Ponera manni

The types were collected from under a stone in wet soil on the floor of slightly disturbed rain forest at about 1000 m elevation. Additional collections have all come from relatively disturbed or lowland habitats.

Identification
Taylor (1967) - Size moderately large (head width 0.57 mm); eyes single-faceted, placed well back on the relatively strongly convex sides of the head; petiolar node narrow (petiolar node index 73); antennal funiculus lacking a distinctly differentiated club; mesometanotal suture clearly incised on mesosomal dorsum. This is the only known Ponera species with HW exceeding 0.43 mm, which has a PNI less than 77.

Ponera manni is easily separated from the only other Fijian Ponera of similar size (Ponera colaensis) by the combination of larger size (HW 0.50-0.54 mm in colaensis); relatively broad head (cephalic index 89; 81-83 in colaensis); distinctly incised mesometanotal suture; narrower petiolar node (PNI 86-91 in colaensis); and lighter color.

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: Fiji.

Nomenclature

 *  manni. Ponera manni Taylor, 1967a: 86, figs. 76, 77 (w.) FIJI IS.

Worker
Holotype. HL 0.64 mm; HW 0.57 mm; SL 0.47 mm; CI 89; SI 82; PW 0.41 mm; PNL 0.21 mm; PH 0.41 mm; DPW 0.30 mm; PNI 73. Mandibles triangular; outer borders slightly sinuate; masticatory border with 3 strong teeth occupying the apical 2/5 of its length, followed by a series of 7 distinct obtuse denticles, which appear in the worn mandibles of the type to have been subequal in size, and about 1/2 as large as the smallest of the apical teeth. Head as in fig. 76; occipital border moderately concave; sides relatively strongly convex. Leading edge of clypeus almost straight; anterior face with a raised obtuse median longitudinal tumosity. Palpal formula: Maxillary 2: Labial 2 (inspected). Eyes minute, single-faceted, about 0.01 mm in diameter, situated about 0.8 X the distance from lateral occipital border to median anterior genal border. Scapes noticeably more slender than usual in Ponera, almost exactly reaching median occipital border when laid back on head. Funiculus also relatively slender, distinctly expanded apically, but no definite segmental club differentiated ; apical segment about equal in length to the 2 preceding together. Mesosomal profile as in fig. 77. Mesometanotal suture very distinctly marked ; lateral mesonotal suture reduced to a faint vestige. Propodeal sides and declivity almost straight, when viewed from above ; posterolateral edges forming angles of about 90° in dorsal view. Form of node as in fig. 77. Subpetiolar fenestra distinct, oval ; posterolateral teeth acute.

Mandibles smooth and highly polished. Clypeus moderately shining, indistinctly shagreened. Head subopaque, finely and closely shagreened. Scapes moderately shining, very finely punctate. Dorsum of mesosoma fairly strongly shining, with very shallow, somewhat effaced, puncturation. The punctures less than 0.01 mm in diameter, spaced at intervals about equal to their average diameter on pronotum; somewhat closer on mesonotum; those on propodeal dorsum less distinct and more sparsely scattered. Sides of mesosoma more strongly shining than dorsum, with similar but more scattered punctures. The usual longitudinal striation of the metepisternal area represented by weak vestiges of such sculpturation. Petiolar node shining, finely punctate. First 2 gastric tergites feebly shining, with a close cover of moderately large, irregular, pilosity-bearing punctures.

Short fine erect to sub-erect pilosity moderately abundant on mandibles, clypeus, frontal lobes and dorsum of pronotum ; sparse on remainder of head and mesosoma. Similar, slightly longer, pilosity moderately abundant on petiolar dorsum and entire gaster, where hairs on ventum and apex are longest. Fine pubescence fairly abundant on head and antennae, gaster and legs; rather sparse on mesosoma and petiole, except pronotal dorsum and apex of node.

Color dull medium reddish brown, legs and gastric apex slightly paler.

Type Material
Holotype in collection (Type No. 30924).

FIJI IS.: Viti Levu: Mt Lomolaki, near Nandarivatu, 17.II.1962 (R. W. Taylor, acc. 22).

The unique holotype was taken under a stone in wet soil on the floor of slightly disturbed rain forest at about 1000 m elevation.

Etymology
This most unusual species is named for the late Dr W. M. Mann, a pioneering myrmecologist in Eastern Melanesia.