Ponera xantha

The type material was collected in a subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest.

Identification
Close to Ponera baka, but in dorsal view petiolar node roughly triangular, as broad as long, in profile view subpetiolar process without tooth on posteroventral border.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  xantha. Ponera xantha Xu, 2001c: 219, figs. 13-15 (w.) CHINA.

Description


Holotype. TL 1.9, HL 0.45, HW 0.35. CI 78, SL 0.27. SI 76, PW 0.25, AL 0.57, ED 0.02, ML 0.23, DPW 0.18, PNI 73, PH 0.27, PNL 0.17, LPI 63. Head roughly rectangular, distinctly longer than broad, weakly narrowed forward. In full face view, occipital margin weakly emarginate, occipital corners roundly prominent, lateral sides weakly convex. Masticatory margin of mandible with 3 apical teeth and followed by a row of indistinct minute denticles. Anterior margin of clypeus evenly convex. Antennae short, apex of scape failed to reach occipital corner by 1/4 of its length, antennal club with 4 segments. Eye with only one facet. In profile view, dorsum of thorax weakly convex, promesonotal suture depressed, metanotal groove fine and distinct. Dorsum of propodeum as long as declivity, posterodorsal corner blunt. In profile view, petiolar node thick and nearly trapezoid, narrowed upward, anterior face steeper than posterior face, anterodorsal corner higher and more prominent, posterodorsal corner lower and more blunt. Subpetiolar process cuneiform, fenestra medium size, ventral face convex, anteroventral corner roundly blunt, posteroventral border without tooth. In dorsal view, anterior and lateral borders roundly convex, posterior border straight, length; width = 8:9, almost as broad as long. Mandibles smooth and shining, with very sparse fine punctures. Head densely and finely punctured, relatively dull. Thorax, petiole and gaster weakly, densely and finely punctured, relatively shining. Dorsum of head and body with sparse subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence, hairs on gaster abundant. Scapes with sparse subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Dorsa of tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence, without erect hairs. The whole body yellow, gaster brownish yellow, eyes black.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, No. A99-270, 2000 m, Daying Village, Jietou Town, Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, 02-V-1999, collected by Mr. Fu Lei in Subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Xu Z. H. 2001. Four new species of the ant genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Yunnan, China. Entomotaxonomia 23: 217-226.
 * Xu Z. 2001. Four new species of the ant genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Yunnan, China. Entomotaxonomia 23(3): 217-226