Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the ant genus Tetraponera (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in the Oriental and Australian regions

Abstract

A revision of the ant genus Tetraponera in the Orientaland Australian regions reveals 33 species (18 new), belonging to four informalspecies-groups: allaborans-group(T. allaborans (Walker),T. apiculata, sp. nov., T. avia,sp. nov., T. bita, sp. nov.,T. brevis, sp. nov., T. conica,sp. nov., T. connectens, sp. nov.,T. crassiuscula (Emery) stat. nov.,T. extenuata, sp. nov.,T. microcarpa Wu & Wang, andT. modesta (F. Smith));nigra-group (T. aitkenii (Forel),T. atra Donisthorpe, T. attenuataF. Smith, T. binghami (Forel),T. buops, sp. nov., T. difficilis(Emery), T. inversinodis, sp. nov.,T. laeviceps (F. Smith),T. mimula, sp. nov., T. nigra(Jerdon), T. nitida (F. Smith),T. nixa, sp. nov., T. nodosa, sp.nov., T. notabilis, sp. nov.,T. polita, sp. nov., T. punctulataF. Smith, T. rotula, sp. nov.,T. tucurua, sp. nov., T. vivax,sp. nov., and T. volucris, sp. nov.);pilosa-group (T. pilosa (F.Smith)), and rufonigra-group(T. rufonigra (Jerdon)). Keys are provided foridentification of workers, queens and males, although the sexual forms remainunknown in some species. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the fourspecies-groups represent independent lineages, each with its nearest extantrelatives in the Afrotropical region. There have been multiple invasions ofAsia from Africa, and at least four west-to-east transgressions ofWallace’s line into the Australian region. Plate tectonic eventspostulated to have been important in facilitating such dispersal include thecollision of India with Asia in the Eocene and the approach of the Australianplate to Laurasia in the mid-Miocene.