Neoponera mashpi

Neoponera mashpi has been collected mostly by hand and Malaise trapping. The elevation records vary from 3 to 746 m, being this species mostly found in preserved mature habitats from lowland and pre–montane rain forests in Central America, to Andean mountainous and Pacific lowland forests from the Chocó–Darien, to dense and open Amazonian and Atlantic ombrophyllous forests in South America. J. Longino (1999) observed this species raiding on unidentified termites in Costa Rica; he also briefly described a possible colony relocation of about 1400 to 1800 workers moving out from an underground nest into the remains of a termite nest, and over its entrance he noted a hovering cloud of unidentified fungus gnats. Adrian Troya observed a few foraging individuals approaching an unidentified termite nest built inside a fallen log in a tropical Andean cloud forest (Reserva de Biodiversidad Mashpi), northwestern Ecuador, the ant colony was located near their potential prey source some 5 m away.

Virtually all published observations on behavioral biology made by previous authors in the island of Barro Colorado (BCI), Panama, which have been attributed to Neoponera laevigata, probably correspond to N. mashpi: Wheeler (1936): colony activity and diet (termite predation); Borgmeier (1959): diet (termite predation); Downing (1978): foraging and migratory behavior; Hölldobler and Traniello (1980): pheromone recruitment communication; Traniello (1981): behavior against termite deterrence; Longino (1999): foraging and migratory behavior; Mackay and Mackay (2010): sporadic gyne and male collections. Although we could not find vouchers from that specific Central American site, we did examine specimens of N. mashpi from the Panamanian regions of Coclé and Colón, which are in relative proximity to BCI.

Identification
Antennal scape, in smallest workers (WL= 1.66 mm) and queens, when pulled back, fails to reach posterior margin of head by about one apical scape width (Figs 13a, 25c, 26d), whereas the scape of largest workers (WL = 3.31 mm) usually reaches such head margin, but never surpasses it; head mostly smooth in workers only (Fig. 25c), while in queens the head dorsum shows feeble, divergent striae at posterior limits of frontal carina and posteriorly to eye, these striae vanish before reaching lateral head margin (Fig. 26d); anterior margin of petiole usually narrower than posterior margin in dorsal view (Figs 25b, 26c); lateral face of petiolar node completely lacking striae (Figs 25d, 26b), this is mostly seen in South American and Pacific Central American populations, while in Atlantic Central American populations the node bears slight striae laterally; subpetiolar process subtriangular with anterior acute cusp, in lateral view (Fig. 25d); prora with blunt, well–developed tip projecting ventrad (Figs 25d, 26b); workers of this species are the smallest within the N. laevigata group (WL = 1.66–3.31 mm), and among the smallest in Neoponera.

Neoponera mashpi can only be confused with two species in the N. laevigata group: Neoponera laevigata and Neoponera gojira. The remaining species, Neoponera commutata and Neoponera marginata are clearly different, with the worker caste in the former being much larger (WL = 5.59–5.68 mm), whereas the latter shows a strongly excavated dorsal groove on the mandible, in frontal view (Fig. 12a), this groove is absent in N. mashpi. The following features facilitate separating N. mashpi from N. laevigata and N. gojira in the worker caste: when compared to the first, the scape is smaller, when pulled back it does not reach the posterior head margin by at least one apical scape width, this is usual in the smallest workers and queens, but see also diagnosis (Fig. 6a), while in N. laevigata the scape always surpasses said margin by close to one apical scape width (Fig. 6b); the lateral nodal face is smooth (Figs 25d, 26b), while that of N. laevigata always bears oblique striae. However, N. mashpi populations from Central American Atlantic forests may also show nodal striations laterally (see distribution notes below), though less strongly impressed than in N. laevigata. The subpetiolar process is subtriangular with an acute anterior cusp, in lateral view (Fig. 25d), in N. laevigata the subpetiolar process is also subtriangular but with an anterior keel–shaped cusp, followed posteriorly by a relatively flat or slightly concave surface (Fig. 13d); prora well-developed (Fig. 15d), while in N. laevigata the prora is either absent or shaped as a tiny cuticular lip (Fig. 13d).

