The tropics have long been recognized as the site of maximum evolutionary activity on land. In tropical rain forests, evolution proceeds simultaneously in the largest number of species. A growing amount of evidence of diverse kinds also points to the rain forests, particularly those of continents and the large islands, as the "center" of evolution of a majority of major animal and plant groups, where these groups have diversified maximally in various stages of their phyletic history and out of which they have tended to spread into adjacent temperate and arid regions (Richards, 1952; Darlington, 1957). According to the theory stressed by Darlington it is the Old World tropics specifically that form the principal evolutionary center of the vertebrates. Successful groups, achieving "general adaptation," send emigrant species out of the Old World tropics into temperate zones, where they may diversify secondarily and in time come to show zonation and radial dispersal of their own. From time to time faunal drift occurs across the region of the present-day Bering Straits. Movement across this barrier has been predominantly out of the Old World into the New. Once emigrant species reach the New World, further diversification may take place; this becomes especially probable if members of the group succeed in penetrating the Neotropical forests. The nature of general adaptation and the dispersal mechanisms underlying major biotic n-iovement is clearly one of the great problems of modern evolutionary theory. It appears that our knowledge has now reached the stage where finer analyses of these causal processes can and should be undertaken. There is a need for a "biogeography of the species," oriented with respect to the broad background of biogeographic theory but drawn at the species level and correlated with studies on ecology, speciation, and genetics. In the present paper one such analysis is attempted in very preliminary form, dealing with the ponerine ants 1 of Melanesia. This fauna is unusually suitable for a study of the kind proposed. Melanesia, including New Guinea, has proven to be a peripheral or "recipient" zoogeographic and for ants, i.e., most of the present fauna has been derived ultimately from immigrations from southeastern Asia and Australia, while proportionately few Melanesian-centered groups have emigrated into these adjacent source areas. Hence dominant, successful groups can conceivably be distinguished in their early stages of expansion as they first enter Melanesia, and older resident elements can be studied to piece together details of the later history of invading groups. Theoretically, it should then be possible to characterize the early invading groups ecologically and to infer some of the attributes that have contributed to their successful dispersal, in short, the "attributes of success" associated with general adaptation.

The tenuis and selenophora groups of the ant genus Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Adaptive Shift and Dispersal in a Tropical ant Fauna

The tribal and generic classification of the diverse ant subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is revised to reflect recent molecular phylogenetic information and a reappraisal of ponerine morphological diversity. The monogeneric tribe Thaumatomyrmecini ( Thaumatomyrmex ) is newly synonymized under Ponerini (syn. nov.), and the diverse genus Pachycondyla is fragmented into 19 genera, largely along the lines of its junior synonyms: Bothroponera , Brachyponera (gen. rev.) , Ectomomyrmex (gen. rev.) , Euponera (gen. rev.) , Hagensia (gen. rev.) , Megaponera (gen. rev.) , Mesoponera (gen. rev.) , Neoponera (gen. rev.) , Ophthalmopone (gen. rev.) , Pachycondyla, Paltothyreus (gen. rev.) , Pseudoneoponera (gen. rev.) , Pseudoponera (gen. rev.), and 6 new genera: Austroponera (gen. nov.), Buniapone (gen. nov.), Fisheropone (gen. nov.), Mayaponera (gen. nov.), Parvaponera (gen. nov.) and Rasopone (gen. nov.). Some junior synonyms of Pachycondyla are transferred to junior synonym status under other genera: Wadeura as a junior synonym of Cryptopone (syn. nov.), and both Termitopone and Syntermitopone as junior synonyms of Neoponera (syn. nov.). A new genus, Iroponera (gen. nov.), based on the new species Iroponera odax (sp. nov.) , is described from Australia. Molecular and morphological justifications for these taxonomic changes are given alongside discussions of phylogenetic relationships. Keys to the world genera of Ponerinae are provided, and morphological diagnoses and species lists are given for each genus. Finally, the available information on ponerine ecology and behavior is reviewed and synthesized.

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The Higher Classification of the Ant Subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a Review of Ponerine Ecology and Behavior.

