Brachyponera sennaarensis ( Mayr, 1862 )

Sharaf, Mostafa R., Fisher, Brian L., Collingwood, Cedric A. & Aldawood, Abdulrahman S., 2017, Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen): zoogeography, distribution and description of a new species, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 51 (5 - 6), pp. 317-378 : 367-369

Brachyponera sennaarensis ( Mayr, 1862)

( Figure 27 (a–c))

Ponera sennaarensis Mayr, 1862: 721 (w.) Sudan. Afrotropical.

Diagnosis

Worker. Large species (TL 5–6). Head broader than mesosoma, with convex sides and emarginated posterior margin; eyes relatively large; metanotal groove deeply impressed; petiole a high and thick node with a straight anterior surface and a convex posterior surface; first and second gastral tergites separated by a distinct constriction characteristic for ponerine ants; gaster ending with a powerful sting. Dark brown to blackish brown, antennae, tibiae and tarsi reddish. All body surfaces covered with fine and dense pubescence.

Material examined

Yemen, Socotra Island, W. Sakhalof , 27 April 2014, 48 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.63311°N, 54.05632°E (1 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Qalansyia, W. Taisoh, 25 April 2014, 67 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.65880°N, 53.46988°E (2 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam, 24 April 2014, 449 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.52430°N, 53.88186°E (2 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam, 24 April 2014, 656 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.49320°N, 53.99145°E (1 w, KSMA, 1 w, CASC); Yemen, Socotra Island, Dixam, 24 April 2014, 610 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.46557°N, 54.00247°E (1 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Himihil Protectorate, 23 April 2014, 355 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.58954°N, 54.30570°E (2 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Himihil Protectorate, 23 April 2014, 372 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.57615°N, 54.30651°E (1 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Haydibo, Erheno, 19 April 2014, 33 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.65023°N, 54.04016°E (4 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, W. Jo’ o, 21 April 2014, 196 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.54038°N, 54.17186°E, (4 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, W. Feriho (daitab), 21 April 2014, 93 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.44103°N, 54.15576°E (1 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Lehanoh, 22 April 2014, 931 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.57583°N, 54.04836°E (1 w, KSMA); Yemen, Socotra Island, Dehejamo, 22 April 2014, 563 m, (M. R. Sharaf leg.), 12.59049°N, 54.05205°E (4 w, KSMA) .

Geographic range

Brachyponera sennaarensis is one of the more successful invasive Ponerine ants ( Wetterer 2013), being broadly distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Iran ( Akbarzadeh et al. 2006; Paknia 2006; Tourenq and Shuriqi 2010), and several countries of the Arabian Peninsula including KSA ( Collingwood 1985), UAE, Yemen, Oman ( Collingwood and Agosti 1996; Collingwood et al. 2011) and Qatar (Sharaf and Aldawood unpublished data).

Ecological and biological notes

Brachyponera sennaarensis has invaded a wide range of habitats on Socotra, especially soil that is moist covered with the leaf litter of date palm trees. This species also commonly nests under rocks and objects associated with moist soils. Brachyponera sennaarensis has also invaded the relatively undisturbed valleys of the island where streams and denser vegetation are found. A nest was found under a stone under a dragon blood tree.

Figures

Figure 27. Brachyponera sennaarensis. (a) Body in profile. (b) Head in full-face view, CASENT0746634, AntWeb.org, (Zach Lieberman). (c) Distribution map, blue circles from recent records, red circles from Collingwood et al. (2004).