Parvaponera

Parvaponera is a small, rarely encountered genus. Its biology is essentially unknown.

Identification
Schmidt and Shattuck (2014) - Workers of Parvaponera can be separated from other Ponerinae by the following combination of characters: eyes small (2-4 facets) or absent, mandibles short, without a basal pit or groove, propodeal spiracle generally elongate or slit-like (oval or nearly circular in a few species), ventral apex of the metatibia with one pectinate and one simple spur and subpetiolar process triangular and with an anterior fenestra and/or a pair of teeth. They are most likely to be confused with Centromyrmex, Hypoponera or Ponera. While both Centromyrmex and Parvaponera have reduced eyes, Parvaponera lacks pusher-setae on the tibiae as found in Centromyrmex (although they are present on the mesobasitarsus in some species of Parvaponera) and has a much more complex subpetiolar process which possesses either an anterior fenestra or posteroventral teeth, both of which are lacking in Centromyrmex. While superficially similar to Hypoponera and Ponera, Parvaponera has a pair of spurs present on the metatibia while only a single spur is present in these genera.

Distribution
Broadly ranging with species occurring in tropical Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Solomon Islands.

Biology
Schmidt and Shattuck (2014) - Parvaponera darwinii is widespread throughout the Old World tropics and until recently was known only from the queen caste (Terayama, 1990), which along with worker structure suggests a hypogeic lifestyle. Morgan et al. (2003) analyzed the Dufour’s gland secretions of P. darwinii (as P. indica).

Nomenclature

 *  PARVAPONERA [Ponerinae: Ponerini]
 * Parvaponera Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 198. Type-species: Belonopelta darwinii, by original designation.

Description
Schmidt & Shattuck (2014): Small, slender ants with the standard characters of Ponerini. Mandibles triangular and lacking a basal groove or pit. Clypeus generally with a central tooth or short projection, absent in a few African species. Frontal lobes moderately small. Eyes small in size or absent, located fairly anterior on head. Mesopleuron lacking a transverse groove. Metanotal groove present or absent. Propodeum not narrowed dorsally. Propodeal spiracle generally elongate or slit-like (oval or nearly round in a few African species). A row of short traction setae present on mesobasitarsus in African species (apparently absent in Asian species). Metatibial spur formula (1s, 1p). Petiole squamiform. Prora conspicuous. Girdling constriction between pre- and postsclerites of A4 apparent. Pretergite of A4 without a stridulitrum. Head and body finely punctate and with a matte surface, with sparse pilosity and abundant pubescence. Color variable, testaceous to dark brown. Similar to worker but slightly larger, alate and with the other caste differences typical for ponerines.
 * Worker
 * Queen

Etymology
This genus name is derived from the Latin parva, alluding to the generally small size of these ants, combined with pone, derived from the subfamily name Ponerinae.