Wadeura, Weber, N. A., 1939

Weber, N. A., 1939, New ants of rare genera and a new genus of ponerine ants., Annals of the Entomological Society of America 32, pp. 91-104 : 102

Wadeura , gen. nov.

Worker. - Size moderate. Head quadrangular, with rounded occipital corners and impressed occipital margin; eyes absent; clypeus convex in middle; antennae 12-jointed, slender, scapes not reaching occipital margin; mandibles long and narrow with sinuate outer margin, slender, acute apical tooth, and two distinct pre-apical teeth with smaller tooth between the latter. Thorax with higher, convex pro-mesonotal region and lower, more plane epinotum, the latter laterally compressed and without carinae or teeth. Petiole rounded-cuneate, ventrum convex, not dentate. Gaster of moderate proportions with distinct impressions at sutures, sting projecting. Legs moderately short; middle and hind tibiae with two spurs, the outer being simple and small, the inner large and pectinate.

Sculpturing fine, without coarse punctations or rugae.

Pilosity of fine, dense pubescence and sparse, fine, upright hairs.

Color light brown.

Female.-Slightly larger than worker. Winged.

Genotype: Wadeura guianensis , sp. nov.

Wadeura is close to Pseudoponera of the Indomalayan and Ethiopian regions, to which it runs in the late Dr. Wheeler's key. It is separated by the absence of eyes and nature of mandibular teeth. Of the two subgenotypes of Pseudoponera , P. amblyops Emery and Promyopias silvestrii Santschi , Wadeura guianensis comes closer to amblyops in mandibular structure but lacks the well-formed eyes; it comes closer to silvestrii in reduction of eyes. P. silvestrii was originally described as a subgenus of Myopias but may deserve to rank as a distinct genus. The three could then be grouped as follows: Pseudoponera ( Indomalayan)- Wadeura (Neotropical)- Promyopias (Ethiopian) (Fig. 7a-c).