Hypoponera aprora

Hypoponera aprora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Hypoponera
Species:	H. aprora
Binomial name
	Hypoponera aprora; Bolton & Fisher, 2011 Specimen Label

Only known from a few collections, specimens labels indicate individuals were captured by winkler sampling of leaf litter from primary forest. Nothing else is known about the biology of Hypoponera aprora.

Identification

Bolton and Fisher (2011) - This species is immediately distinguished from all its Afrotropical and West Palaearctic congeners by its lack of the prora on the first gastral sternite, both laterally and anteroventrally. It belongs in the occidentalis complex of the abeillei group, notes on the species of which are given under occidentalis. See also under Hypoponera dis, which appears to be its closest relative.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -5.732599° to -5.732599°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: United Republic of Tanzania.

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 Hypoponera biology

Hypoponera inhabit and nest in leaf litter, the surface layer of soil, downed rotten wood, and soil around plant roots. Nests are typically found by turning objects on the ground, like downed wood and rocks, or through the ripping away of bark found on rotting downed wood or at the base of dead trees. Litter samples in tropical areas, especially in moist forested sites, often contain individuals of this genus. All Hypoponera are thought to be predators of small arthropods but published details about their diet are sparse. A lack of information about other aspects of their biology is also typical for most species.

The genus is most diverse in the tropics. Species found in higher latitudes tend to be more widespread, common and abundant than their tropical and subtropical congeners. ‎

Castes

Known only from the type specimens. Workers and a queen have been collected but the queen was not described.

Nomenclature

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

aprora. Hypoponera aprora Bolton & Fisher, 2011: 26, figs. 4-6 (w.q.) TANZANIA.

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

Description

Worker

(holotype in parentheses). Measurements: HL 0.51–0.53 (0.51), HW 0.40–0.41 (0.40), HS 0.455–0.470 (0.455), SL 0.34–0.36 (0.34), PrW 0.30–0.32 (0.31), WL 0.65–0.68 (0.66), HFL 0.34–0.35 (0.34), PeNL 0.15–0.16 (0.15), PeH 0.30–0.32 (0.31), PeNW 0.26–0.27 (0.26), PeS 0.240–0.250 (0.240) (8 measured). Indices: CI 77–79 (78), SI 83–88 (85), PeNI 84–87 (84), LPeI 49–53 (49), DPeI 163–173 (173).

Conforming to the general description given for dis but lacking a prora. In aprora, with the first gastral seg-ment in profile, the anterior and lateral surfaces of first gastral sternite meet in a blunt angle; there is no prominent raised proral crest or rim separating the two surfaces below the level of the helcium. Similarly, there is no trans-verse raised margin or lip separating the anterior and ventral surfaces of the first sternite. Full adult colour glossy dark brown to blackish brown.

Holotype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype worker, Tanzania: Tanga Region, Kilindi Forest Reserve, 1015 m., 27-30.viii.2005, CEPF-TZ-3.2-F09, 5.57934S, 37.57971E, primary forest leaf litter, Winkler (P. Hawkes, J. Makwati, R. Mtana) (South African Museum). Paratypes. 7 workers and 1 dealate queen, with same data as holotype (South African Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Afribugs Collection, Barry Bolton Reference Collection).

References

Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2011. Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi. Zootaxa 2843: 1-118. PDF