Brachyponera nigrita

Brachyponera nigrita (Emery, 1895) Fig. 26 A – D Ponera nigrita Emery, 1895 m: 459 (w.) Myanmar. Type material. • Syntype workers, Myanmar (“ Burma ”), Carin Cheba, 500–1500 m., ii. - iii. 1888 (L. Fea) (images of a syntype worker, CASENT 0903936 available on AntWeb were examined). Measurements and indices. Worker (Fig. 26 A – D): HL 1.23, HLL 1.13, HLA 0.15, HW 1.17, ML 0.72, CML 0.19, CI 95, SL 1.24, SI 106, ED 0.24, PrL 0.83, PrH 0.71, PrW 0.83, WL 2.00, TL 6.0, PL 0.48, PH 0.88, DPW 0.63, LPI 182, PDPI 131. Diagnosis. The species can be separated from other Chinese members of the genus based on the combination of the following characters: larger species,> 4.5 mm in total body length; head width> 0.9 mm; flagellar segments 1 and 2 longer than broad; posterior face of propodeum medially and petiole entirely smooth or very weakly punctate; gastral tergite 1 with fewer standing hairs, the number, excluding those on posterior margin of tergite, being usually <10; body color usually dark brown. Brief description. In full-face view, head longer than broad, roughly trapezoidal. Mandible triangular with nine teeth. Frontal carina short, frontal lobes well developed, covering antennal socket. Antennae 12 - segmented, scape exceeds posterolateral corner, flagellar segments gradually increase in size toward the end. Eye medium in size and located in front of lateral margin of head. In lateral view, metanotal groove deeply impressed. Dorsal of propodeum nearly straight, longer than declivity; posterodorsal corner of propodeum broadly rounded. Petiolar node as high as propodeum, upright, nearly trapezoidal; subpetiolar process forms a wedge. In dorsal view, pronotum anterior and lateral margins broad and round, posterior margin concave. Petiolar node crescent-shaped. Mandible densely punctate; head densely punctate; mesosoma smooth, pronotum finely punctate, and propodeum finely rugose; petiolar node and posteroventral area densely finely punctate. Body dorsally with abundant standing hairs and densely sub-decumbent hairs. Body black, appendages yellowish brown.