Prionopelta nominata

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

Nomenclature

 *  nominata. Ponera nominata Smith, F. 1871a: 323.
 * Replacement name for Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105. [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Senior synonym of churchilli, majuscula, poultoni, testacea: syn. n. (unpublished).
 * simillima. Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105 (q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Combination in Ponera: Roger, 1863b: 16.
 * Combination in Rhopalopone: Emery, 1900c: 311 (footnote); Emery, 1911d: 35.
 * Junior synonym of confinis: Roger, 1863b: 16.
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 42; Emery, 1900c: 311 (footnote); Emery, 1911d: 35.
 * Unnecessary (second) replacement name: Prionopelta poultoni Donisthorpe, 1932c: 462.
 * majuscula. Prionopelta majuscula Emery, 1897c: 595 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Status as species: Brown, 1951: 102; Brown, 1953c: 12; Wilson, 1958a: 148; Brown, 1960a: 177, 220; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Shattuck, 2008b: 27 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of churchilli: Brown, 1951: 102.
 * Senior synonym of poultoni, simillima, testacea: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * poultoni. Prionopelta poultoni Donisthorpe, 1932c: 462.
 * Unnecessary (second) replacement name for Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105. [Junior primary homonym of Ponera simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 104.]
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * testacea. Renea testacea Donisthorpe, 1947d: 183, fig. 1 (w.m.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Donisthorpe, 1948d: 590 (q.).
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1953c: 12.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]
 * churchilli. Examblyopone churchilli Donisthorpe, 1949g: 401 (q.) NEW GUINEA.
 * Junior synonym of majuscula: Brown, 1951: 102.
 * Junior synonym of nominata: syn. n. (unpublished). [See note under nominata.]

Taxonomic Notes
Because the conditions of Article 23.9.1 of ICZN (4th edition, 1999) do not appear to have been satisfied, the previously overlooked nominata Smith, F. 1871a: 323, the first proposed replacement name for the junior homonym simillima Smith, F. 1860b: 105, takes priority over churchilli, majuscula, poultoni, and testacea (B.Bolton note, 17.v.2016).

Type Material


Ponera simillima

In the original description Smith states that the type-specimens are workers, but only queens of this taxon are present in his collection. It is assumed here that he miswrote the caste in the description, though this can not be proved; the four queens of the species are regarded here as the syntypes, though perhaps incorrectly.

One dealate queen syntype in. Labelled “Dor. 20” (= Dory I., New Guinea).

Three dealate queen syntypes in. Labelled “Dor.” One specimen has a Donisthorpe type-label and a det. label “P. poultoni,” Donisthorpe’s replacement name for the preoccupied simillima. One of the others has a Donisthorpe det. label from 1931, “simillima.”