Brachyponera tianzun

Nests have been found in soil and under stones.

Identification
Terayama (2009) - Number of mandibular teeth varies 9 or 10 in workers. This species is separated from Euponera sharpi by the angulate posterodorsal corner and much steeply sloped posterior margin of propodeum. Rather it resembles Euponera sakishimensis from the Ryukyus, Japan, and Euponera pilosior from Japan and Korea. But it is separated from the latter two by the narrow dorsal surface of propodeum and triangular subpetiolar process.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan.

Nomenclature

 *  tianzun. Pachycondyla tianzun Terayama, 2009: 106, figs. 31-35, 38 (w.) TAIWAN. Combination in Brachyponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 81.

Worker
Holotype. Head rectangular, longer than wide (CI = 91), with concave posterior margin in full face view. Mandible with 10 teeth, and with a basal mandibular pit. Anterior margin of clypeus weakly convex. Antennal scape slightly exceeding the posterior margin of head; SI = 74. Eye small, consist of 6-7 facets, 0.04 mm in diameter.

Alitrunk with straight dorsal margin in profile. Propodeum with angulate poserodorsal corner and steeply sloped posterior margin in profile; in dorsal view dorsal surface relatively wide. Petiole higher than long in profile; subpetiollar process triangular, with dully angulate ventral corner.

HL 1.18, HW 1.08, SL 0.80, WL 1.65, PNL 0.40, PH 0.75, DPW 0.57, TL 4.7. Female: HL 1.20, HW 1.10, SL 0.85, WL 1.80, PNL 0.42, PH 0.80, DPW 0.59, TL 5.2.

Color. Body dark reddish brown to blackish brown; head darker than alitrunk; antenna, mandible and legs reddish brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Nanshanxi, Nanfeng-Cun, Nantou Pref., 12.viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 1w, same data as the holotype; 1w, Chipen, Taitung City, 21.vii. 1982, M. Terayama leg; 1f, same locality, 5 viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg; 1f, Chipen wenchen, Taitung Pref., 21. viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg; 1f, Puli, Nantou Pref., 4. viii. 1980, M. Terayama leg. Holotype in NIAES, and paratypes in TARI.

Etymology
The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Tianzun which is the name of a Taiwanese god.