A new species of Boloponera from Sekhukhuneland, South Africa (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae)

During an environmental impact assessment survey of a proposed tailings storage facility for a platinum mine in Sekhukhuneland, South Africa, five adult and five larval specimens of a new species ofBoloponerawere found while excavating soil to a depth of 10–15 cm at the base of a tree in riparian woodland. These specimens represent a 3400 km range extension and the first reported record of the genus since its description in 2006, which was based on a single specimen collected in the Central African Republic in 2001. A description of the worker and ergatoid queen ofBoloponeraikemkhasp. n. is presented, with a description of the mature larva and a key to distinguish workers of the two currently known species of the genus. The taxonomic relationships ofBoloponeraare discussed with respect to several confirmed and newly identified autapomorphies that support its retention as a distinct genus, although closely related toPlectroctenaandLoboponera. A preliminary assessment of the conservation status and discussion of potential threats to the survival ofB.ikemkhais also provided. Evaluation of current data under the IUCN Red List criteria would result inB.ikemkhabeing assessed as Critically Endangered, but further investigation is required to test the validity of placing it in this category.

A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Adetomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyoponinae)

The species-rank taxonomy of the genus Adetomyrma Ward, 1994 is revised. Nine species are distinguished with eightdescribed as new: A. aureocuprea sp. nov., A. bressleri sp. nov., A. caputleae sp. nov., A. cassis sp. nov., A. caudapinniger sp.nov., A. cilium sp. nov., A. clarivida sp. nov., A. goblin sp. nov. Worker-male associations are identified for all worker-basedspecies: A. bressleri, A. caputleae, A. goblin along with A. venatrix Ward, 1994 from which the male is described for the firsttime. Five new species are described only from males. An ergatoid queen of Adetomyrma is described for the first time. Keys to species for workers and males are given.

Fossil Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Early Eocene amber of France

The French Early Eocene (Ypresian, 52–55 million-year-old) amber of Oise contains a rich and well-diversified myrmecofauna, which has remained unstudied until now. A recent survey of these fossil ants revealed 40 different species, among which nine belong to the subfamily Ponerinae. We describe here the two best-preserved morphotypes: a possible ergatoid queen representing the earliest known occurrence of the extant genus Platythyrea Roger, and described as a new species P. dlusskyi sp. n.; and a male morphotype related to the equivocal, paraphyletic genus Pachycondyla Smith, thus described herein but not formally assigned to genus until the male-based taxonomy of Ponerinae is better established. This fauna provides an ecological context to make inferences about the paleoenvironment of northwestern Europe during the PETM and gives new arguments for a radiation of modern ants at that time.