Brachyponera tianzun

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Brachyponera tianzun
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Brachyponera
Species: B. tianzun
Binomial name
Brachyponera tianzun
(Terayama, 2009)

Pachycondyla tianzun side (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Pachycondyla tianzun top (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Specimen labels

Nests have been found in soil and under stones.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - Number of mandibular teeth varies 9 or 10 in workers. This species is separated from Euponera sharpi by the angulate posterodorsal corner and much steeply sloped posterior margin of propodeum. Rather it resembles Euponera sakishimensis from the Ryukyus, Japan, and Euponera pilosior from Japan and Korea. But it is separated from the latter two by the narrow dorsal surface of propodeum and triangular subpetiolar process.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • tianzun. Pachycondyla tianzun Terayama, 2009: 106, figs. 31-35, 38 (w.) TAIWAN.
    • Combination in Brachyponera: Schmidt, C.A. & Shattuck, 2014: 81.
    • Status as species: Zhou & Ran, 2010: 109.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. Head rectangular, longer than wide (CI = 91), with concave posterior margin in full face view. Mandible with 10 teeth, and with a basal mandibular pit. Anterior margin of clypeus weakly convex. Antennal scape slightly exceeding the posterior margin of head; SI = 74. Eye small, consist of 6-7 facets, 0.04 mm in diameter.

Alitrunk with straight dorsal margin in profile. Propodeum with angulate poserodorsal corner and steeply sloped posterior margin in profile; in dorsal view dorsal surface relatively wide. Petiole higher than long in profile; subpetiollar process triangular, with dully angulate ventral corner.

HL 1.18, HW 1.08, SL 0.80, WL 1.65, PNL 0.40, PH 0.75, DPW 0.57, TL 4.7. Female: HL 1.20, HW 1.10, SL 0.85, WL 1.80, PNL 0.42, PH 0.80, DPW 0.59, TL 5.2.

Color. Body dark reddish brown to blackish brown; head darker than alitrunk; antenna, mandible and legs reddish brown.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker, Nanshanxi, Nanfeng-Cun, Nantou Pref., 12.viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 1w, same data as the holotype; 1w, Chipen, Taitung City, 21.vii. 1982, M. Terayama leg; 1f, same locality, 5 viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg; 1f, Chipen wenchen, Taitung Pref., 21. viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg; 1f, Puli, Nantou Pref., 4. viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg. Holotype in NIAES, and paratypes in TARI.

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Tianzun which is the name of a Taiwanese god.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
  • Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
  • Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.