Ponera taiyangshen

Ponera taiyangshen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Ponera
Species:	P. taiyangshen
Binomial name
	Ponera taiyangshen; Terayama, 2009 Specimen labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Ponera taiyangshen.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - In Taiwan, separated from Ponera tamon by the rectangular petiolar node (in profile) of Ponera taiyangshen. Appears more closely related Ponera japonica, a species distributed from Hokkaido to Kyushu in Japan. However, it is separated from japonica by the longer head with concave dorsal margin.

Leong et al. (2019) - Worker: This species is characterized by a short antennal scape; a posterior margin of head moderately concave; a petiolar node in lateral view moderately thick and rectangular, the anterodorsal corner slightly higher than the posterodorsal corner; and a subpetiolar teeth distinctly visible. Ponera taiyangshen can be distinguished from Ponera yuhuang by the presence of a five segmented club, versus four-segmented club in Ponera yuhuang.

Keys including this Species

Key to Ponera of East Asia

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 24.51° to 24.49°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Explore Overview of Ponera biology

The general biology of species in the genus was summarized by Taylor (1967): Ponera are small ants that nest in rotting logs in forested areas or under stones in nonforested situations. In the tropical areas specimens are rarely encountered away from rain forest. In temperate areas, however, species may occur in relatively lightly forested areas. This appears to be the case with Ponera japonica, Ponera pennsylvanica and especially with Ponera coarctata. The Australian Ponera leae is essentially limited to rain forest in the northern parts of its range, but further south it may be found in dry, lightly forested areas.

Foraging is probably cryptobiotic, though some New Guinea species have been taken straying on the ground surface. Little information is available concerning feeding. However, most species are probably insectivorous. I have conducted feeding experiments with some of the New Guinea and Samoan species, including Ponera xenagos, Ponera elegantula, Ponera tenuis, Ponera incerta and Ponera woodwardi. These were unsuccessful with the larger species, except elegantula, which accepted moderately large (8-12 mm) campodeid and japygid Diplura. Tenuis and incerta accepted smaller (4-6 mm) campodeids, isotomid and sminthurid Collembola, and small newly hatched spiders (2 mm long). Negative feeding response was obtained with eggs and larvae of various ants, small crushed insects of various orders, and small myriapods. Stray workers were never observed carrying prey, and distinct middens of insect or other remains were not located near nests.

Colonies usually contain about 30 workers. Larvae and pupae are not segregated in most cases, but occasionally aggregations of pupae were observed. These may have included the total brood of the colonies involved. Larvae are attached to the floor or walls of the nest galleries by the glutinous abdominal tubercles described above, and the ants move them high up on the walls or ceilings of artificial nests, if they are flooded. Details of nuptial behavior of pennsylvanica were given by Wheeler (1900), and Haskins & Enzmann (1938). The flights appear to be of a pattern typical for ants, with the alates meeting in the air and mating there or on the ground. Colony foundation is non-claustral and independent in pennsylvanica (Kannowski 1959); judging from my observations this is typical for the genus. ‎

Castes

Queen

Leong et al. 2019. Figure 52. Dealate queen, CMPon028.

Nomenclature

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

taiyangshen. Ponera taiyangshen Terayama, 2009: 112, figs. 59-61 (w.) TAIWAN.

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

Description

Worker

Terayama 2009 figs. 39-64

Holotype. Head microreticulate, 1.21 times as long as wide, with concave posterior margin and parallel sides. Antennal scape short, not reaching the posterior margin of head; SI = 73; club consist of 5 segments. Eye small.

Alitrunk with straight dorsal margin; posterodorsal corner of propodeum dully angulate. Petiolar node rectangular, with parallel anterior and posterior margins and weakly convex dorsal margin; posterodorsal corner forming an angle; in dorsal view, dorsal disc with convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin. Subpetiolar process with dorsoventral teeth.

Measurements (mm). HL 0.50, HW 0.41, SL 0.30, WL 0.69, PL 0.16, PH 0.30, DPW 0.24, TL 2.1.

Color. Brown; head darker than alitrunk; mandible, antenna and legs yellow.

