Ponera szaboi

Known only from workers taken in coastal rain forest at several NE New Guinea localities. Some of these records are noted as being strays taken from the ground in primary lowland rain forest.

Identification
Taylor (1967) - Preliminary diagnosed by small size, with the tenuis group characters (4-segmented antennal club, lack of a differentiated mesmetanotal suture). Distinguished from Ponera petila by characters given in the diagnosis of that species. Differing from Ponera szentivanyi as follows:

1. Size smaller (HW 0.30-0.31 mm, PW 0.23 mm, DPW 0.15 mm; opposed to 0.34 mm, 0.28 mm and 0.21-0.24 mm respectively in szentivanyi).

2. Scapes relatively short (SI 79-83, against 94 in szentivanyi).

3. Sculpturation of mesosoma less intense. In petila its lateral surfaces are very feebly shagreened, to smooth and shining; in szentivanyi they are moderately shagreened to opaque.


 * Key to Ponera species (worker key for the entire genus, as it was known in 1967)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Wallis and Futuna Islands.

Biology
Little is known about the biology of Ponera szaboi

Nomenclature

 * mocsaryi. Cryptopone mocsaryi Szabó, 1910b: 186, 2 figs. (w.) NEW GUINEA. Combination in Pseudocryptopone: Wheeler, W.M. 1933g: 14. [Junior secondary homonym of Ponera mocsaryi Emery, 1900c: 320, above.] Replacement name: Ponera szaboi Wilson, 1957b: 371.
 *  szaboi. Ponera szaboi Wilson, 1957b: 371. Replacement name for Cryptopone mocsaryi Szabó, 1910b: 186. [Junior secondary homonym of Ponera mocsaryi Emery, 1900c: 320.] See also: Taylor, 1967a: 103.



Worker
HW 0.30-0.31 mm; HL 0.40 mm; SL 0.25 mm; CI 76-78; SI 79-83; PW 0.23 mm; petiole height (single measurement) 0.24 mm; petiolar node length 0.15 mm; dorsal petiole width (single measurement) 0.15 mm. Mandible linear-subtriangular. The apical half of the masticatory border occupied by three distinct, acute teeth; the basal half occupied by an indeterminate number of minute denticles. Eyes minute, consisting of a single ommatidium. Antennal club massive, distinctly 4-jointed, considerably longer than the entire remainder of the funiculus. Head in full-face view subrectangular, with very feebly convex sides and feebly concave posterior border. Petiolar node seen from the side relatively thick, tapering slightly dorsally, with a feebly convex dorsal border; seen from directly above, with the posterior face aligned with the plane of vision, the node forms distinctly more than a half-circle, and the posterior border appears almost perfectly straight. Subpetiolar process well-developed, its apical angle obtuse.

Mandibles smooth and shining; clypeus smooth and feebly shining; remainder of head finely and evenly shagreened and subopaque. All of alitruncal surfaces finely shagreened and subopaque, except the episterna and declivitous faces of the propodeum, which bear only scattered fine punctures and are relatively smooth and more or less shining. Various surfaces of the petiolar node bearing variably dense but fine and separated punctures, and otherwise smooth and more or less shining. Gastric tergital surfaces shagreened and sub opaque, except for the anterior declivity of the first gastric tergite, which is smoother and feebly shining.

Pilosity and pubescence as described for P. caledonica Wilson.

Alitrunk and petiole yellowish brown; head and gaster somewhat darker, approaching medium brown; appendages nearly clear yellow.

Taylor (1967) - The original description did not mention absence of an incised mesometanotal suture. Palpal forula: Maxillary 2: Labial 2 (by inspection). Diagnostically important sculptural characters thus: head subopaque, closely punctate, punctures coarser and more closely packed than in petila. Mesosomal dorsum moderately shining, closely and finely punctate (much as on frons of petila), mesonotal and propodeal dorsa distinctly more coarsely and closely punctate than pronotum. Dimensions of Wilson’s (1957) specimens are: HW 0.30-0.31; HL 0.40; SL 0.25 mm; CI 76-78; SI 79-83; PW 0.23 mm; PNL 0.15 mm; PH 0.24 mm; DPW 0.15 mm; PNI 65.

Type Material
Taylor (1967) - Frederich-Wilhemshafen (=Madang) NE New Guinea.