Abstract: The Afrotropical ponerine ant genus Boloponera gen.n. and the following species are newly described: Boloponera vicans sp.n., Loboponera nobileae sp.n., and Plectroctena thaui sp.n. An analysis of petiole structure within the Ponerini reveals that Dolioponera Brown, 1974 and Boloponera gen.n. are outside the Plectroctena genus group.