Neoponera rostrata

The biology of this species is unknown.

Identification
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker and female of P. rostrata are easily separated from nearly all of the others in the genus Pachycondyla by the greatly elongated mandibles. Pachycondyla rostrata could only be confused with Pachycondyla agilis (which also has elongated mandibles), from which it can be separated by the presence of a moderately developed carina on the pronotal shoulder, which is lacking in P. agilis. In addition, the anterior face of the petiole of P. rostrata is convex, not straight or slightly concave as in P. agilis. The differences between these two are slight and when sufficient material is available to evaluate the characteristics, they may be shown to be the same species.

Distribution
COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, VENEZUELA, BRASIL, ARGENTINA (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

This taxon was described from Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  rostrata. Pachycondyla rostrata Emery, 1890a: 59 (q.) VENEZUELA. Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 496 (w.). Combination in Neoponera: Emery, 1901a: 47; in N. (Eumecopone): Emery, 1911d: 71; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 309.

Worker
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The worker (undescribed) is a moderate sized dark ant (total length 13 mm). The mandible is greatly elongate, longer than the length of the head and has about 18 small teeth. The anterior border of clypeus is nearly straight. The malar carina is developed only about ½ of the distance to the eye. The head is slightly narrower anteriorly and the posterior border is nearly straight. The eyes are moderately large (maximum diameter 0.6 mm) occupying nearly ⅓ of the length of the side of the head. The scape is long, extending nearly ½ of its length past the posterior lateral corner. The carina is present on the pronotal shoulder (but poorly developed); the metanotal suture is depressed below the level of the remainder of the mesosoma and breaks the sculpturing on the dorsum. The anterior face the petiole is broadly convex; the posterior face is nearly vertical. Long (up to 0.6 mm) erect and suberect hairs and golden appressed pubescence are present on all surfaces.

The mandibles are finely longitudinally striate, the remainder of the surfaces is punctate, all surfaces except the gaster (weakly shining) are dull.

Queen
From Mackay and Mackay (2010): The female is a large (total length 17 mm) black specimen with reddish brown legs. The mandible is very long (2.9 mm) with 18 well-developed teeth and with smaller teeth or denticles between most of the teeth. The head length is 3.0 mm; the head width is 2.4 mm. The head is narrowed anteriorly and posterior margin is concave. The eye is large (maximum diameter 0.66 mm) and is located slightly more than one diameter from the anterior margin of the head. The malar carina is well developed, but only reaches ⅔ of the distance to the eye. The ocelli are well developed (maximum diameter of the median ocellus 0.14 mm, of the lateral ocellus 0.12 mm). The scape (length 3.6 mm) extends about ⅓ of the length past the posterior lateral corner of the head. The pronotal carina is poorly developed; the propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped. The anterior face of the petiole is slightly convex, sloping upwards posteriorly and rounded into the posterior face, which is nearly vertical. The subpetiolar process is well developed and consists of a rounded or rectangular lobe anteriorly and a slender area posteriorly. The anterior face of the postpetiole has a broadly rounded face. The stridulatory file is well developed on the second pretergite; and the arolium is well developed between the tarsal claws.

Erect hairs are present on the mandibles, clypeus, sides the head, posterior margin of the head, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, the shaft of the scape and mesosoma, petiole and gaster; the hairs on the legs are coarse, abundant and mostly sub-erect. Golden pubescence is present on the head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster.

The mandibles are finely sculptured and dull, the head is punctate, most surfaces of the mesosoma are dull and punctate, as are the petiole and gaster.

Male
Males are not known for this species.

Type Locality Information
Venezuela, San Esteban (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Etymology
The name of this species comes from the Latin word rostratus, which means beaked or curved and refers to the curved beak-like form of the mandibles, especially when viewed from the side. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)