Lioponera bakeri

Identification
Brown (1975) - The species described by Wheeler and Chapman as Lioponera bakeri must be similar to Lioponera pruinosa, judging from the size given (“4 millimeters”) and the very sketchy description, but the type of bakeri was apparently lost in the destruction of the Bureau of Science in Manila during World War II. The description of bakeri reads in part: “Node of petiole as long as high, from above square, truncated in front, transversely rounded behind,” which fits pruinosus passably well, as does “Densely punctured ... Covered with fine recumbent pile.” But “Hairs suberect, scattered, more abundant on scape and abdomen” apparently refers to a somewhat better developed standing pilosity than pruinosus has. Also, “Head coarsely rugose, finer on the remainder of the body,” does not apply to pruinosus. The bakeri type came from Basilan Island, and we shall probably have to await further samples from there before we find out what this species is really like. Incidentally, the bakeri scapes almost certainly do not reach “to the posterior occipital border;” their “fig. 17” shows instead that the authors probably meant to write that the scape reached the posterior border of the eye.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines.

Nomenclature

 *  bakeri. Lioponera bakeri Wheeler, W.M. & Chapman, 1925: 55, pl. 1, fig. 17 (w.) PHILIPPINES.
 * Combination in Cerapachys: Brown, 1975: 22.
 * Combination in Lioponera: Borowiec, M.L. 2016: 163.
 * Status as species: Donisthorpe, 1939a: 255; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 21; Baltazar, 1966: 233; Brown, 1975: 22; Bolton, 1995b: 142.