Corresponding author: Himender Bharti (
Academic editor: Marek Borowiec
Four species of the ant genus
Bharti H, Rilta JS (2015) Taxonomic studies on the ant genus
The ant genus
The specimens were collected using the Winkler extractor method. Taxonomic analysis was conducted on a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereo zoom microscope with maximum magnification of 112.5×. For digital images, an MP (Micro Publisher) digital camera was used on the same microscope with Auto-Montage software (Syncroscopy, Division of Synoptics, Ltd.). Later, images were cleaned with Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Helicon Filter 5. Holotype of new species has been deposited in
Head Length
Head Width
Head Size
Scape Length
Pronotal Width
Weber’s Length
Petiole Height
Petiole Width
Petiole Length
Cephalic Index
Scape Index
Petiole Node Index
Lateral Petiole Index
Dorsal Petiole Index
Ocular Index
Average worker measurements with standard deviation and minimum and maximum values in brackets.
Species |
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0.445±0.009 [0.430,0.460] | 0.418±0.0058 [0.410,0.430] | 0.432±0.006 [0.420,0.440] | 0.315±0.015 [0.280,0.330] | 0.302±0.0096 [0.280,0.310] | 0.585±0.0018 [0.560,0.610] | 0.289±0.008 [0.270,0.300] | 0.229±0.001 [0.210,0.240] | 0.104±0.009 |
94.4±2.24 [91.3,97.8] | 74.1±5.2 [65.1,80.5] | 74.5±5.12 [67.7,79.3] | 36.7±21.37 [34.5,40] | 221.4±21.44 [200,266.7] | |
0.448±0.0016 [0.43,0.49] | 0.396±0.013 [0.37,0.43] | 0.421±0.014 [0.41,0.46] | 0.289±0.016 [0.27,0.33] | 0.248±0.016 [0.22,0.28] | 0.55±0.06 [0.51,0.66] | 0.246±0.015 [0.22,0.28] | 0.216±0.029 [0.18,0.25] | 0.166±0.016 [0.15,0.21] | 88.35±1.653 [86.67,90.69] | 73±3.068 [69.23,76.74] | 87.21±9.709 [72,96] | 68.11±5.906 [59.25,75] | 130.69±19.755 [104.76,160] | |
0.650±0.0219 [0.600,0.670] | 0.585±0.019 [0.550,0.610] | 0.620±0.0150 [0.595,0.640] | 0.440±0.001 [0.430,0.460] | 0.390±0.008 [0.380,0.400] | 0.843±0.042 [0.740,0.890] | 0.372±0.016 [0.350,0.390] | 0.241±0.011 [0.200,0.260] | 0.183±0.015 [0.160,0.200] | 89.3±2.81 [83.3,93.8] | 75.5±2.56 [71.7,81.8] | 62.8±2.11 [60.5, 65] | 47.8±2.99 [44.7,52.6] | 113.2±9.02 [120,144.4] | |
0.735±0.020 [0.71,0.76] | 0.602±0.015 [0.59,0.62] | 0.667±0.015 [0.65,0.68] | 0.485±0.019 [0.47,0.51] | 0.41±0.033 [0.37,0.45] | 0.802±0.022 [0.78,0.83] | 0.38±0.033 [0.34,0.42] | 0.395±0.005 [0.39,0.40] | 0.267±0.012 [0.25,0.28] | 81.98±1.710 [80.26,83.78] | 80.55±4.400 [75.80,86.44] | 96.75±6.818 [88.89,105.40] | 70.85±7.934 [64.28,82.35] | 147.89±6.66 [139.28,156] | |
0.433±0.011 [0.42,0.44] | 0.396±0.005 [0.39,0.40] | 0.415±0.008 [0.40,0.42] | 0.286±0.011 [0.28,0.30] | 0.243±0.011 [0.23,0.25] | 0.516±0.005 [0.51,0.52] | 0.236±0.011 [0.23,0.25] | 0.18±0 [0.18] | 0.17±0 [0.17] | 91.55±1.120 [90.91,92.85] | 72.30±3.995 [70,76.92] | 74.08±3.614 [72,78.26] | 80.75±11.853 [73.91,94.44] | 105.89±0 [105.89] |
“Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection” at Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India
India, Sikkim: Phadamchen,
Holotype worker and two paratype workers with same data as of holotype [
The species is named after the state of Sikkim.
India, Sikkim: Phadamchen,
The
India, Arunachal Pradesh: Dirang,
For complete description see
China, India.
Map showing the localities from which Indian
The Chinese
1 | Eyes absent; metanotal groove distinct (Fig. A); posteroventral teeth of subpetiolar process absent (Fig. C) |
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– | Eyes present; metanotal groove indistinct (Fig. B); posteroventral teeth of subpetiolar process present (Fig. D) |
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2 | A blunt tooth on clypeal margin present (Fig. E), lateral sides of propodeum distinctly marginate (Fig. G), body blackish in colour |
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– | A blunt tooth on clypeus margin absent (Fig. F), lateral sides of propodeum not marginate (Fig. H), body reddish brown to dark brown in colour |
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3 | Mandible with 5 well-developed teeth; mesosoma, petiole, and gaster sparsely punctate (Fig. I), teeth on subpetiolar process directed downward; (Fig. K), |
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– | Mandible with 3 well-developed teeth; mesosoma, petiole, and gaster densely punctate (Fig. J), teeth on subpetiolar process directed backward (Fig. L), |
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We sincerely thank Dr. Steve Shattuck and Dr. Zhenghui Xu for their valuable suggestions. Financial assistance rendered by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (Grant No. 14/35/2011-ERS/RE), Govt. of India, New Delhi is gratefully acknowledged. The authors also thank Dr. Adam Cronin for language correction and Dr. Benoit Guénard for generating distributional map for different species listed in the manuscript. Finally, we are grateful to Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh and Govt. of Sikkim, Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management for granting permission to collect the material, and for other assistance supporting this research.