Workers of N. mashpi differ from N. gojira in the following features: dorsal masticatory mandibular surface smooth, with few shallow piligerous fossulae medially (Fig. 12c), in N. gojira this region has a distinct longitudinal rim with piligerous foveae and longitudinal striae medially, Fig. 12b); flap at metapleural gland opening well–developed and strongly curved anterad so that the orifice of the gland is barely visible in posterolateral view (Fig. 2a), while in N. gojira the flap is reduced to a narrow, poorly discernible, blunt carina, leaving the gland orifice completely visible in posterolateral view, Fig. 2d; prora well–developed, while in N. gojira the prora is tiny and lip-shaped, Fig. 19e); clearly smaller (WL = 1.66–3.31 mm), whereas the holotype of N. gojira is the largest worker of the N. laevigata group (WL = 3.72 mm); the area of the pheromone venting canal at the metapleural gland opening in lateral view (Fig. 2a) is clearly less impressed than in N. gojira (Fig. 2d).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 * . Neoponera mashpi Troya & Lattke, 2022: 57, figs. 25a–f, 26a–e, 27a–e, 28g–i, 28l, 29a (w.q.m.) FRENCH GUIANA.

Type Material

 * Holotype. 1 worker; FRENCH GUIANA: (Sinnamary): Paracou, PS-02-3, (12km East from the village of Sinnamary), (5.2666°N, 52.9166°W), Abril–2002, J. Orivel (leg.), CPDC ant collection: ATPFOR2054–2.
 * Paratypes. 12 workers, 2 queens, 2 males; BRAZIL: Amazonas: Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, INPA, 2.93333°S, 59.96666°W, 106m, 1999–07–29, Melo, G. (BMNH: 1 worker, ATPFOR1985); 2.96304°S, 59.92286°W, 111m, 1987–09–14, fotoeclector, Souza, J. (INPA: 1 worker, INPAHYM033803); Bahia: Porto Seguro, 16.44545°S, 39.06579°W, 3m, 1997–09–23, Malaise, Santos, J. R. M (CPDC: 1 male, ATPFOR2077); Refugio da Vida Silvestre do Una, 15.2323°S, 39.1151°W, 70m, 1999–10–04, Santos, J. R. S. (DZUP: 2 workers, DZUP549512; Pará: Fazenda Vitoria, 2.98345°S, 47.34994°W, 82m, 1991–12–21, Moutinho, P. (ICN: 1 worker, ATPFOR2029); Floresta Nacional Caxiuana, 1.716667°S, 51.45000°W, 32m, 1998–03–24, Malaise, Silveira, O., Pena, J. (MPEG: 1 worker, MPEG03006223); 1.73333°S, 51.45000°W, 21m, 2012–09, ex pitfall, Cunha, D. et al. (CASC: 1 worker, MPEG03020126); Rio Grande do Norte: Tabatinga 6.06753°S, 35.10311°W, 12m, 2005–09, Martins, J. (MHNG: 1 worker, ATPFOR2010); Rondônia: Area Caiçara, 9.433110°S, 64.80237°W, 103m, 2011–01–04, winkler, Silva, R., Probst, R. (MPEG: 1 worker, AT2206). COLOMBIA: Putumayo: Parque Nacional Natural La Playa, 0.11667°S, –74.93333°W, 320m, 2001–05–14, Cobete, R. (IAvH: 1 worker, IAVH–E–49610). ECUADOR: Orellana: Tiputini Biodiversity Station, 0.63333°S, 76.15°W, 236m, 2011–12–11, Donnell, S. O. (MCZC: 1 worker, DZUP549443), Pichincha: Reserva de Biodiversidad Mashpi, 50 Km NW Quito, 0.1544°N, 78.8905°W, 746m, 2017–04, hand collected, Troya, A. (MEPN: 1 worker, MEPNINV38315). FRENCH GUIANA: Cayenne: Nouragues Natural Reserve, 1km E of Nouragues Station, Grand Plateau, 4.0889°N, 52.6749°W, 120m, 2018–08–21, (USNM: 1 worker, ATPFOR1976); Sinnamary, 12km East from the village of Sinnamary, Paracou Station, 5.26667°N, 52.91667°W, 50m, 2002–04, Orivel, J. (CPDC: 1 queen, ATPFOR2054; MZSP: 1 worker, ATPFOR2054–1). PERU: Madre de Dios: Sachavacayoc camp, 12.81667°S, 69.36667°W, 229m, 2012–07–26, Fernandes, I. (INPA:1 queen, INPAHYM033802).