Brachyponera chinensis

From Mackay and Mackay (2010): Smith (1934), Koriba (1963) and Gotoh and Ito (2008) summarized the biology of this species. Small colonies were found in moist rotten wood or in the soil under stones, logs, debris, etc. (Smith, 1934). Sexuals were found in a nest in August in Norfolk, Virginia. Foragers were more active on cloudy days as compared with sunny days. They fed on dead insects, fish scraps and juices of decayed fruits lying on the ground. People at one unspecified locality claimed that they were occasionally stung. At the time of collection (spring, 1932) they were most common in the vicinity of the docks. They occurred over the entire town of Washington, North Carolina and to a lesser extent of Norfolk, Virginia. These ants are unusually common and successful in China and apparently feed on dead insects (Brown, 1958).

Identification
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): Brachyponera chinensis is an Old World species that was introduced into the New World. The combination of poorly developed mandibular teeth, the constriction at the metanotal suture and the form of the subpetiolar process, with a posteriorly directed lobe separate this species from all of the others present in the New World. Only the introduction of additional Old World species (at least in the New World) would make recognition of this species difficult.

Also see Brachyponera nakasujii for details about closely related species and the Caste section below for images that can help with determinations.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: New Zealand. Indo-Australian Region: Philippines. Nearctic Region: United States. Oriental Region: Cambodia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Japan, Republic of Korea.



Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Nansei Is, Ogasawara Is).

Habitat
From Mackay and Mackay (2010):Smith (1979) reports they occur in dark damp habitats in urban environments (Smith, 1934) and disturbed rural environments (Brown, 1958).

Nomenclature

 * solitaria. Ponera solitaria Smith, F. 1874: 404 (w.) JAPAN. [Junior primary homonym of solitaria Smith, above.] Forel, 1900e: 267 (q.). Combination in Euponera (Brachyponera): Emery, 1901a: 47. Senior synonym of chinensis and hence the latter the first available replacement name: Brown, 1958h: 22.
 *  chinensis. Ponera nigrita subsp. chinensis Emery, 1895k: 460 (w.) CHINA. [Misspelled as sinensis by Imai & Kubota, 1972: 194.] Replacement name for solitaria Smith, F. 1874: 404. [Junior primary homonym of solitaria Smith, F. 1860b: 103.] [Note: chinensis junior synonym of solitaria Smith, F. 1874: 404 (synonymy by Brown, 1958h: 22); hence first available replacement name.] Wheeler, W.M. 1921c: 530 (q.); Ogata, 1987: 116 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986c: 88 (l.); Imai & Kubota, 1972: 194 (k.). Combination in Euponera (Brachyponera): Emery, 1909c: 367; in Brachyponera: Brown, 1958h: 22; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 304; in Brachyponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 80. Raised to species: Brown, 1958h: 22. See also: Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 247.

Ponera solitaria

Two worker syntypes in. Labelled “Japan. 74/16.” Acc. Reg.: “1874 no. 16. 2 Ponera solitaria. Hiogo (Japan). Presented by Fred. Smith. These insects were all collected by Mr Geo. Lewis, except those from Hokadadi which were collected by Mr Whiteley and Mr R. Fortune.” In the original description Smith gives the type-locality merely as “Hiogo.”

Worker
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker is a small (total length 3.5 mm) brown specimen with yellowish brown mandibles, funiculi and legs. The mandibles have approximately 9 teeth, which alternate in size. The three apicalmost teeth are the largest with the first tooth approximately twice the length of the other two, which are approximately the same size. The transverse medial carina is poorly marked on the clypeus, the sides of the head are nearly parallel and the posterior margin is slightly concave. The head length is 0.88 mm; the head width is 0.75 mm. The eye is relatively large (maximum diameter 0.15 mm), located less than one diameter from the anterior margin of the head. The scape (0.85 mm) extends approximately two funicular segments past the posterior lateral corner of the head. The funicular segments are slightly swollen toward the apex, but do not form a club. The mesonotum is well defined on all sides and the mesosoma notably depressed at the metanotal suture. The propodeal spiracle is circular. The petiole is narrow when viewed in profile, with the anterior face being slightly concave near the apex and posterior face being slightly convex. Both faces narrow towards the apex and form a small horizontal dorsal surface. The subpetiolar process is a broad thick lobe, with a posteriorly directed sharp process. The metasternal process consists of two fang-like sharp elongate projections, similar to those found in members of the stigma species complex.

Erect hairs are sparse, but are present on the mandibles, clypeus, frontal lobes, a few hairs are present on the dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole and all surfaces of the gaster, a few hairs on the legs are erect. Very fine appressed sparse golden pubescence is found on most surfaces.

The mandibles are finely striated with scattered punctures the dorsum of the head is very finely and densely punctate and weakly shining, the dorsum of the mesosoma has similar sculpture. The sculpture on much of the side of the mesosoma, especially the side of the pronotum and mesopleuron and the lower part of the propodeum is smooth and glossy. The petiole has scattered punctures and is weakly shining; the gaster is sculptured and is slightly shinier.

Etymology
The name means that this species is from China. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)