Leong et al. (2019) - Head. In full-face view, head subrectangular and distinctly longer than broad (CI: 81–87), moderately concave posterior margin, convex lateral margins, and rounded posterolateral corners,. Eye small; composed of a total of 4–5 indistinct facets. Anterior clypeal margin with blunt medial tooth. Masticatory margin of mandible with a series of about ten indistinct denticles, and three large on the apical part. Antennal scape, when laid backward, with a remaining distance of about 15% of the scape length to the posterolateral corner; average ratio of the length of antennomeres 7/6:8/6:9/6:10/6 = 1.17: 1.77: 2.60: 3.58 (n=15).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view convex. Pronotum in dorsal view arched, with acutely convex anterior margin and moderately convex lateral margins. Metanotal groove distinct with a fine suture. Lateral mesopleural suture distinct and fine. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view broad, with straight lateral margins. Posterodorsal corner of propodeum angular, propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 125 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view arched, with broadly convex anterior margin and slightly concave posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view moderately thick and rectangular, with straight anterior margin and slightly convex posterior margin, anterodorsal corner forming a right angle, posterodorsal corner moderately convex with a projection, anterodorsal corner slightly higher than posterodorsal corner. Subpetiolar process with small and suboval fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, almost straight ventral margin, posterovental corner concave with small teeth. Third abdominal tergum broader than long (ATI: 85–96) with slightly convex anterior and posterior margins, and slightly convex lateral margins.

Sculpture. Head densely punctate. Mandible sparsely punctate. Mesosomal dorsum evenly punctate. Mesopleuron with weakly striate lower portion and sparsely punctate upper portion. Metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum striate, but especially smooth in the portion contained between metapleuron and propodeum. Propodeal declivity smooth and shining. Lateral face of petiole evenly punctate, posterior face smooth, dorsum with few punctures. The third and fourth abdominal segments evenly 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 brown. Mandible, clypeus, antennae, legs, and apex of metasoma lighter.

Queen

Leong et al. (2019) - (n=2): HL 0.56; HW 0.48–0.49; SL 0.36; A06L 0.02; A07L 0.03; A08L 0.04; A09L 0.05; A10L 0.07; PrW 0.42; WL 0.89–0.90; PeH 0.37–0.38; PeNL 0.17–0.18; PeW 0.29; ATL 0.47–0.48; ATW 0.50–0.51; CI 85–87, SI 73–76, PeI 68, LPeI 46, DPeI 164–168, ATI 91–96.

Head. Similar to worker caste, but with large and circular Eye, maximum diameter of each eye about 0.13 mm with about 10 ommatidia along the maximum diameter. Three ocelli present and forming an equilateral triangle. Antennal scape similar to worker; average ratio of the length of antennomeres 7/6:8/6:9/6:10/6 = 1.20: 1.60: 2.31: 2.96 (n=2).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view convex. Pronotum in dorsal view pentagonal, with bluntly convex anterior margin, acutely convex posterior margin, slightly convex lateral margins. Scutum subpentagonal. Transcutal suture distinct and fine. Scutellum subrectangular with moderately convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin. Anapleural sulcus indistinct and weakly incised. Propodeal-metapleural suture indistinct. Propodeal dorsum broad, with straight lateral margins. Propodeal corner angular; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 125 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view very thin and subrectangular, with slightly convex anterior margin and almost straight posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view moderately thick and subtrapezoidal, with straight anterior margin and convex posterior margin. Subpetiolar process with small and circular fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, almost straight ventral margin, and posteroventral corner concave with a pair of small teeth. The third abdominal segment similar to worker caste (ATI: 91–96).

Sculpture. Mostly like worker caste, but the sculpture more increase especially in the lateral view of mesosoma.

Pubescence. Similar to worker caste.

Color. Similar to worker caste.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker, Taipingshan, Yilan Pref., 28. vii. -2. viii. 1988. 11 workers, same data as the holotype.

Leong et al. (2019): Type material examined: TAIWAN. Holotype. Worker, Taipingshan, Yilan Pref., 28 VII to 2 VIII 1988 (Laboratory of Insect Systematics, National Institute of Agro-environmental Sciences). Paratypes. 5 workers, Taipingshan, Yilan Pref., 28 VII to 2 VIII 1988 (Maromu Terayama Collection: LCM_MT-Ponera-22, LCM_MTPonera-23).

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Taiyangshen, 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.
Leong C. M., B. Guénard, S. F. Shiao, & C. C. Lin. 2019. Taxonomic revision of the genus Ponera Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Taiwan and Japan, with a key to East Asian species. Zootaxa 4594: 1-86.
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.