Ponera purpurea Smith, 1863a: 18 (w.) INDONESIA (Halmahera). Australasia.

Primary type information: Primary type material: holotype worker. Primary type locality: Indonesia: Gilolo (= Halmahera), “Gil” (A.R. Wallace). Primary type depository: OXUM. Type notes: 1) Donisthorpe, 1932c: 470, cites 1 worker in OXUM; confirmed by Bolton (unpublished notes) 1978. 2) A second specimen, identical to the holotype and mounted in the same manner, is present in OXUM, but the locality label does not appear to read “Gil.” (Bolton (unpublished notes) 1978).