Neoponera bucki

Little is known about this species. A nest was reported in the subsoil by Borgmeier (1927).

Identification
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): It would be unlikely that Neoponera bucki would be confused with any of the others in the genus. The complete absence of hairs on the dorsum of the mesosoma, petiole and first two terga of the gaster would separate it from nearly all of the others. The unusual shape of the petiole, with a broadly convex and rounded anterior face and the distinctly concave posterior face is unlike that of any of the other species in the genus. Neoponera cavinodis has a somewhat similar petiole, but also has a malar carina.

Distribution
Venezuela, Brazil. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  bucki. Leptogenys bucki Borgmeier, 1927b: 57 (w.) BRAZIL. [Also described as new by Borgmeier, 1928a: 39.] Combination in Euponera: Borgmeier, 1959a: 315; in Mesoponera: Kempf, 1972a: 141; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 303; in Neoponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 151. See also: Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 222.

Worker
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker is a small (total length 6 mm) dark brown ant with reddish brown appendages. The mandibles have approximately 12 teeth, which alternate in length. The anterior medial border of the clypeus is angulate and is followed by a sharp carina, which extends posteriorly between the frontal lobes. The sides of the head are convex and rounded, the eyes are relatively large (maximum diameter 0.28 mm), approximately the length between the anterior edge of the eye and the anterior edge of the head (side view). The malar carina is absent. The antennal scape extends past the posterior lateral corner of the head by about the first funicular segment; the posterior border of the head is weakly concave. The outline of the dorsum of the mesosoma is nearly straight. The pronotal shoulder is rounded; the metanotal suture is not marked on the dorsum of the mesosoma and is poorly indicated on the sides. The propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped and the propodeum is angulate between the two faces. The posterior lateral edges of the propodeum form a sharp carina. The petiole is thickened when viewed in profile, the anterior face is convex and rounded, the posterior face is concave and surrounded by a carina. The anterior face of the postpetiole is broadly rounded into the dorsal face.

Erect hairs are sparse with a few present on the mandibles and clypeus, frontal lobes, absent on the scapes, remainder of the dorsal surface of head and the posterior border of head, a few hairs are present on ventral surface of the head, hairs are absent on the dorsal surface of the mesosoma, the petiole and most of the gaster (present on the posterior part of the gaster). Erect hairs are present on the front coxa, but absent on the remainder of the other legs. Fine silver appressed pubescence is scattered on most surfaces, especially the dorsum of the gaster.

The mandibles are weakly shining, with scattered punctures, the remainder of the ant is mostly dull, especially the coriaceous head, meso-soma, petiole and gaster.

Queen
No Queens are known to have been collected for this species.

Male
No Males are known to have been collected for this species.

Type Material
Brasil: Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre (Gloria). Lectotype designated,, 1 cotype seen,. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Etymology
This species was named after the collector father P. Pio Buck. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Calixto J. M. 2013. Lista preliminar das especies de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do estado do Parana, Brasil. Universidad Federal do Parana 34 pages.
 * Kempf W. W. 1978. A preliminary zoogeographical analysis of a regional ant fauna in Latin America. 114. Studia Entomologica 20: 43-62.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Mackay, W.P. and E.E. MacKay. 2010. The systematics and biology of the New World ants of the genus Pachycondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press Lewiston, NY
 * Nascimento Santos M., J. H. C. Delabie, and J. M. Queiroz. 2019. Biodiversity conservation in urban parks: a study of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Rio de Janeiro City. Urban Ecosystems https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-019-00872-8
 * Osorio Rosado J. L, M. G. de Goncalves, W. Drose, E. J. Ely e Silva, R. F. Kruger, and A. Enimar Loeck. 2013. Effect of climatic variables and vine crops on the epigeic ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Campanha region, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. J Insect Conserv 17: 1113-1123.
 * Peres M. C. L. 2012. Efeito de clareiras naturais sobre as assembleias de formigas (Formicidae) e aranhas (Araneae) num trecho de Mata Atlantica. PhD thesis, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 111 pages.
 * Rosumek, F.B., M.A. Ulyssea, B.C. Lopes, J. Steiner. 2008. Formigas de solo e de bromélias em uma área de Mata Atlântica, Ilha de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil: Levantamento de espécies e novos registros. Revista Biotemas 21(4):81-89.
 * Scott-Santos, C.P., F.A. Esteves, C.R.F. Brandao. 2008. Catalogue of "Poneromorph" ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia 48(11):75-88.
 * Silva R. R., R. S. Machado Feitosa, and F. Eberhardt. 2007. Reduced ant diversity along a habitat regeneration gradient in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Forest Ecology and Management 240: 61-69.
 * Silva R.R., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2014. Ecosystem-Wide Morphological Structure of Leaf-Litter Ant Communities along a Tropical Latitudinal Gradient. PLoSONE 9(3): e93049. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093049
 * Suguituru S. S., M. Santina de Castro Morini, R. M. Feitosa, and R. Rosa da Silva. 2015. Formigas do Alto Tiete. Canal 6 Editora 458 pages
 * Suguituru S. S., R. Rosa Silva, D. R. de Souza, C. de Bortoli Munhae, and M. Santina de Castro Morini. Ant community richness and composition across a gradient from Eucalyptus plantations to secondary Atlantic Forest. Biota Neotrop. 11(1): 369-376.
 * Ulyssea M.A., C. E. Cereto, F. B. Rosumek, R. R. Silva, and B. C. Lopes. 2011. Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55(4): 603-611.