Corresponding author: Himender Bharti (
Academic editor: Donat Agosti
Genus
Although the species groups in
The specimens were collected through winkler’s extractor and were preserved in 70% alcohol. Then the mounted material was analyzed on Nikon SMZ-1500 stereo zoom microscope. For digital images, MP evolution digital camera was used on same microscope with Auto-Montage (Syncroscopy, Division of Synoptics, Ltd) software. Later, images were cleaned as per requirement with Adobe Photoshop CS.
We used measurements and indices proposed by (
length of head in dorsal view, measured in a straight line from the anterior point of median clypeal margin to mid-point of the occipital margin.
maximum width of the head in dorsal view behind the eyes.
minimum width of the frons between the frontal carinae.
maximum width between the external/outer borders of the frontal lobes.
maximum straight-line length of antennal scape in profile.
diagonal length of the alitrunk seen in profile, from the neck shield to the posterior margin of propodeal lobes (workers) and from the anterio-dorsal point of alitrunk to posterior margin of propodeal lobes (queens).
Height of alitrunk, measured from upper level of mesonotum perpendiculary to the level of lower margin of mesopleuron (queens and males).
maximum length of petiole from above, in dorsal view, measured from the posterolateral margin of petiole to the articulation with propodeum, the petiole should be positioned so that measured points lay on the same plane.
maximum length of post-petiole in dorsal view between its visible anterior and posterior margins.
maximum width of petiole in dorsal view.
maximum width of postpetiole from above/in its dorsal view.
maximum height of petiole in profile, measured from the uppermost point of petiolar node perpendicularly to the imaginary line between anteroventral(just behind the subpetiolar process) and posteroventral points of petiole.
maximum height of postpetiole in profile from the uppermost to the lowermost point, measured perpendicularly to the tergo-sternal suture.
maximum length of propodeal spine in profile, measured along the spine from its tip to the deepest point of the propodeal constriction at the base of the spine.
distance between tips of spines from above/in dorsal view.
maximum width of pronotum from above/in dorsal view.
Cephalic CI = HL/HW
Frontal FI = FW/HW
Frontal lobe FLI = FLW/FW
Scape (1) SI1 = SL/HL
Scape (2) SI2 = SL/HW
Petiole (1) PI 1 = PL/PH
Petiole (2) PI2 = PL/HW
Petiole (3) PI3 = PW/HW
Post-petiole (1) PPI1 = PPL/PPH
Post-petiole (2) PPI2 = PPH/PPW
Post-petiole (3) PPI3 = PPW/PW
Post-petiole (4) PPI4 = PPW/HW
Spine length ESLI = ESL/HW
Spine width ESDI = ESD/ESL
India, Jammu and Kashmir, Machedi,
Worker from type locality, triangle mounted. Deposited in Department of Zoology (Dr Himender Bharti’s Collections- DST-YEG-562), Punjabi University Patiala, India.
1 worker (with same data as of holotype) and 10 workers from India, Jammu and Kashmir, Sarthal,
(worker).Worker measurements: FLW 0.40, FW 0.39, HL 1.10, HW 0.88, SL 0.94, PL 0.51, PPL 0.41, PW 0.24, PPW 0.34, PH 0.30, PPH 0.34, AL 1.57, TL 5.26.
Head distinctly longer than broad, with parallel sides and straight occipital margin. Mandibles with 9 teeth (apical and preapical ones are the largest), masticatory margin black, whole mandible finely longitudinally costulate, rugulose and punctated. Clypeus convex, longitudinally rugulose, anterior clypeal margin prominent and rounded medially, spaces between rugae minutely punctated but appear shiny. Frontal triangle somewhat deep, smooth and shiny. Frontal carinae short, partially cover the condylar bulb, almost straight, curving outwards to merge with rugae that surround antennal sockets. Antennae 12 segmented, funicular segments densely punctated, but two basal segments finely punctated; scape slender, narrow, weakly curved at base, without any trace of angle or carina, running towards apex just extending beyond upper margin of head; antennae with oblique short semi-erect hairs, with pubescence developed only on 3 apical segments, antennal club 3 segmented. Eyes large, situated slightly below the midlength of head. Head dorsum longitudinally rugose, 11 rugae between frontal carinae at the level of eyes, occiput with reticulate sculpture, opaque; anterior clypeal margin fringed with setae; head, clypeus and mandibles with long hairs.
