Hypoponera venusta

Nothing is known about the biology of Hypoponera venusta.

Identification
A member of the abeillei group. See the nomenclature sections of Hypoponera dema for similar species and diagnostic characters.

Key to Afrotropical and West Palaearctic Hypoponera

Distribution
This taxon was described, and is only known, from Rwanda.

Nomenclature

 *  venusta. Hypoponera venusta Bolton & Fisher, 2011: 110, figs. 127-129 (w.) RWANDA.

Worker
(holotype in parentheses). Measurements: HL 0.53–0.56 (0.53), HW 0.40–0.43 (0.42), HS 0.470–0.495 (0.475), SL 0.32–0.36 (0.34), PrW 0.32–0.34 (0.32), WL 0.68–0.74 (0.68), HFL 0.33–0.36 (0.34), PeNL 0.17–0.18 (0.17), PeH 0.32–0.36 (0.33), PeNW 0.25–0.28 (0.26), PeS 0.253–0.273 (0.253) (14 measured). Indices: CI 74–80 (79), SI 77–86 (81), PeNI 76–82 (81), LPeI 47–56 (52), DPeI 139–160 (153).

Eyes absent. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, conspicuously fails to reach the mid-point of the posterior margin in full-face view; SL/HL 0.61–0.65. Pronotal dorsum almost smooth, obviously much less strongly and densely sculptured than the finely reticulate-punctate cephalic dorsum. Metanotal groove absent from dorsum of mesosoma. Propodeum weakly marginate between declivity and side. Petiole in profile relatively low and stout, the node quite thick from front to back and with a shallowly rounded dorsum. Posterior surface of petiole node without cuticular ridges that radiate upward from the peduncle. Subpetiolar process usually rounded and without a sharply developed ventral angle; at most a very low, blunt and very obtuse weak angle is present. In dorsal view petiole node broad and quite long, with posterior face shallowly concave and anterior face convex. Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view slightly greater than width of second gastral tergite at its mid-length. Cross-ribs at base of cinctus of second gastral tergite short but distinct. Midline length of second gastral posttergite, from posterior margin of cinctus to apex, slightly less than the width of the segment at its midlength. Disc of second gastral tergite with sharply incised, small punctures that are separated by areas of glossy cuticle; the diameters of the punctures are equal to, or slightly less than, the distances that separate the punctures. First gastral tergite dorsally pubescent, with numerous conspicuous, standing, bristly setae that are clearly more erect and strongly project above the level of the pubescence.

Type Material
Holotype worker (top specimen of three on pin), Rwanda: Rangiro, 1800 m., 10.vii.1973 (P. Werner).

Paratypes. 14 workers with same data as holotype; 9 workers with same data but 6.viii.1973 (MHNG,, , ).