Hypoponera lassa Bolton & Fisher, 2011

Bolton, B. & Fisher, B. L., 2011, Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 2843, pp. 1-118 : 66

Hypoponera lassa Bolton & Fisher sp. n.

(Figs 64 – 66)

WORKER (holotype in parentheses). Measurements: HL 0.51 – 0.56 (0.54), HW 0.40 – 0.44 (0.44), HS 0.455 – 0.495 (0.490), SL 0.34 – 0.38 (0.37), PrW 0.31 – 0.35 (0.34), WL 0.66 – 0.74 (0.72), HFL 0.34 – 0.40 (0.38), PeNL 0.13 – 0.16 (0.14), PeH 0.33 – 0.38 (0.37), PeNW 0.22 – 0.25 (0.24), PeS 0.227 – 0.260 (0.250) (10 measured). Indices: CI 77 – 81 (81), SI 84 – 90 (84), PeNI 70 – 78 (71), LPeI 37 – 43 (38), DPeI 155 – 171 (171).

Eyes absent. Median portion of clypeus with a raised median longitudinal ridge or crest. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, distinctly fails to reach the midpoint of the posterior margin in full-face view; SL/HL 0.65 – 0.71. Reticulate-punctate sculpture on cephalic dorsum fine and dense, the punctures crowded, small and sharply defined. Lateroventral areas of head distinctly punctate, the sculpture almost reticulate-punctate but not as closely packed as on the dorsum. Punctate sculpture on disc of pronotum more diffuse than on lateroventral surface of head. Metanotal groove absent from dorsum of mesosoma. Sides of propodeal declivity marginate but not carinate. Petiole node in dorsal view transverse, the anterior surface more convex than the posterior but not thickly D-shaped. Petiole node in profile tall and slender, with the sides weakly convergent from just above tubercle to apex; anterior face often extremely shallowly concave, dorsum shallowly convex. Posterior surface of petiole node without radiating cuticular ribs above the peduncle. Subpetiolar process with a ventral angle that may be sharp or blunt and a short ascending posterior surface behind the angle. Base of cinctus of second gastral tergite with short, inconspicuous cross-ribs. Disc of second gastral tergite microreticulate to superficially reticulate-punctate; without sharply incised, widely separated punctures. Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view is less than the width of the second tergite at its midlength. Midline length of second gastral posttergite, from posterior margin of cinctus to apex, is slightly less than the maximum width of the segment. Suberect to erect setae on dorsum of first gastral tergite sparse and short, stubbly. Full adult colour light brown, the appendages lighter.

Holotype worker (top specimen of two on pin), Ghana: Sagymasi, iii.1992 (R. Belshaw) (BMNH). Paratypes. 2 workers and 1 dealate queen with same data as holotype, one of the workers mounted below the holotype(BMNH).

A small species, currently known only from leaf litter samples from Ivory Coast and Ghana. See notes under defessa .

Non-paratypic material examined. Ivory Coast: Tai For. (Mahnert & Perret); Agboville, Yapo For. Res., nr Yapo-Gare (I. Löbl); Sassandra, Monogaga, Monoho Pt (I. Löbl); Abidjan, Banco Nat. Pk (I. Löbl). Ghana: Sui For. Res. (R. Belshaw); Bobiri (R. Belshaw).