Ponera pianmana

The type material was collected from a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest.

Identification
This new species is close to Ponera japonica, but lateral sides of head more straight, only weakly convex; posterodorsal corner of propodeum more prominent, bluntly angled;  in dorsal view petiolar node more broader, in profile view the node with anterodorsal corner higher than posterodorsal one. (Xu 2001)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  pianmana. Ponera pianmana Xu, 2001c: 223, figs. 31-33 (w.) CHINA.

Worker


Holotype. TL 2.2, HL 0.52. HW 0.40, CI 77, SL 0.33, SI 83, PW 0.32, AL 0.67. ED 0.02, ML 0.23, DPW 0.25, PNI 79, PH 0.30, PNL 0.17. LPI 56. Head roughly rectangular, distinctly longer than broad, feebly narrowed forward. In full face view, occipital margin weakly emarginated, occipital corners roundly prominent, lateral sides weakly convex. Masticatory margin of mandible with 3 apical teeth and followed by a row of indistinct minute denticles. Anterior margin of clypeus strongly convex. Antennae short, apex of scape failed to reach occipital corner by 1/4 of its length, antennal club with 5 segments. Eye with only one facet. In profile view, dorsum of thorax weakly convex, promesonotal suture depressed, metanotal groove fine and distinct. Dorsum of propodeum as long as declivity, posterodorsal corner blunt. In profile view petiolar node trapezoid, distinctly narrowed upward, anterior face nearly vertical, posterior face steeply slope, dorsal face convex, anterodorsal corner higher than posterodorsal corner. Subpetiolar process cuneiform, fenestra medium size, anteroventral corner obliquely truncate, posteroventral border with an acute tooth. In dorsal view, petiolar node crescent, anterior and lateral borders roundly convex, posterior border weakly concave, length : width = 1:2. Mandibles smooth and shining, with very sparse fine punctures. Head densely and finely punctured, relatively dull. Thorax, petiole and gaster weakly, densely and finely punctured, relatively shining. Dorsum of head and thorax with dense decumbent pubescence. without erect hairs. Petiole and gaster with sparse suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescence, apex of gaster, with abundant hairs. Scapes with abundant suberect short hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Dorsa of tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence, without erect hairs. Body in color brown, antennae and legs brownish yellow.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, No. A99-47, 1650 m, Pianma, Pianma Town, Lushui County. Yunnan Province, 26-IV-1999, collected by Mr. Li Jiguai in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fontanilla A. M., A. Nakamura, Z. Xu, M. Cao, R. L. Kitching, Y. Tang, and C. J. Burwell. 2019. Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along tropical, subtropical, and subalpine elevational transects in southwest China. Insects 10, 128; doi:10.3390/insects10050128
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Liu X. 2012. Taxonomy, diversity and spatial distribution characters of the ant family Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in southeastern Tibet. PhD Thesis 139 pages
 * Xu Z. H. 2001. Four new species of the ant genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Yunnan, China. Entomotaxonomia 23: 217-226.
 * Xu Z. 2001. Four new species of the ant genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Yunnan, China. Entomotaxonomia 23(3): 217-226