Neoponera gojira

The holotype (and only known specimen) was collected in January 2016 in a project aiming to analyze anthropogenic disturbance in the Brazilian Cerrado. The ecosystem where this species was found is composed of tropical savannas, deciduous and semi–deciduous forests, and highly disturbed areas used mostly for agriculture (IBGE 2004, Soterroni et al. 2019; García et al. 2021).

Identification
Antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by ca. one apical scape width; head in frontal view trapezoid, slightly wider posteriorly than anteriorly (Fig. 19d); dorsal masticatory margin of mandible uneven, with shallow, irregular rim (Fig. 19b); masticatory margin of mandible with three comparatively large blunt teeth alternating with blunt denticles (Fig. 19b); posteroventral cuticular flap at metapleural gland opening reduced to narrow carina, orifice of gland completely visible in posterolateral view (Fig. 2d); petiolar node laterally lacking striae, though very tenuous lines are present near its ventral margin (Fig. 19e); prora tiny, barely discernible laterally (Fig. 19e); posterior region of abdominal sternites 5–7 showing significantly more piligerous punctures compared to the rest of species in the N. laevigata group.

Neoponera gojira is currently known from a single specimen, nonetheless, various morphological features clearly separate it from its potential closest species: Neoponera laevigata and Neoponera mashpi. The following characters are useful for separating the workers: the dorsal masticatory mandibular region shows a depressed rim (Fig. 19b) which is absent in N. laevigata and N. mashpi, this feature is not to be confused with the strongly excavated mandibular groove of Neoponera marginata, which runs uninterrupted posterad along the entire mandibular base (Fig. 12a); posterior margin of head in full-face view clearly concave, with relatively salient posterolateral corners (Fig. 19d), while in N. laevigata this margin is straight or feebly concave (Figs 20c, 21d), and straight or slightly convex in N. mashpi (Fig. 25c); flap at metapleural gland opening strongly reduced to a narrow, but sharply delineated carina, in posterolateral view, while in both N. laevigata and N. mashpi this flap is well developed and runs uninterrupted along the ventrolateral margin of the metapleuron until reaching its anterior lobe (Fig. 2d); clypeus and internal side of frontal lobes heavily sculpted with foveae and striae (Fig. 12b), in N. laevigata and N. mashpi, on the other hand, the clypeus is feebly striated, and the frontal lobes almost always lack sculpture, except for two shallow foveae on the internal side. Heavily impressed clypeal sculpture is also typical in N. marginata, and to a lesser degree in Neoponera commutata. However, impressed sculpture (foveae and striae) on the frontal lobe area has only been seen in N. gojira. Compared to the workers of similarly sized species, e.g., N. laevigata (WL= 2.45–3.57 mm; TLa= 7.88–10.03 mm) and N. marginata (WL= 2.75–3.59 mm; TLa= 7.41–10 mm), the holotype of N. gojira is thus far the second largest worker in the N. laevigata group (WL = 3.72 mm; TLa = 10.26 mm), only oversized by workers of N. commutata. It is assumed that the still unknown conspecifics (but see below) may have a similar size showing the characteristic continuous polymorphic size variation that is present in its closest lineages.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 * . Neoponera gojira Troya & Lattke, 2022: 37, figs. 19a-g, 29a (w) BRAZIL (Minas Gerais).

Type Material

 * Holotype. 1☿; BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Pandeiros, Efeito antropização no Cerrado APA REVISE (Project), 511m (alt.), 15°29’58.15”S, 44°45’39.94’O, 07.i.2016, Santiago et al. (leg.), Area 9, Local APA, pitfall epigéico (col. method), ponto 1, repetição D, quadrante 1. (DZUP: DZUP549444).