Poneracantha wilsoni

Gnamptogenys wilsoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ectatomminae
Tribe:	Ectatommini
Genus:	Gnamptogenys
Species:	G. wilsoni
Binomial name
	Gnamptogenys wilsoni; Lattke, 2007

Nothing is known about the biology of Poneracantha wilsoni.

Identification

Lattke et al. (2007) - Small (TL: 3 mm) with elongate and subfalcate mandible, internal margin and base of masticatory margin with convex lobe, mandibular apex broadly curved and tapering; propodeal spiracle slightly protruding posterad beyond propodeal declivity in lateral view.

Based upon several morphological features (e.g., head shape, mandibular shape, laterally rounded clypeal lamella, absent promesonotal suture) this species seems closest the the mordax group (Lattke, 1995) but differs due to the posterior position of the propodeal spiracle, in close proximity to the propodeal declivity, as in the striatula group. It falls closest to Gnamptogenys boliviensis and Gnamptogenys continua in the key. G. wilsoni can be separated from G. boliviensis by the position of the propodeal spiracle, which is separated by several times its diameter from both the propodeal dorsum and declivity. G. boliviensis is very finely costulate, the mandible lacks a convex lobe at the interface of the internal and masticatory margins, the apex remaining subparallel in dorsal view and ending abruptly, without an apical tooth. G. continua has a more narrow clypeal lamella than in G. wilsoni, with a deeper median concavity; its mandible has more developed denticles and no convex lobe along the internal margin; the cephalic vertex is smooth; and the propodeal spiracle is separated from the declivity by at least its diameter, and from the dorsal margin by several diameters. The mesopleuron in G. wilsoni seems to be constituted mostly by the katepisternum, with the anepisternum reduced to a small dorsal lobe.

Keys including this Species

Key to New World Gnamptogenys workers

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (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

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

wilsoni. Gnamptogenys wilsoni Lattke, in Lattke, et al. 2007: 264, figs. 14, 15 (w.) BRAZIL (Bahia).
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Brazil: Bahia, CEPC 6, Ilhéus, 1986, no. 32 (Delabie).
- Type-depository: CPDC.
- Combination in Poneracantha: Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
- Status as species: Lattke, et al. 2007: 260 (in key); Feitosa, 2015c: 98; Camacho, et al. 2020: 458 (in key); Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
- Distribution: Brazil.

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

Description

Worker

HL 0.59, HW 0.52, ML 0.46, SL 0.43, ED 0.09, WL 0.94 mm; CI 0.88, SI 0.83, MI 0.89, OI 0.17. Total Length: 3 mm.

Head subquadrate in dorsal view, posterior cephalic margin straight, lateral margin broadly convex; clypeal lamella laterally curved, anterior margin broadly concave. Cephalic dorsum, and vertex longitudinally costulate, individual costula slightly rugulose, not smooth. Scape failing to reach posterior cephalic border by one apical width, dorsum smooth and shining with sparse punctulae. Mandible elongate, semifalcate, with internal and masticatory margins joined by convexity followed by brief concavity then straight to apical tooth, masticatory margin with series of low blunt denticles, better observed in oblique ventral view of mandible; low strigulae present along lateral basal third of mandible, the rest mostly smooth. Cephalic vertexal face flat, meeting dorsum at blunt angle; eye small, set just anterad of cephalic mid-length in dorsal view; ventral cephalic face longitudinally costulate.

Mesosoma with mostly flat dorsal margin in lateral view, propodeal dorsum curving onto declivity, declivitous margin slightly interrupted by spiracle; propodeal spiracle on low tubercle, situated less than one diameter from propodeal dorsum. Mesosomal side longitudinally costate; mesopleuron roughly triangular with small dorsal lobe; mesometapleural suture well-impressed; metapeural B propodeal suture indistinct or absent. Anterior pronotal margin with 3 transverse costae; mesosomal dorsum and propodeal declivity longitudinally costate; promesonotal suture absent, metanotal groove shallow but distinct.

Petiole in lateral view low, subquadrate, anterior margin brief and irregular, dorsal margin broadly convex, anterior face with 3 transverse costae, laterally and dorsally with longitudinal costae; posterior margin bound by single transverse costa in dorsal view, posterior face narrow and smooth. Subpetiolar process in lateral view subquadrate with acute angles anterad and posterad, ventral margin concave. Gaster longitudinally costate, constriction of abdominal pretergite I longitudinally costae, postpetiolar anterior face with narrow smooth strip; postpetiolar sternite with costae slightly weakened posteromedially. Protarsus opposite protibial strigil with single stout seta; procoxa smooth and shining in lateral view; metacoxa with low dorsal tooth. Antennae, mandibles, legs ferruginous; head brown, thorax and abdomen ferruginous brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Brazil, Bahia, CEPC 6. Ilheus, 1986, J. Delabie 32. Deposited in Laboratório de Mirmecologia CEPEC / CPDC, Ilheus, Brazil.

Etymology

The species is named in honor of Dr. Edward O. Wilson, in recognition of his outstanding professional career in myrmecology, tropical biology and biological diversity issues.

References