Prionopelta nominata

This species has been found in rainforests and on coral limestone on New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Nests have been found in rotten wood.

Identification
Shattuck (2008) - for the synonomized P. majuscula: Anterolateral corners of head, near mandibular insertions, generally rounded or at most with a very small, obscure tooth on each side. Dorsal mesosomal sculpturing reduced to minor irregularities. Size intermediate, head width between 0.49mm and 0.58mm.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea , Solomon Islands.

Nomenclature

 *  nominata. Ponera nominata Smith, F. 1871a: 323.
 * Replacement name for Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105. [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Senior synonym of churchilli, majuscula, poultoni, testacea: syn. n. (unpublished).
 * simillima. Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105 (q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Combination in Ponera: Roger, 1863b: 16.
 * Combination in Rhopalopone: Emery, 1900c: 311 (footnote); Emery, 1911d: 35.
 * Junior synonym of confinis: Roger, 1863b: 16.
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 42; Emery, 1900c: 311 (footnote); Emery, 1911d: 35.
 * Unnecessary (second) replacement name: Prionopelta poultoni Donisthorpe, 1932c: 462.
 * majuscula. Prionopelta majuscula Emery, 1897c: 595 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Status as species: Brown, 1951: 102; Brown, 1953c: 12; Wilson, 1958a: 148; Brown, 1960a: 177, 220; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Shattuck, 2008b: 27 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of churchilli: Brown, 1951: 102.
 * Senior synonym of poultoni, simillima, testacea: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * poultoni. Prionopelta poultoni Donisthorpe, 1932c: 462.
 * Unnecessary (second) replacement name for Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105. [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * testacea. Renea testacea Donisthorpe, 1947d: 183, fig. 1 (w.m.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Donisthorpe, 1948d: 590 (q.).
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * churchilli. Examblyopone churchilli Donisthorpe, 1949g: 401 (q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1951: 102.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]

Taxonomic Notes
Because the conditions of Article 23.9.1 of ICZN (4th edition, 1999) do not appear to have been satisfied, the previously overlooked nominata Smith, F. 1871a: 323, the first proposed replacement name for the junior homonym simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105, takes priority over churchilli, majuscula, poultoni, and testacea (B.Bolton note, 17.v.2016).

Worker
Shattuck (2008) - for the synonomized P. majuscula: (n=5) CI 78–81; HL 0.61–0.69; HW 0.50–0.56; ML 0.74–0.79; PetL 0.18–0.20; PetW 0.25–0.29; PI 138–155; SI 61–66; SL 0.32–0.34; T1W 0.36–0.43.

Anterolateral corners of head, near mandibular insertions, generally rounded and lacking a tooth but occasionally with a very small, obscure tooth on each side. Dorsal mesosomal sculpturing reduced to minor irregularities consisting of fine punctuations. Lateral mesosomal sculpturing weakly developed on pronotum and anterior and ventral region of mesopleuron, dorsal region of mesopleuron and majority of propodeum smooth. Fenestra present within subpetiolar process. Colour pale yellow, queens sometimes yellow-brown.

Type Material


Ponera simillima

In the original description Smith states that the type-specimens are workers, but only queens of this taxon are present in his collection. It is assumed here that he miswrote the caste in the description, though this can not be proved; the four queens of the species are regarded here as the syntypes, though perhaps incorrectly.

One dealate queen syntype in. Labelled “Dor. 20” (= Dory I., New Guinea).

Three dealate queen syntypes in. Labelled “Dor.” One specimen has a Donisthorpe type-label and a det. label “P. poultoni,” Donisthorpe’s replacement name for the preoccupied simillima. One of the others has a Donisthorpe det. label from 1931, “simillima.”