Promesonotal dorsum feebly convex, forming regular arch, not saddle shaped, promesonotal suture indistinct. Promesonotum transversally sinuously rugose in dorsal view, pronotum transversally striate laterally; metanotal groove broad, deep and longitudinally striate. Propodeal dorsum longitudinally striated, declivity smooth and highly polished, mesonotum and propodeum longitudinally striate laterally, propodeal lobes rounded apically; propodeal spines long, sharp, projected upward and divergent. Tibiae of hind and middle legs with well-developed pectinate spur.Petiole with short anterior peduncle, petiolar dorsum rounded; whole petiole punctated and finely reticulated, appears dull. Postpetiole slightly longer than broad, finely punctated and longitudinally striated. In profile, petiole high and narrow with a short tooth like subpetiolar process. Alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole with long hairs, except for propodeum.
Gaster smooth, highly polished and shiny, with long, erect hairs.
The mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values (in mm) of the measurements and indices made on samples of species (workers). The measurement codes are as indicated in the text and the numbers of individuals measured are given in parenthesis.<br/>
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HL | 1.10 | 1.09±0.07 | 0.89 | 1.17 | CI | 1.25 | 1.24±0.08 | 1.07 | 1.30 | ||
HW | 0.88 | 0.87±0.04 | 0.81 | 0.97 | FI | 0.44 | 0.44±0.01 | 0.41 | 0.45 | ||
SL | 0.94 | 0.91±0.04 | 0.85 | 1.00 | FLI | 1.03 | 1.05±0.01 | 1.03 | 1.08 | ||
PL | 0.51 | 0.49±0.03 | 0.42 | 0.52 | PI1 | 1.70 | 1.64±0.08 | 1.50 | 1.78 | ||
PH | 0.30 | 0.30±0.01 | 0.28 | 0.32 | PI2 | 0.58 | 0.56±0.03 | 0.52 | 0.60 | ||
PW | 0.24 | 0.24±0.01 | 0.23 | 0.27 | PI3 | 0.27 | 0.28±0.01 | 0.26 | 0.30 | ||
PPL | 0.41 | 0.40±0.02 | 0.36 | 0.43 | PPI1 | 1.21 | 1.14±0.05 | 1.06 | 1.21 | ||
PPH | 0.34 | 0.35±0.02 | 0.33 | 0.39 | PPI2 | 0.97 | 0.96±0.02 | 0.92 | 1.00 | ||
PPW | 0.35 | 0.37±0.02 | 0.35 | 0.40 | PPI3 | 1.46 | 1.53±0.07 | 1.44 | 1.63 | ||
FLW | 0.40 | 0.40±0.02 | 0.36 | 0.43 | PPI4 | 0.40 | 0.42±0.01 | 0.40 | 0.44 | ||
FW | 0.39 | 0.38±0.02 | 0.35 | 0.40 | SI1 | 0.85 | 0.84±0.04 | 0.80 | 0.96 | ||
ESL | 0.24 | 0.22±0.02 | 0.19 | 0.26 | SI2 | 1.07 | 1.03±0.04 | 0.93 | 1.09 | ||
AL | 1.57 | 1.51±0.07 | 1.33 | 1.57 | ESLI | 0.27 | 0.26±0.03 | 0.20 | 0.31 | ||
ESD | 0.40 | 0.37±0.03 | 0.33 | 0.41 | ESDI | 1.67 | 1.67±0.20 | 1.27 | 1.95 | ||
PNW | 0.65 | 0.64±0.02 | 0.60 | 0.67 |
The species is dedicated to Dr Graham Elmes for his contribution to the investigation of genus
North-west Himalaya (India, Jammu and Kashmir).
Species has been collected from leaf litter in both the habitats. The collection site at Machedi has a patchy
This zone where the species is distributed is a transitional zone between sub temperate and temperate Himalaya and geographically it penetrates in to the Palearctic zone (whose boundary in Southern Asia is largely altitudinal, where an altitude of 2000–2500 meters above mean sea level forms the boundary between Palearctic and Indo-Malayan ecozones). Besides, Himalayan ecology is temperature-dependent. The snow line occurs at an average of 6000 meters above mean sea level and the timber line at an average of 3000 meters (the highest altitude at which the forest ends). With this sort of environment, the micro-climate plays an important role for ants like
Yet to be ascertained, but population level could be low as collected from leaf litter only.
3 | Promesonotal dorsum with transverse rugae, propodeal dorsum with fine longitudinal striations | |
– | Either whole alitrunk dorsum with transverse rugae or pronotal and propodeal dorsum with transverse rugae | 4 |
4 | Pronotal and propodeal dorsum with transverse rugae, other part of alitrunk dorsum with longitudinal rugosity and reticulation | |
– | Whole alitrunk dorsum with transverse rugae | 5 |
(Then couplet 5 onwards
Sincere thanks to Professor Alex Radchenko for his comments and discussion on Himalayan