Hypoponera jeanneli

Hypoponera jeanneli
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Hypoponera
Species:	H. jeanneli
Binomial name
Hypoponera jeanneli (Santschi, 1935)
Synonyms
Ponera coarctata imatongica Weber, 1942 Ponera jeanneli abyssinica Santschi, 1938 Specimen Label

Collected from primary and montane forest leaf-litter.

Identification

Bolton and Fisher (2011) - Among the Afrotropical species of Hypoponera, eleven are defined by the following combination of three characters in the worker: sharply defined metanotal groove absent; posterior face of petiole node with short cuticular ridges above the peduncle; base of cinctus with cross-ribs. Of these, Hypoponera tecta has a sharp, triangular denticle that overhangs the midpoint of the anterior clypeal margin in full-face view. Hypoponera exigua and Hypoponera traegaordhi have a transverse dark rim above the cuticular ridges on the posterior petiole, and the ridges lie within a shallow groove whose upper margin is the rim. Hypoponera faex is a large species (HL 0.88, HW 0.72) with a conspicuously developed eye. H. faex and Hypoponera hebes both have very coarse sculpture on the lateroventral surfaces of the head and also on most of the pronotum. Hypoponera surda has sparse, widely spaced small punctures on the disc of the second gastral tergite. The remaining five species, Hypoponera mixta, Hypoponera jeanneli, Hypoponera jocosa, Hypoponera quaestio and Hypoponera ursa, form a closely related complex in which the eye is usually absent, the pronotal sculpture is markedly less dense and intense than that on the head, and the punctures on the disc of the second gastral tergite are larger and more closely packed than in surda. H. jocosa is isolated by its tall, slender petiole node and relatively short scapes. H. mixta is closely related and very similar to jeanneli and ursa, but is larger, has a more parallel-sided second gastral tergite and has a relatively slightly longer scape, SI 87–93 as opposed to 82–88 in the other two. The separation of jeanneli and ursa is currently unsatisfactory.

A member of the abeillei group.

Keys including this Species

• Hypoponera species groups
• Key to Afrotropical Hypoponera

Distribution

Widely distributed in eastern Africa, usually at altitude. It is known from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 14.235988° to -18.590717°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Ethiopia, Kenya (type locality), Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• jeanneli. Ponera jeanneli Santschi, 1935b: 262, fig. 3 (w.) KENYA. Combination in P. (Hypoponera): Santschi, 1938b: 79; in Hypoponera: Bolton, 1995b: 215. Senior synonym of abyssinica, imatongica: Bolton & Fisher, 2011: 62.
• imatongica. Ponera coarctata subsp. imatongica Weber, 1942a: 44, fig. 3 (w.) SUDAN. Combination in Hypoponera: Taylor, 1967a: 12. Raised to species: Taylor, 1967a: 12. Junior synonym of jeanneli: Bolton & Fisher, 2011: 62.
• abyssinica. Ponera (Hypoponera) jeanneli st. abyssinica Santschi, 1938b: 80, fig. 2 (w.q.) ETHIOPIA. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Ponera abyssinica Guérin-Méneville, 1849: 352 (now in Pachycondyla).] Combination in Hypoponera: Bolton, 1995b: 213. Raised to species: Bernard, 1953b: 205. Junior synonym of jeanneli: Bolton & Fisher, 2011: 62.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton and Fisher (2011) - Measurements: HL 0.58–0.64, HW 0.46–0.52, HS 0.525–0.580, SL 0.40–0.45, PrW 0.34–0.40, WL 0.75–0.85, HFL 0.39–0.44, PeNL 0.16–0.19, PeH 0.34–0.40, PeNW 0.24–0.28, PeS 0.237–0.283 (39 measured). Indices: CI 77–85, SI 82–88, PeNI 65–74, LPeI 43–50, DPeI 137–165.

Eyes usually absent but rarely an eye spot or vestigial ommatidium is discernible. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, just fails to reach, or just touches, the midpoint of the posterior margin in full-face view; SL/HL 0.66–0.72. Cephalic dorsum reticulate-punctate. Pronotal dorsum almost smooth, obviously much less strongly and densely sculptured than cephalic dorsum. Metanotal groove absent from dorsum of mesosoma or at most a very superficial and indistinct indentation present that is almost effaced. Mesonotal-mesopleural suture absent from side of mesosoma. Propodeum weakly marginate between declivity and side. Posterior surface of petiole node with a series of very short cuticular ridges that radiate upward from the peduncle. Node of petiole in profile with the anterior and posterior faces weakly convergent dorsally. Subpetiolar process with a ventral angle. In dorsal view petiole node with posterior face transverse; sides and anterior face form a single convex surface, but not thickly D-shaped. Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view subequal to width of second gastral tergite at its midlength. Cross-ribs at base of cinctus of second gastral tergite strongly developed and conspicuous. Midline length of second gastral posttergite, from posterior margin of cinctus to apex, is equal to, or very slightly less than, the width of the segment at its midlength. Disc of second gastral tergite with sharply incised, small punctures that are close-packed but separated by areas of glossy cuticle; the diameters of the punctures are equal to, or slightly less than, the distances that separate the punctures. First and second gastral tergites dorsally pubescent and with a number of short standing setae that project above the level of the pubescence.

Type Material

Syntype worker, KENYA: Camp 1 de l’Elgon, M. Elgon, Vers. Est, st. 13, 2100 m, C. Arambourg 1932-33 (Chappuis & Jeannel) (Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel) [examined].

Syntype worker and queen, ETHIOPIA: Scoia, Let Marefia, vii.87 (Ragazzi) (NHMB) [queen examined].

Ponera coarctata subsp. imatongica Syntype workers, SUDAN: Imatong Mts, Equatoria, 24.vii. - 5.viii.1939, 6100 - 6200 ft, nos. 1387, 1390 (N.A. Weber) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

References

• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 215, Combination in Hypoponera)
• Bolton, B., Fisher, B.L. 2011. Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi. Zootaxa 2843: 1-118.
• Nsengimana, V., Hagenimana, T., Barakagwira, J., de Dieu Nsenganeza, J., Iradukunda, S. C., Majyambere, M., Kizungu, O. B., Nkundimana, A., Umutoni, D., Fabrice, R., Cyubahiro, B., Kouakou, L. M., Kolo, Y., Anale, J. S., Gómez, K., Dekoninck, W. 2023. Checklist of ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species from Nyungwe Tropical Rain Forest, south-western Rwanda. Journal of East African Natural History 111(2), 69-81 (doi:10.2982/028.111.0203).
• Santschi, F. 1935b. Hymenoptera. I. Formicidae. Mission Sci. Omo 2: 255-277 (page 262, fig. 3 worker described)
• Santschi, F. 1938b. Notes sur quelques Ponera Latr. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 43: 78-80 (page 79, Combination in P. (Hypoponera))

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bolton B. and B. L. Fisher. 2011. Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2843: 1-118
• Bolton, B., and B. L. Fisher. "Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Zootaxa 2843 (2012): 1-118.
• Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)—Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
• Nousiainen A. 2017. Leaf litter ants in indigenous rainforest and coniferous plantations of the Taita Hills, Kenya. Master Thesis University of Helsinki, 53 pages.
• Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.
• Santschi F. 1935. Hymenoptera. I. Formicidae. Mission Scientifique de l'Omo 2: 255-277.
• Santschi F. 1938. Notes sur quelques Ponera Latr. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 43: 78-80.
• Weber N. A. 1942. New doryline, cerapachyine and ponerine ants from the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 44: 40-49.
• Weber N. A. 1943. The ants of the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 93: 263-389.