Ponera shennong

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

The holotype was taken from a Berlese leaf litter sample.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - Easily separated from Taiwanese congeners by the minute body size and yellowish body color.

Leong et al. (2019) - (worker). Ponera shennong can be easily distinguished by its short antennal scape, a posterior margin of the petiolar node convex when observed in lateral view, a posterior margin of the petiolar node straight in dorsal view, a subpetiolar teeth indistinct, its abdominal tergum III as long as broad, and its small body size (HW: 0.27–0.28 mm).

Keys including this Species

Key to Ponera of East Asia

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 25.02° to 25.02°.


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

Nomenclature

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

shennong. Ponera shennong Terayama, 2009: 112, figs. 55-58 (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 long, 1.36 times as long as wide, with very weakly convex dorsal margin and almost straight lateral margins. Antennal scape very short, SI = 77; 2nd to 8th segments short; club thick, consist of 4-segments. Eye lacking.

Alitrunk with flat dorsum; mesometanotal suture distinct on the dorsum; posterolateral corner of propodeum dully angulate. Petiolar node rectangular, with a posterodorsal angle; in dorsal view, dorsal disc thick and trapezoidal, with weakly concave posterior margin. Subpetiolar process with a dull angle at midlength of ventral margin, and without posteroventral teeth.

First and 2nd gastral terga long; 1st segment as long as wide in dorsal view, 2nd segment slightly wider than long.

Measurements (mm) . HL 0.30, HW 0.28, SL 0.21, WL 0.48, PL 0.15, PH 0.18, DPW 0.15, TL 1.5.

Color. Yellowish brown; legs yellow.

Leong et al. (2019) - Holotype. HL 0.34; HW 0.27; SL 0.19; A06L 0.01; A07L 0.01; A08L 0.02; A09L 0.03; A10L 0.05; PrW 0.20; WL 0.45; PeH 0.19; PeNL 0.13; PeW 0.15; ATL 0.27; ATW 0.28; CI 79, SI 72, PeI 77, LPeI 68, DPeI 116, ATI 96. (n=1): HL 0.36; HW 0.28; SL 0.23; A06L 0.01; A07L 0.01; A08L 0.02; A09L 0.03; A10L 0.04; PrW 0.22; WL 0.44; PeH 0.22; PeNL 0.14; PeW 0.0.17; ATL 0.27; ATW 0.28; CI 78, SI 81, PeI 77, LPeI 64, DPeI 119, ATI 96.

Head. In full-face view, head subrectangular and longer than broad (CI: 78), with concave posterior margin, slightly convex lateral margins and angularly rounded posterolateral corners. Eye absent or with a small facet. Anterior clypeal margin without developed medial tooth. Masticatory margin of mandible with series of numerous indistinct denticles, and three large teeth on the apical part. Antennal scape, when laid backward, with a remaining distance of about 35% 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: 1.74: 3.23: 4.61 (n=2).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view moderately convex. Pronotum in dorsal view with acutely convex anterior margin and convex lateral margins. Metanotal groove distinct. Lateral mesopleural suture indistinct. Propodeal dorsum in dorsal view very broad, with straight and subparallel lateral margins. Propodeal corner in lateral rounded; propodeal dorsum and declivity forming approximatively a 120 degree angle.

Metasoma. Petiolar node in dorsal view very thick and subsquare, with slightly convex anterior margin, and straight posterior margin. Petiolar node in lateral view trapezoidal and remarkably thick, with straight and slightly sloping anterior and posterior margins, long and straight dorsal margin, and anterodorsal corner as high as posterodorsal corner. Subpetiolar process with small and oval fenestra, anteroventral corner blunt, almost straight ventral margin, and posteroventral corner concave with teeth extremely reduced. Third abdominal tergum almost as long as large (ATI: 96) with straight anterior margin, and almost straight lateral margins.

Sculpture. Head densely punctate. Mandible sparsely punctate. Mesosomal dorsum evenly punctate. Mesopleuron, metapleuron, and lateral face of propodeum with superficial striae. Lateral and dorsal faces of petiolar node with few punctures, smooth posterior face. 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, but scattered on the lateral portion of mesosoma. 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 and erect hairs. Subpetiolar process with a few long erect hairs.

Color. Body color yellowish brown.

Type Material

Leong et al. (2019): Type material examined: TAIWAN. Holotype worker, Kending, Pingtung Pref., Taiwan, 28 VII to 2 VIII 1988 (Laboratory of Insect Systematics, National Institute of Agro-environmental Sciences).

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Shennong, 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.