Tetraponera amargina

Known from various higher elevation (850-1300 m) forest habitats.

Identification
A member of the Tetraponera allaborans species-group.

Xu & Chai (2004) - This new species is close to Tetraponera modesta, but lateral borders of pronotum bluntly rounded and lack distinct margins. In profile view, petiolar node roundly convex and symmetrical.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  amargina. Tetraponera amargina Xu & Chai, 2004: 73, figs. 58-62 (w.q.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 3.5, HL 0.70, HW 0.55, CI 79, SL 0.30, SI 55, PW 0.37, AL 0.97, EL 0.25, REL 36, PDH 0.28, MTW 0.27, PDI 106, PL 0.43, PH 0.22, DPW 0.17, PLI 50, PWI 38. Head rectangular, distinctly longer than broad and slightly narrowed forward. In full face view, occipital margin nearly straight, occipital corners rounded. Anterior 1/2 of lateral side slightly concave, posterior ½ weakly convex. Mandible narrow and slender, with 3 teeth on the masticatory margin and 1 denticle on the basal margin. Median lobe of clypeus narrow and protruding, anterior margin with 3 small denticles arrange in a line. Apex of scape reached to 1/2 of the distance from antennal socket to occipital corner. Eyes relatively larger, just reached to lateral sides of head. Ocelli absent. In profile view, pronotum weakly convex, lateral borders bluntly rounded and lack distinct margins. Mesonotum weakly convex and slope down backward. Metanotal groove widely and deeply impressed. Anterior face of propodeum short and sloped, dorsum weakly convex and slope down backward, posterodorsal corner rounded and lacks a distinct boundary between dorsum and declivity, declivity relatively straight and seems longer than dorsum. In dorsal view, pronotum narrowed backward, humeral corners rounded. Metanotum raised up as a small conical prominence between the spiracles. In posterior view, dorsum of pronotum nearly straight, laterodorsal corners roundly prominent and lack distinct margins. In profile view, anterior peduncle of petiole moderately long and weakly curved down, ventral face moderately concave, petiolar node roundly convex and symmetrical. Postpetiolar node about as high as petiolar node.

Basal half of mandible smooth, apical half longitudinally striate. Head, alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. The whole body with sparse decumbent pubescences, standing hairs very sparse: 2 pairs on frontal carinae, 1 pair on vertex, 2 pairs on pronotum and 1 pair on postpetiole. Metsonotum, propodeum and petiole lack standing hairs. Gaster with sparse erect hairs. Scapes and tibiae with abundant depressed pubescences, but lack erect hairs. Body color yellow, gaster black.

Paratype workers. TL 3.2-3.6, HL 0.68-0.75, HW 0.48-0.53, CI 69-76, SL 0.30-0.33, SI 58-65, PW 0.33-0.37, AL 0.93-1.00, EL 0.23-0.27, REL 33-39, PDH 0.26-0.32, MTW 0.25-0.28, PDI 94-113, PL 0.43-0.50, PH 0.20-0.23, DPW 0.16-0.18, PLI 46-50, PWI 37-42 ( 10 individuals measured). As holotype, but 7 workers with black gaster, 11 workers with yellow gaster.

Queen
Paratype. TL 3.8-4.4, HL 0.75-0.78, HW 0.52-0.55, CI 67-71, SL 0.30-0.33, SI 56-61, PW 0.37-0.40, AL 1.13-1.20, EL 0.23-0.27, REL 31-36, PDH 0.37-0.42, MTW 0.37-0.40, PDI 96-105, PL 0.53-0.57, PH 0.23-0.28, DPW 0.20-0.23, PLI 41-53, PWI 35-44 ( 4 individuals measured). As holotype, but body much larger, head with 3 distinct ocelli, alitrunk complex, gaster black.

Type Material
Holotype. worker, No. A97-884, 1120 m, Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Guanping Village, Dadugang Town, Jinghong County, Yunnan Province, 7 Aug. 1997, collected by Mr. Zeng Guang in the mountain rain forest.

Paratypes. Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, 2 wor-kers, with same data as holotype; 1 worker, No. A97-59, 960 m, Sanchahe, Mengyang Town, Jinghong County, 27 Feb. 1997, collected by Mr. Lai Yu-Chu in the mountain rain forest; 2 workers, with same data as No. A97-59 but No. A97-1112, 880 m, 8 Aug. 1997, collected by Mr. Zeng Guang in the hot bamboo forest; 1 queen, with same data as No. A97-1112 but No. A98-218, 6 Mar. 1998, collected by Mr. Xu Zheng-Hui; 1 worker, No. A97-2854, 850 m, Bakaxiaozhai, Menglun Town, Mengla County, 7 Dec. 1997, collected by Mr. Xu Zheng-Hui in the seasonal rain forest; 1 worker, No. A97-1693, 900 m, Manzhuang Village, Shangyong Town, Mengla County, 14 Aug. 1997, collected by Mr. He Yun-Feng in the semi-evergreen monsoon forest; 1 worker, No. A97 -1831, 880 m, Nanqian Village, Shangyong Town, Mengla County, 15 Aug. 1997, collected by Mr. Liu Tai-Yang in the secondary shrub; 1 queen, No. A97-2575, 1150 m, Longmen Village, Shangyong Town, Mengla County, 13 Sep. 1997, collected by Mr. Xu Zheng-Hui in the deciduous monsoon forest; 1 worker, with same data as No. A97-2575 but No. A97-3165, 1060 m, 11 Dec. 1997, collected by Mr. Yang Bi-Lun; 2 workers, 1 queen, No. A98-274, 1300 m, Papa Village, Meng'a Town, Menghai County, 8 Mar. 1998, collected by Mr. Zeng Guang in the warm conifer forest. Ailaoshan Mountain Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, 7 workers, 1 queen, No. A1274, 1250 m, Huashan, Huashan Town, Jingdong County, 13 Apr. 2002, collected by Mr. Zhou Xing-Guo in the conifer-broadleaf mixed 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.
 * 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.