Hypoponera opaciceps

  • Synopsis
  • Diagnostic Characters
  • Comparison Chart
  • Images
  • Video
  • Nomenclature
  • References & Links

Threat Level: Low

Hypoponera opaciceps occurs widely across the Pacific Island region, but is mostly limited to forested habitat where it nests and forages in and around rotting logs, soil and leaf litter. The species is almost entirely blind, and is not often encountered foraging out in the open, nor is it known to recruit to food baits. Although Hypoponera opaciceps is considered an introduced species, it is not commonly regarded as a pest species, and little is known about the effects the species has on native biological diversity.

Hypoponera is diverse and taxonomically challenging genus. There are many native species in the Pacific Island region, and there may be additional introduced species that are not included in PIAkey. Users are advised to closely examine the photographs presented here and on Antweb before assigning a species determination.

There are several species included in PIAkey that bear close resemblance to H. opaciceps. Hypoponera punctatissima has shorter antennal scapes that do not reach the posterior margin of the head , and the antennal scapes of H. opaciceps do reach the posterior margin of the head. The only other species in PIAkey likely to be confused for H. opaciceps is Pachycondyla stigma, which is a larger species with only five mandibular teeth and more enlarged frontal lobes.

  • Waist with one segment (petiole)
  • Gaster armed with sting
  • Frontal lobes present

  • Frontal lobes relatively narrow
  • Mandibles triangular, with many teeth of different sizes
  • Hind tibia with pectinate spur present and simple spur absent
  • Antennal scape reaching or exceeding posterior margin of head
Hypoponera opaciceps vs. H. punctatissima & Pachycondyla stigma

H. opaciceps H. punctatissima P. stigma
Head
Profile
Mandibles

with more than five teeth of different sizes

with more than five teeth of different sizes

with five teeth of approximately equal size
Frontal lobes

narrow

narrow

broad
Hind tibia

with only pectinate spur

with only pectinate spur

with pectinate and simple spur
Antennal scapes

reaching or exceeding posterior margin of head

not reaching or exceeding posterior margin of head

reaching or exceeding posterior margin of head

H. opaciceps H. punctatissima P. stigma

H. opaciceps
CASENT0171167
(head)

H. opaciceps
CASENT0171167
(profile)

H. opaciceps
CASENT0171167
(dorsal)

H. opaciceps
CASENT0171167
(label)

No video is available for this species.

Subfamily Ponerinae

Hypoponera opaciceps. Ponera opaciceps Mayr, 1887: 536 (w.q.) BRAZIL. Smith, M.R. 1929: 545 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 453 (l.). Combination in Hypoponera: Taylor, 1967a: 11. Senior synonym of perkinsi (and its junior synonym andrei): Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 28. Current subspecies: nominal plus cubana, gaigei, gibbinota, jamaicensis, pampana, postangustata. See also: Smith, M.R. 1936: 428; Wheeler, W.M. 1937c: 59; Kempf, 1962b: 7.

  • Antweb: specimen images, data & maps

  • Bolton, B. (1995) A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 504 pp.

  • Wilson, E.O. & Taylor, R.W. (1967) The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pacific Insects Monograph, 14, 1-109.