The Higher Classification of the Ant Subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a Review of Ponerine Ecology and Behavior
Author
Schmidt, C. A.
Author
Shattuck, S. O.
text
Zootaxa
2014
2014-06-18
3817
1
1
242
journal article
5350
10.11646/zootaxa.3817.1.1
d66f1b27-5891-4fa5-96e0-f75cb3ec2445
1175-5326
A3C10B34-7698-4C4D-94E5-DCF70B475603
Species of
Cryptopone
As discussed by
Bolton
& Fisher (2011)
,
C. hartwigi
is the only species of
Cryptopone
found in tropical Africa. It possesses a basal mandibular pit and metatibial pusher setae, characteristics of
Cryptopone
, and fits the diagnosis for this genus as proposed in the present work. However, recently P.S. Ward (pers. comm.) examined a number of ponerine species using molecular methods and found that
C. hartwigi
is closely related to
Fisheropone
and only distantly related to
C. gilva
and
C. testacea
, suggesting that
C. hartwigi
is not a true
Cryptopone
and the observed similarity is due to convergence in the characters they apparently share. Unfortunately, it proved challenging to find morphological characters that would separate
C. hartwigi
from “true”
Cryptopone
. Without such characters it is impossible to determine if only
C. hartwigi
should be removed from
Cryptopone
, or if other species are also misplaced and in need of transfer to other genera (new or existing). Only a detailed study of the genus will determine the true relationships among these species. Until this can be completed we are taking a conservative approach and placing
C. hartwigi
within
Cryptopone
, acknowledging that this placement will likely need emendation as our understanding of the group improves.
C. arabica
Collingwood & Agosti, 1996
:
Yemen
(
comb. rev.
)
C. butteli
Forel, 1913
:
Indonesia
(
Sumatra
) (
comb. rev.
)
C. crassicornis
(Emery, 1897)
: New
Guinea
(
comb. rev.
)
C. fusciceps
Emery, 1900
: New
Guinea
(
comb. rev.
)
C. gigas
Wu & Wang, 1995
:
China
(
comb. rev.
)
C. gilva
(Roger, 1863)
:
United States
(
comb. rev.
)
C. guianensis
(
Weber, 1939
)
:
Guiana
(
comb. nov.
)
C. hartwigi
Arnold, 1948
:
South Africa
(
comb. rev.
)
C. holmgreni
(Wheeler, 1925)
:
Peru
(
comb. nov.
)
C. jinxiuensis
Zhou, 2001
:
China
(
comb. rev.
)
C. mirabilis
(
Mackay & Mackay, 2010
)
:
Bolivia
(
comb. nov.
)
C. motschulskyi
Donisthorpe, 1943
: New
Guinea
(
comb. rev.
)
C. nicobarensis
Forel, 1905
:
Nicobar Islands
(
comb. rev.
)
C. ochracea
(Mayr, 1855)
:
Italy
(
comb. rev.
)
C. ochracea sicula
(
Emery, 1909
)
:
Italy
(
comb. rev.
)
C. pseudogigas
Zhou & Zheng, 1997
:
China
(
comb. rev.
)
C. recticlypea
Xu, 1998
:
China
(
comb. rev.
)
C. rotundiceps
(Emery, 1914)
:
New Caledonia
(
comb. rev.
)
C. sauteri
(Wheeler, W.M., 1906)
:
Japan
(
comb. rev.
)
C. sinensis
Wang, 1992
:
China
(
comb. rev.
)
C. subterranea
(Bharti & Wachkoo, 2013)
:
India
(
comb. rev.
)
C. taivanae
(Forel, 1913)
:
Taiwan
(
comb. rev.
)
C. tengu
Terayama, 1999
:
Japan
(
comb. rev.
)
C. testacea
Emery, 1893
:
Sri Lanka
(
comb. rev.
)
C. typhlos
(Karavaiev, 1935)
:
Vietnam
(
comb. rev.
)