Tetraponera convexa

Known from a mountain rain forest and warm conifer forest collection.

Identification
A member of the Tetraponera allaborans species-group.

Xu & Chai (2004) - Close to Tetraponera allaborans, but median lobe of clypeus very short and indistinct, anterior margin straight and without teeth. Pronotum strongly convex. Scape relatively shorter with SI 64-67. Petiole relatively longer with PLI 35-40.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  convexa. Tetraponera convexa Xu & Chai, 2004: 69, figs. 33-37 (w.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype worker. TL 5.7, HL 1.13, HW 0.87, CI 76, SL 0.57, SI 65, PW 0.63, AL 1.67, EL 0.37, REL 32, PDH 0.52, MTW 0.50, PDT 103, PL 0.87, PH 0.35, DPW 0.28, PLI 40, PWI 33. Head rectangular, distinctly longer than broad. In full face view, occipital margin straight, occipital corners rounded. Anterior half of lateral side weakly concave, posterior half moderately convex. Head broadest at the position of posterior margins of eyes, narrowed forward and backward. Mandible narrow and slender, with 3 teeth on the masticatory margin and 2 denticles on the basal margin. Median lobe of clypeus narrow and very short, indistinct, anterior margin straight, without teeth. Apex of scape reached to 4/7 of the distance from antennal socket to occipital corner. Eyes larger, slightly surpassed lateral sides of head. Ocelli absent. In profile view, pronotum strongly convex, lateral margins distinct. Mesonotum nearly straight and slope down backward, posterior end down curved. Metanotal groove widely and deeply impressed. Anterior face of propodeum short and sloped, dorsum weakly convex and slope down backward, posterodorsal corner rounded, declivity relatively straight and about equal to dorsum. In dorsal view, pronotum narrowed backward, humeral corners roundly prominent. Metanotum raised up as a longitudinal central ridge between the spiracles. In posterior view, pronotum roundly convex, lateral margins distinct and bluntly angled. In profile view, anterior peduncle of petiole slender and weakly down curved, ventral face weakly concave, petiolar node roundly convex and symmetrical. Postpetiolar node lower than petiolar node.

Mandibles finely and longitudinally striate on basal half, coarsely and longitudinally striate on apical half. Head, pronotum and mesonotum very sparsely and finely punctate, interspace smooth. Lateral sides of pronotum smooth. Mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral sides of propodeum weakly, finely and longitudinally rugulose. Metanotal groove with short longitudinal ridges. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster smooth. Dorsum of anterior peduncle of petiole densely and finely punctate. The whole body with abundant decumbent pubescences, standing hairs very sparse: 2 pairs on frontal carinae, 1 pair on vertex, 2 pair on pronotum, 1 pair on petiole and 1 pair on postpetiole. Mesonotum and propodeum lack standing hairs. Gaster with sparse erect hairs. Scapes and tibiae with sparse suberect hairs and dense subdecumbent pubescences. Body color black. Mandibles, antennae, tibiae and tarsi brownish yellow. Clypeus and femora brownish black.

Paratype workers. TL 5.2-6.0, HL 1.03-1.10, HW 0.80-0.87, CI 76-79, SL 0.53-0.57, SI 64-67, PW 0.57-0.60, AL 1.47-1.63, EL 0.37-0.40, REL 34-36, PDH 0.47-0.50, MTW 0.47-0.50, PDI 93-100, PL 0.80-0.90, PH 0.30-0.35, DPW 0.25-0.30, PLI 35-40, PWI 31-35 ( 6 individuals measured). As holotype.

Type Material
Holotype. worker, No.A97-975, 1120m, Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Guanping Village, Dadugang Town, Jinghong County, Yunnan Province, 7 Aug. 1997, collected by Mr. Liu TaiYong in the mountain rain forest.

Paratypes. Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, 7 workers, with same data as holotype; 2 workers, No. A98-62, 1 270m, Songshanling, Puwen Town, Jinghong County, 4 Mar. 1998, collected by Mr. He Yun-Feng in the warm conifer forest.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Staab M., A. Schuldt, T. Assmann, H. Bruelheide, and A.M. Klein. 2014. Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China. Acta Oecologia 61: 32-40.
 * Xu Z. and Z.-Q. Chai. 2004. Systematic study on the ant genus Tetraponera F. Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 29(1): 63-76.