Ponera tudigong

Ponera tudigong is known from a single location in Tai Lam country park, Hong Kong SAR. The worker and queen were collected in separate pitfall traps 5 meters apart during the same sampling period. Nothing more is known concerning its biology.

Identification
Ponera tudigong can be distinguished from the other species in the genus by the following characters:
 * masticatory margin of the mandible with a small denticle and four enlarged teeth (Figure 2), an apomorphic character for this new species (see Leong et al. 2019)
 * petiole relatively thick in lateral view (LPeI 60) with the anterodorsal margin of the node of the petiole projecting slightly forward
 * metanotal groove forming clearly incised suture in dorsal view (Fig. 4A)
 * eyes absent

Specimens were initially recognized as being distinct from the other local Ponera species, Ponera sinensis and Ponera guangxiensis, based on the mandible and shape of its petiole and the absence of eyes, and was later determined to be a new species. It is the only known Ponera species with four mandibular teeth, all other species having either three (most of Ponera species), five (Ponera pentodontos), or seven (Ponera taylori).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Biology
Nothing is known about the biology or life history of P. tudigong. Like most species of Ponera, it is likely cryptobiotic and subterranean, as the absence of eyes might suggest. The fact that our specimens were captured in surface pitfall traps may suggest that the species does come to the surface at least occasionally, maybe at night, and possibly to forage or for reproduction purposes, given that a wingless queen was captured in addition to the worker. Of course, soil disturbance during trap emplacement may also be responsible.

Ponera tudigong is known from only a single collection event, despite a significant amount of leaf-litter and pitfall-trap sampling done throughout Hong Kong in recent years. This suggests that the species is indeed quite rare. The habitat it was collected from is a restored secondary forest, and it was collected within one meter of a well-used hiking trail.

Nomenclature

 *  tudigong. Ponera tudigong Pierce, Leong & Guénard, 2019: 12, figs. 2-6 (w.q.) CHINA (Hong Kong).