Phrynoponera pulchella

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
This large species is immediately identified by its unmodified clypeus, characteristic gastral sculpture, short stout petiolar spines and dense propodeal and gastral pubescence. It also retains traces of a stridulitrum, absent from all other known species.

Distribution
Kenya, Tanzania.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania.

Nomenclature

 *  pulchella. Phrynoponera pulchella Bolton & Fisher, 2008b: 47, figs. 5a-d (w.) KENYA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 11.1, HL 2.48, HW 2.56, CI 103, SL 2.04, SI 80, PW 2.04, WL 3.76, maximum diameter of eye 0.56, OI 22.

Mandible smooth with scattered setal pits, with 5 teeth, the basal tooth no more than a broad angle. Median portion of anterior clypeal margin with a small and extremely shallow median indentation which rounds broadly and evenly into the clypeal margin on each side; without a prominent tooth on each side of the midline. Dorsum of head near midline very finely and very densely rugulose, the narrow rugulae predominantly longitudinal but with some fine anastomoses; spaces between rugulae extremely finely reticulate-punctate to shagreenate. More laterally on cephalic dorsum, and behind the eyes, the reticulae are wider though no more strongly defined. Dorsum of mesosoma coarsely, irregularly reticulate-rugose, spaces between reticulae shagreenate. Metanotal groove in dorsal view visible laterally but obliterated towards central area of dorsum. Median strip of propodeal dorsum with pubescence that is much more dense than anywhere else on dorsum of mesosoma. Propodeal teeth in dorsal view short, broad at base and blunt apically. Petiole broad, width at base of spines ca. 2.00, surmounted by 5 spines that are all short and stout. Outer pair of petiolar spines the longest, broadly triangular and weakly divergent. Median spine only slightly longer than the flanking pair. Gastral tergites 1–3 shagreenate to extremely finely and densely reticulate-punctate, with scattered larger setal pits; tergites also densely clothed with subappressed to appressed pubescence. Setae on first gastral tergite suberect to subdecumbent, short, maximum length ca. 0.22.

Paratypes. TL 11.5-12.0, HL 2.40-2.48, HW 2.40-2.62, CI 100-106, SL 1.92-2.04, SI 78-80, PW 1.88-1.96, WL 3.44-3.68, maximum diameter of eye 0.56-0.58, OI 22-23 (3 measured). As holotype but mandible with 3–5 teeth. In one specimen the left mandible has 5 teeth, the right mandible 3.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Kenya: Kora Res., Tana River, 22.vii.1983, 0-100 m., no. 5c, Acacia-Commiphora scrub (N.M. Collins & M. Ritchie). Paratypes: 9 workers (2 dissected, on same pin), with the same data (BMNH, ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton B., and B. L. Fisher. 2008. The Afrotropical ponerine ant genus Phrynoponera Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1892: 35-52.
 * Bolton, B. and B.L. Fisher. 2008. Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1929:1-37.
 * Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection