Ponera yakushimensis

Japanese Name

Yakushima-hari-ari

Tanaka, M. (1974) A new species of the ant genus Ponera from Yaku Island. Entomological Review of Japan 27: 32-36.

Total length of workers around 3.5 mm. Body color blackish brown. Similar to P. scabra and P. kohmoku. P. yakushimensis is distinguished from P. scabra by the anterior and posterior petiolar surfaces being parallel and the posterior petiolar surface being angulate above in lateral view, by the second gastral tergite being more shallowly and sparsely punctate than the first, and by the dorsal and posterior surfaces of the propodeum and petiole being more sparsely punctate. P. yakushimensis is distinguished from P. kohmoku by its small eyes, consisting of only several indistinct facets, and by its posterior petiolar border being distinctly concave in dorsal view.

P. yakushimensis nests under moss, and is known only from mountainous sites on Yaku Island.

Yaku I.