0.71; PeH 0.30–0.34; PeNL 0.18–0.22; PeW 0.26–0.29; ATL 0.39–0.40; ATW 0.40–0.41; CI 77–78, SI 81–86, PeI 81–86, LPeI 61–67, DPeI 128–148, ATI 93–98.

Queen (n=1): HL 0.53; HW 0.42; SL 0.36; A06L 0.02; A07L 0.02; A08L 0.04; A09L 0.06; A10L 0.08; PrW 0.37; WL 0.81; PeH 0.35; PeNL 0.21; PeW 0.29; ATL 0.41; ATW 0.43; CI 78, SI 86, PeI 86, LPeI 67, DPeI 148, ATI 98.

Diagnosis (worker). This species is characterized by a short antennal scape; a petiolar node in lateral view thick and trapezoid, with a slightly convex posterior margin; a subpetiolar process with large fenestra and large teeth; and its third abdominal tergum as long as broad. Ponera chiponensis presents similarities with Ponera baka , P. xantha , and P. swezeyi , but the body size of P. chiponensis (HW: 0.39–0.43 mm) is larger than P. baka (HW: ca. 0.33 mm), P. xantha (HW: ca. 0.35 mm), and P. swezeyi (HW: 0.32–0.34 mm). The posterior margin of the petiolar node is convex in Ponera chiponensis , but straight in P. baka , P. xantha , and P. swezeyi .

Description of worker. Head. In full-face view, head rectangular and distinctly longer than broad (CI: 77–78), with almost straight posterior margin, slightly convex lateral margins, and broadly rounded posterolateral corners ( Fig. 38C ). Eye small; composed of a total of 3–4 indistinct facets. Anterior clypeal margin with blunt medial tooth. Masticatory margin of mandible with a series of about seven indistinct denticles, and three large teeth on the apical part. Antennal scape, when laid backward, with a remaining distance of about 10% of the scape length to the posterolateral corner; average ratio of the length of antennomeres = 1.06: 1.88: 2.69: 3.39 (n=6).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view almost straight ( Fig. 38A ). Pronotum in dorsal view with acutely convex anterior margin and moderately convex lateral margins ( Fig. 38B ). Metanotal groove distinctly and finely incised. Lateral mesopleural suture in lateral view weakly incised. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view broad, with straight lateral margins. Propodeal corner in lateral view angular; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 125 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view trapezoidal and remarkably thick, with almost straight anterior margin, slightly convex posterior margin, and slightly convex lateral margins ( Fig. 38B ). Petiolar node in lateral view remarkably thick and trapezoid, with straight anterior margin, moderately convex posterior margin, and slightly convex dorsal margin; posterodorsal corner as high as anterodorsal corner ( Fig. 38A ). Subpetiolar process large with very big and circular fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, ventral margin concave, and posteroventral corner concave with a pair of developed and acute teeth. Third abdominal tergum slightly broader than long (ATI: 93–98), with straight anterior margin and almost straight lateral margins.

Sculpture. Head densely punctate. Mandible sparsely punctate. Pronotum and mesonotum evenly punctate. Mesopleuron, metapleuron evenly striate. Propodeal dorsum sparsely punctate. Propodeum in lateral view with evenly striate lower portion and evenly punctate upper portion. Propodeal declivity smooth and shining. Lateral face of petiole evenly punctate, posterior face smooth, dorsum sparsely punctate. 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 scattered hairs. Dorsal and ventral faces of head, anterior margin of clypeus, sides of mandibles, dorsum of petiolar node and gaster with many long erect hairs. Subpetiolar process with a few long erect hairs.

Color. Body color dark brown. Mandible, clypeus, antennae, legs, and apex of gaster yellowish orange.

Description of queen. See Terayama (1996); the morphology similar to worker caste as shown in Fig. 39 , but the exoskeleton of the examined specimens cannot be examined in order to redescribe.

Description of male. Unknown.

Distribution. Taiwan (Taitung county: Chihpen and Lilung).

Figures

FIGURE 38. P. chiponensis worker (CMPon062), A: body, lateral view, B: body, dorsal view, C: head, full-face view.

FIGURE 39. P. chiponensis paratype dealate queen, A: body, lateral view, B: body, dorsal view, C: head, full-face view, D: specimen label.