Most species of Ponera (s. lat.) may be assigned to a newly delimited genus taking the name Hypoponera Santschi (new status, for Ponera subgenus Hypoponera). The 28 living and 1 extinct species remaining in Ponera are monographed, following discussion of the new generic classification. Species described as new are: Ponera alpha, P. angusta (NE New Guinea) ; P. borneensis (Borneo) ; P. chapmani (Negros, Philippines) ; P. manni (Viti Levu, Fiji), P. loi and P. woodwardi (Upolu, Samoa). This is the first of a series of proposed papers dealing with those species assigned to the ant genus Ponera in the classification of Emery (1911) and Wheeler (1922). The EmeryWheeler system has been subject to considerable recent change and will no longer operate successfully in the light of modern knowledge. Recent research has necessitated synonymy of many older genera, as they have merged one into another on critical examination of their status. This paper offers yet another generic change, in this case not a synonymy but a split; for it demonstrates that Ponera {sensu lato) consists of two distinct, non-cognate, and easily distinguished genera. True Ponera contains only 28 living species confined to the IndoAustralian area, eastern North America and Europe; while the second genus receives most of the former Ponera species, including all of the Neotropical and Ethiopian forms. This last assemblage takes the name Hypoponera Santschi (1938) which was originally assigned subgeneric status under Ponera. Santschi's morphological criteria of Hypoponera are taxonomically meaningless, but his type species, Ponera abeillei Andre 1881, belongs in my second genus which must be named accordingly. In addition this study provides a world revision of Ponera, in the newly restricted sense. I have examined many hundreds of specimens of Ponera (sensu lato), including most types. Consequently it can be confidently claimed that all species previously described in Ponera, and congeneric with the type, P. coarctata, are included here. As a sideline to the main study Heer's form-genus Poneropsis has been utilized as a parataxonomic category, containing all but one of the many fossil ants previously assigned to Ponera (Taylor 1964). 1. Based on research completed in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Harvard University. 2. Research supported in part by U. S. National Science Foundation Grant GB-1634. 3. Present address: Entomology Division, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia.

A Monographic Revision of the Ant Genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Arthropod species are by far the most numerous invasive organisms on islands, but those of conservation significance in the Pacific, except for Hawaii and the Galapagos, are not well documented. Ants may pose the greatest arthropod threat to conservation in the Pacific, by predation, direct competition, and creating favourable conditions for other invasive biota. Information is given on some of the potentially most damaging: bigheaded ant Pheidole megacephala, long-legged or crazy ant Anoplolepis longipes, Argentine ant Linepithema humile, little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata, and others. Vespid wasps pose another critical threat; an outline is given of the yellowjacket wasp Vespula pensylvanica, recorded only from Hawaii in the Pacific, but with serious potential for invading other Pacific island groups. The other significant pests discussed here are the black twig borer beetle Xylosandrus compactus, the coconut rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros, and the avian malaria mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. A preliminary bibliography for ants in the Pacific is appended.

http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/fiji/pdf/nishida-evenhuis2000.pdf

Arthropod pests of conservation significance in the Pacific: A preliminary assessment of selected groups

The ant fauna of Micronesia as determined from museum specimens and from collections mainly on Pohnpei Island is presented here. Around 111 species are found in the region, many of which appear to be island endemics. Palau, Pohnpei, and the Marianas rank the highest in species diversity, with Pohnpei and Palau being especially rich in apparent endemics. The Bonin Islands and Kiribati are poorly sampled, and our understanding of the ant fauna in the whole of Micronesia could benefit greatly from additional collections. Many new and interesting species are known from single collections or single specimens, even on Pohnpei, which is perhaps now the most thoroughly sampled large island in the region. The Marshall Islands contain mostly pan-Pacific and pantropical tramp species, but there do exist collections from the Marshalls (such as a series of Pheidole minors) that can only be clarified through further fieldwork. All data on specimens examined, collected, and reported, as well as a key to their identification and maps of their distributions are provided.

The ants of Micronesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

/pdf/the-tenuis-and-selenophora-groups-of-the-ant-genus-ponera-203xdbuzr4.pdf

The tenuis and selenophora groups of the ant genus Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Citations

Adaptive Shift and Dispersal in a Tropical ant Fauna

The Higher Classification of the Ant Subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a Review of Ponerine Ecology and Behavior.

A Monographic Revision of the Ant Genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Arthropod pests of conservation significance in the Pacific: A preliminary assessment of selected groups

The ants of Micronesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Related Papers (5)

Two New Ants of the Genus Ponera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Taiwan :

The ant genus simopelta (hymenoptera: formicidae)

The larvae of the ant genus Bothroponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

A new species of the ant genus Ponera from Yaku Island. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).

A Monographic Revision of the Ant Genus Ponera Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).