Ponera rishen

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

Nothing is known about the biology of Ponera rishen.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - Resembles to Ponera takaminei from the Ryukyus in Japan and Taiwan, but is separated from the latter by the straight posterior margin of petiolar node and the black body color.

Leong et al. (2019) - Worker: This large species (HW: 0.54–0.60 mm) is characterized by a long antennal scape; an indistinct metanotal groove; a thick petiolar node when observed in lateral view, the upper portion of the posterior margin protunding backward and convex; and a posterior margin of petiolar node in dorsal view slightly concave. Ponera rishen presents similarities with Ponera scabra, however the upper portion of the posterior margin of the petiolar node in lateral view is bulging in Ponera rishen, but not in Ponera scabra.

Keys including this Species

Key to Ponera of East Asia

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 24.7° to 24.7°.


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

Worker


.

Queen

Leong et al. 2019. Figure 44. Dealate queen, CMPon046.

Nomenclature

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

rishen. Ponera rishen Terayama, 2009: 111, figs. 49-51 (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 densely punctate, with straight posterior margin and convex sides in full face view. Antennal scape reaching posterior margin of head, SI = 75; club consist of 5 segments. Eye small.

Pro- and mesonota moderately punctate, posterolateral corner of propodeum forming an angle. Petiolar node large and wide, upper portion of posterior margin produced backward in profile; in dorsal view, dorsal disc 0.5 times as long as wide, with convex anterior margin and almost straight posterior margin. Subpetiolar process with strong posteroventral teeth.

Measurements (mm). HL 0.73, HW 0.60, SL 0.45, WL 0.95, PL 0.25, PH 0.53, DPW 0.45, TL 3.2.

Color. Body black, mandible and antenna brown, legs yellow.

Leong et al. (2019) - Holotype: HL 0.66; HW 0.54; SL 0.46; A06L 0.04; A07L 0.04; A08L 0.05; A09L 0.08; A10L 0.09; PrW 0.49; WL 0.97; PeH 0.51; PeNL 0.28; PeW 0.46; ATL 0.54; ATW 0.63; CI 81, SI 86, PeI 94, LPeI 54, DPeI 167, ATI 84. (n=6): HL 0.65–0.73; HW 0.54–0.60; SL 0.45–0.51; A06L 0.03; A07L 0.04; A08L 0.05; A09L 0.07; A10L 0.09; PrW 0.46–0.49; WL 0.92–1.01; PeH 0.48–0.54; PeNL 0.25–0.27; PeW 0.44–0.48; ATL 0.50–0.54; ATW 0.61–0.65; CI 82–84, SI 82–85, PeI 94–100, LPeI 47–55, DPeI 166–188, ATI 79–84.

Head. In full-face view, head subrectangular and distinctly longer than broad (CI: 82–84), with almost straight posterior margin, convex lateral margins, and broadly rounded posterolateral corners. Eye small; composed of a total of 3 to 4 indistinct facets. Anterior clypeal margin with strong and blunt medial tooth. Masticatory margin of mandible with a series of about ten indistinct denticles, and three large teeth on the apical part. Antennal scape, when laid backward, with a remaining distance of about 5% of the scape length to the posterolateral corner; average ratio of the length of antennomeres 7/6:8/6:9/6:10/6 = 1.27: 1.83: 2.42: 3.114 (n=6).

Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view almost straight. Pronotum in dorsal view with broadly convex anterior margin, and convex lateral margins. Metanotal groove very indistinct. Lateral mesopleural suture distinctly incised. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view slightly narrow with concave lateral margins. Propodeal corner in lateral view angular; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively; a 120 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view thick and arched, with broadly convex anterior margin, and slightly concave posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view trapezoidal and thick, with straight anterior margin, and moderately convex posterior margin; with upper portion bulging, and anterodorsal corner distinctly higher than posterodrosal corner. Subpetiolar process large with large and suboval fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, and slightly concave ventral margin with a pair of well developed teeth. Third abdominal tergum distinctly broader than long (ATI: 79–84), with straight anterior margin, and slightly convex lateral margins.

Sculpture. Head densely punctate. Mandible sparsely punctate. Mesosoma densely punctate. Mesopleuron with densely striate lower portion, evenly punctate upper portion. Metapleuron and propodeum striate, but particular decreasing in the portion 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, in particular glabrous in the upper portion of mesopleuron. 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. Mandible, clypeus, antennae, legs, and apex of metasoma lightly brown.

Queen

Leong et al. (2019) - (n=1): HL 0.74; HW 0.64; SL 0.54; A06L 0.05; A07L 0.06; A08L 0.07; A09L 0.09; A10L 0.10; PrW 0.56; WL 1.14; PeH 0.54; PeNL 0.27; PeW 0.51; ATL 0.61; ATW 0.75; CI 87, SI 83, PeI 91, LPeI 49, DPeI 193, ATI 82.

Head. Similar to worker caste, but with large and circular Eye, maximum diameter of each eye about 0.13 mm with 11 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 = 1.27: 1.56: 2.04: 2.27 (n=1).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view convex, but with straight propodeal dorsum. Pronotum in dorsal view with broadly convex anterior margin, concave posterior margin and convex lateral margins. Scutum inverted-subtrapezoidal and narrow posteriad. Transcutal suture distinct. Scutellum subrectangular. Anapleural sulcus and propodeal-metapleural suture weakly incised. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view moderately broad with straight lateral margins. Propodeal corner in lateral view angular; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 125 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view thick, with slightly convex anterior margin and almost straight posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view trapezoidal and moderately thick, with straight anterior margin, and convex posterior margin. Subpetiolar process with large and oval fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, ventral margin slightly concave, and posteroventral corner concave with a pair of developed and acute teeth. The third abdominal segment similar to worker caste (ATI: 82).

Sculpture. Similar to worker caste.

Pubescence. Mostly like worker caste.

Color. Similar to worker caste.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker, Riyuetan, Nantou Pref., 28.vii.- 2.viii.1988.

Paratypes. 6 workers, same data as the holotype.

Type depository. The holotype is deposited in NIAES, and paratypes in NIAES, NSMT and TARl.

Leong et al. (2019): Type material examined: TAIWAN. Holotype, 1 worker, Riyuetan, Nantou Pref., 28 VII to 2 VIII 1988 (Laboratory of Insect Systematics, National Institute of Agro-environmental Sciences). Paratypes, 2 workers, Riyuetan, Nantou Pref., 28 VII to 2 VIII 1988, M Terayama leg (Maromu Terayama Collection: LCM_MT-Ponera-24).

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Rishen, 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.