Aphaenogaster xuantian

The type material, a collection of workers that are the only known specimens of this species, was collected in a mountain area at about 3,000 m in altitude.

Identification
Terayama (2009) - Blackish species. This species has a microreticulate head, pronotum and mesopleura, and large postpetiole.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan.

Nomenclature

 *  xuantian. Aphaenogaster xuantian Terayama, 2009: 168, figs. 210, 211 (w.) TAIWAN.

Worker
HL 1 .42, HW 1.18, HW-II 1.05, SL 1.85, WL 2.12, PL 0.55, PH 0.41, DPW 0.24, PPL 0.48, PPH 0.42, PPW 0.40, TL 5.2.

Head microreticulate, 1.33 times as long as wide, with weakly convex posterior margin in full face view; Cl = 84, CI-II = 75. Clypeus with several longitudinal rugae; anterior margin concave at midlength. Antenna moderately long; scape slightly longer than head length; SI = 132, SI-II = 148, Eye 0.20 mm in maximum diameter.

Pronotum microreticulate; mesonotum and mesopleuron micro reticulate; propodeum microreticulate; propodeal spine small and triangular, tip directed to posterior portion. Petiole with a long peduncle; node subtriangular, with almost straight anterior margin and convex dorsal margin, posterodorsal corner not forming an angle. Postpetiole large, with convex dorsal margin in profile.

Color. Body black, antenna and legs brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Hehuanshan (3,000 m asl), Nantou Pref., 24. viii. 1988, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 4w, same data as the holotype. NIAES.

Etymology
The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Xuantian, which is the name of a Taiwanese god.