Fisheropone, Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014

Schmidt, C. A. & Shattuck, S. O., 2014, The Higher Classification of the Ant Subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a Review of Ponerine Ecology and Behavior, Zootaxa 3817 (1), pp. 1-242 : 87-89

Fisheropone gen. nov.

Fig. 13

Type-species: Ponera ambigua Weber, 1942 a: 46 ; by present designation.

Fisheropone is known from a single described and at least one undescribed species which are found in central Africa ( Cameroon, Gabon, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda). Nothing is known of their biology.

Etymology. Fisheropone is named in honour of Brian Fisher, acknowledging his tremendous contributions to African and Malagasy myrmecology.

Diagnosis. Fisheropone workers can be diagnosed by the following unique combination of characters: mandibles narrowly triangular, relatively long and without a basal pit or fovea; clypeus narrowly inserted between small frontal lobes, the antennal sockets closely approximated; propodeal spiracle slit-shaped; mesotibiae dorsally without abundant stout traction setae and ventral apex of the metatibia with a single pectinate spur; and petiole scale-like and thin. These ants bear a superficial resemblance to Hypoponera and Mesoponera in being relatively slender and with elongate mandibles and an impressed metanotal groove. They can be separated from Hypoponera by the slit-shaped rather than round propodeal spiracle, and from Mesoponera by the presence of only a single metatibial spur. Separation from the single African species of Cryptopone is based on the lack of a basal mandibular pit and mesotibial pusher setae, both of which are present in Cryptopone .

Synoptic description. Worker. Small (TL ca. 2 mm) slender ants with the standard characters of Ponerini . Mandibles narrowly triangular, relatively long. Eyes absent. Frontal lobes very small and closely approximated. Mesopleuron not divided by a transverse groove. Metanotal groove angular. Propodeum narrowed dorsally. Propodeal spiracles elongate. Metatibial spur formula (1p). Petiole squamiform. Gaster with a moderately weak girdling constriction between pre- and postsclerites of A4. Stridulitrum absent from pretergite of A4. Head and body finely punctate, with sparse pilosity but a dense fine pubescence. Color pale yellow.

Queen. Unknown.

Male. Unknown.

Larva. Unknown.

Geographic distribution. This genus is apparently restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa from Cameroon and Gabon to South Sudan.

Ecology and behavior. Nothing is known about the habits of Fisheropone . The lack of eyes, small body size and pale color suggest a hypogeic lifestyle, and this may explain their infrequent collection. However, this remains to be confirmed by field observations.

Phylogenetic and taxonomic considerations. The only described species of Fisheropone was originally placed in Ponera as it has only a single metatibial spur. It is now known that this character occurs across the subfamily in unrelated genera and is of little phylogentic value. Recent preliminary molecular results provided by P. S. Ward (unpublished) place this genus within the Odontomachus genus group, and near species of Brachyponera and Euponera . While this placement appears well supported the taxon sampling in this preliminary work is limited and further details will be required to determine exact relationships.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Worker caste of Fisheropone ambigua: lateral and dorsal view of body and full-face view of head (CASENT0289205, Cerise Chen and www.antweb.org); world distribution of Fisheropone.