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Heteroponera Mayr ReinstatedHNS (Hymenoptera: FormicidaeHNS) .

- Heteroponera MayrHNS (1887, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 37: 533) has remained suppressed as a synonym of Acanthoponera MayrHNS for many years. Wheeler (1923, loc. cit.) has shown, however that AcanthoponeraHNS can be split into two groups; one group { AcanthoponeraHNS s. str.) having the tarsal claws with an extra, strong tooth and a basal lobe (or tooth), while the second group (Anacanthoponera Wheeler) has the tarsal claws at most with a single, weak median tooth. In this second group, Wheeler included Heteroponera carinifrons MayrHNS, and since HeteroponeraHNS, with the genotype H. carinifronsHNS, has precedence, it must be reinstated as a good genus. Anacanthoponera Wheeler (1923, Psyche, 30: 176, as a subgenus of AcanthoponeraHNS) is a new synonym of HeteroponeraHNS, since the genotype, Ponera dolo RogerHNS, is congeneric with H. carinifronsHNS.

AcanthoponeraHNS is neotropical, and has well developed propodeal teeth and the petiolar apex produced as a long tooth or spine; Kusnezov (in litt.) finds A. mucronataHNS to have 6, 4 palpal segmentation. HeteroponeraHNS is neotropical and Australasian , and the propodeal teeth and dentiform petiolar apex are absent or feebly developed; H. imbellis EmeryHNS has 3, 3 palpal segmentation (my dissection). Until more species can be critically examined, AcanthoponeraHNS and HeteroponeraHNS should be considered as distinct genera. AcanthoponeraHNS appears to be the most generalized living member of the EctatomminiHNS, and is probably close to the stem from which the proceratiines, the myrmicines and ParaponeraHNS arose. - W. L. Brown, Jr., Museum of Comparative Zoology , Harvard University.