Corresponding author: Himender Bharti (
Academic editor: Francisco Hita Garcia.
The present paper provides a description of the male caste and re-description of the worker and queen castes of the poorly known ant species
The genus
Here we re-describe the worker and queen castes of
The specimens were collected by handpicking. The morphological analysis was carried on with the aid of a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereo zoom microscope. All digital images were taken with a MP evolution digital camera and subsequently processed with Auto-Montage software (Syncroscopy, Division of Synoptics, Ltd.) and Adobe Photoshop CS5. All measurements were recorded in millimeters using oculometer between 50× and 125× to the nearest 0.001 mm and have been rounded to the nearest 0.01 mm (as the average recording error was approximately 0.005 mm). Specimens have been deposited in PUPAC, Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection, Patiala.
– Length of the head measured in full face view in a straight line from the middle of the anterior clypeal margin to the middle of the occipital margin. The head has to be carefully tilted to the position with the real maximum
– Maximum width of the head in full face view, behind the eyes
– Maximum eye length with eye in full face view
– Diameter of eye measured perpendicularly to transect in EL and across structurally defined ommatidia
– Maximum straight-line length of the scape excluding the basal neck and the condyle
– Weber’s length – the length of mesosoma in profile from the margin of neck shield to the posterior margin of propodeal lobes
– Maximum width of the petiole from above, in dorsal view
– The length of the gaster in lateral view from the anterior most point of first gastral segment to the posterior most point (excluding sting if present)
– Head size – the total of head length and head width divided by hundred
– Number of standing hairs projecting > 0.02 mm from dorsal profile of scape i.e. the number of hairs visible when looking at the small diameter of scape under transmitted-light conditions. The always present hairs on distal apex are not counted and the number refers to one scape
– Number of standing hairs projecting > 0.02 mm from extensor profile of one hind tibia. The always present hairs on distal apex are not counted and the number refers to one tibia
– The total outstretched length in profile from anterior clypeal margin to the posterior most point of gaster excluding sting
– CI = HL/HW × 100
– EI = EL/HW × 100
– SI1 = SL/HL × 100
– SI2 = SL/HW × 100
Fig.
Fig.
Resembles the worker, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: body massive, hairy; lateral sides of head subparallel, narrowing towards the anterior margin; eyes much larger; mesosoma enlarged, dorsally flat, scutum and scutellum at the same level, propodeal declivity very steep; in profile view petiole compressed, in frontal view dorsum emarginate; gaster long and gibbous; setae scattered all over and short; head, mesosoma and gaster dark brown, legs dark yellow in colour.
Fig.
The overall distribution of the species is from the Himalaya but the specimens used for this study have been collected from the North-west range of Himalaya. All the collection areas were forested mountains surrounded by other mountains. The nests were very close to the surface with a depth of 3–5 inches. The soil surrounding the nest was mainly moist and covered by herbs. 23 specimens were collected from Winkler extraction.
The financial assistance rendered by the Department of Science and Technology (Grant No. SR/SO/AS-65/2007), Government of India, New Delhi is gratefully acknowledged.
Worker of
Head, full face view
Body, lateral view
Body, dorsal view
Queen of
Head, full face view
Body, lateral view
Body, dorsal view
Male of
Head, full face view
Body, lateral view
Body, dorsal view