Neoponera curvinodis

From Mackay and Mackay (2010): Workers rapidly exit the nest or hide when the nest is disturbed, making specimens difficult to collect.

Identification
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker of P. curvinodis is nearly identical to that of the common Pachycondyla villosa. Pachycondyla curvinodis can be separated from P. villosa by the strongly concave anterior face of the petiole, which is nearly straight in P. villosa as well as in most of the other species of Pachycondyla.

It is very difficult to distinguish P. curvinodis from Pachycondyla inversa. They differ in the shape of the petiole with the petiole of P. inversa being narrower (see Fig. 1 in Lucas et al., 2002). Basically P. curvinodis has a longer petiole, with a length greater than 1.3 mm when viewed in profile (measured from the anterior edge of the lateral flanges to the posterior margin above the peduncle). The length of the petiole of P. inversa is less than 1.3 mm. The petiole of P. curvinodis usually has a less concave anterior face, making the angle at the apex less acute. This difference in petiolar shape results in the petiole of P. inversa appearing “taller” and the petiole of P. curvinodis appearing more robust.. There is no consistent difference in the pilosity on the ventral surface of the petiole. The shape of the subpostpetiolar process differs between the two species in both the workers and females. That of P. curvinodis is connected to the remainder of the sternum of the postpetiole by a sharp carina (or at least by a continuously raised area), that of P. inversa has the area between the process and the remainder of the sternum interrupted by a constricted region, making the process or tooth appearing isolated from the rest of the sternum.

Distribution
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru.

This taxon was described from Guatemala.

Habitat
Individuals have been collected in tropical rain forest, 50 - 600 meters elevation. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Biology
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The specimens from Nicaragua were collected behind a Nasutitermes termite nest in the rotten area of a living tree. The specimen from near Rincón, Costa Rica was collected in hollow stems of Cecropia; the specimen from Perú was collected during the fogging of a tree canopy. Dealate females were collected in May and June (Costa Rica), July (Perú), July and August (Colombia) and December (Costa Rica).

Our limited experience with this species suggests that it is not as aggressive as the closely related Pachycondyla villosa.

Nomenclature

 *  curvinodis. Pachycondyla villosa r. curvinodis Forel, 1899c: 15, pl. 1, fig. 12 (w.) GUATEMALA. Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 298 (q.). Combination in Neoponera: Emery, 1901a: 47; in Pachycondyla: Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 297. Junior synonym of inversa: Emery, 1911d: 73. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 297. Material of the unavailable name subversa referred here by Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 297.

Worker
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker is a large (total length 13 mm) black ant. The mandible has approximately 15 teeth; the anterior margin of the clypeus is convex, but slightly concave medially. The malar carina is well developed, sharp and extends the entire distance from the anterior edge of the head and the anterior edge of the eye. The head length is 3.2 mm; the head width is 2.7 mm. The scape (3.2 mm) extends approximately the first two funicular segments past the posterior lateral margin of the head. The pronotal shoulder forms a sharp carina, which extends over the side of the pronotum. The mesosoma is depressed at the metanotal suture and the propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped. The anterior face of the petiole is strongly concave and meets the broadly rounded posterior face at an acute angle. The anterior part of the subpetiolar process is angulate and is followed by a process that gradually diminishes in width. The stridulatory file on the second pretergite is well developed, the arolia are poorly developed. The metasternal process consists of two widely separated triangular-shaped lobes.

Erect hairs are present on the mandibles, clypeus, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, sides of the head, along the posterior margin, on the shaft of the scape, on the dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole and all surfaces of the gaster, similar hairs are abundant on all parts of the legs. Golden appressed pubescence is present on the head and on all other surfaces, including the legs.

The mandible is finely sculptured and moderately shining, the remainder of the ant is mostly punctate with parts being moderately shining, including the side of the pronotum, side of the petiole and gaster.

Queen
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The female (undescribed) is a relatively large (total length 13 mm) dark brown to nearly black specimen. The mandible has approximately 12 teeth, the clypeus is concave medially. The eyes are relatively large (0.85 mm), separated from the anterior edge of the head (side view) by approximately 1 diameter. The malar carina is well developed and extends all the way to the eye. The scape extends one or two funicular segments past the posterior lateral corner of the head; the posterior border of the head is concave. The pronotal shoulder forms a sharp well-developed carina, which overhangs the side of the pronotum. The metanotal suture is well developed and breaks the sculpture on the dorsum of the mesosoma, the metanotum is well defined. The propodeal spiracle is elongated and slit-shaped; the posterior lateral edges of the posterior face of the propodeum are developed into sharp carinae, which rise above the surface. The anterior face of the petiole is strongly concave and meets the broadly rounded posterior face at an angle of approximately 50°. The subpetiolar process is developed into a broad swelling.

Erect hairs are present on most surfaces, including the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, the scape, the sides of the head, the clypeus, the dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole, legs, including the tibiae and all surfaces of the gaster; appressed silver pubescence is present on all surfaces.

Most surfaces are dull and covered with punctures or with coriaceous sculpture; the mesosoma and gaster are moderately shining.

Male
Males are not known for this species.

Type Locality Information
Guatemala: Las Mercedes, Torola; Panamá: Bugaba, Volcán de Chiriquí. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Etymology
The name is based on two Latin words: curvus, meaning bent and nodus meaning swelling, referring to the curved anterior face of the petiole of the worker (and female) of this species. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Additional References

 * Forel, A. 1899. Biologia Centrali - Americana. Insecta. Hymenoptera. Vol. III (Formicidae). 169 pp + 4 plates.


 * Lucas, C., D. Fresneau, K. Kolmer, J. Heinze, J. Delabie and D. Pho. 2002. A multidisciplinary approach to discriminating different taxa in the species complex Pachycondyla villosa (Formicidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 75:249-259.