Lepisiota wilsoni, Harshana & Dey, 2022

Harshana, Anand & Dey, Debjani, 2022, Taxonomic studies on the ant genus <i> Lepisiota </ i> Santschi 1926 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) in India, with description of four new species, Oriental Insects 57 (3), pp. 785-818 : 16-18

Lepisiota wilsoni sp. nov. ( Fig. 4 )

Type material

Holotype worker. INDIA: Madhya Pradesh: Pachmarhi, 22°28 ʹ 50”N 78° 26 ʹ 29”E, 1050 m, 07.IX.2020, Coll. A. Harshana ; Paratype workers. 7 workers with the same data as holotype. (type specimens deposited in NPC, New Delhi) .

Measurements and indices

Workers (N = 5; holotype values within parentheses). EL: 0.19–0.20 (0.19); HL: 0.60–0.65 (0.60); HW: 0.54–0.58 (0.54); MML: 0.27–0.29 (0.29); PH: 0.31–0.34 (0.32); PRW: 0.39–0.42 (0.39); SL: 0.64–0.69 (0.64); TL: 2.64–2.76 (2.76); WL: 0.84–0.93 (0.84); CI: 89–90 (90); OI: 33–35 (35); REL: 30–32 (32); SI: 114–121 (119).

Description (Worker): Head

Head little longer than broad, sides weakly convex, posterior margin almost straight, posterolateral corners rounded and head covered with appressed pubescence ( Fig. 4C ); posterior margin of head with 4–5 erect setae (including a pair of erect setae between lateral ocelli); palp formula 6,4 and third maxillary segment from base longest of all segments, sixth segment distinctly longer than fifth segment; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin, third tooth from apex smaller than fourth tooth, mandibular surface with fine long setae; antennae 11 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head about 1/3 rd of its length, antennal insertions touching posterior clypeal margin; antennae with decumbent to semi-erect pubescence; clypeus dorsally convex, subcarinate at middle, having appressed pubescence, posterior margin of clypeus with a pair of long erect setae while anterior margin with two pairs of long erect setae with a median seta; anterior clypeal margin convex; compound eyes broadly oval, placed at about mid-length of head; three ocelli present.

Mesosoma

Promesonotum convex in profile view, higher than metanotum and as high as propodeum ( Fig. 4A ); mesometathorax constricted; propodeal spines short, broad at the base and blunt at apex; propodeal declivity slanting; fore tibiae with a pectinate spur at the distal end and basitarsus with a hairy notch at the proximal end; pronotum with 5–9 erect yellowish setae, mesonotum with two pairs of erect yellowish setae, metanotum with a pair of erect yellowish setae and propodeum with 3–4 erect yellowish setae ( Fig. 4A ); mesosoma with very sparse appressed pubescence.

Metasoma

Petiole dorsally bispinose, each spine with a single small erect seta; gaster covered with sparse yellowish erect setae and appressed pubescence; acidopore well-developed and fringed with hairs.

Sculpture and colour

Head and pronotum microreticulate with feeble striations, subopaque; dorsum of mesonotum microreticulate; dorsum of metanotum and propodeum reticulate; mesometapleuron rugose; mesometanotal suture crossribbed; mandible, most of the clypeus smooth and shiny; propodeal declivity transversely striate; gaster faintly microreticulate and shiny. Body uniformly black; proximal 2/3 rd part of antennal scape, trochanter, theproximal end of tibiae, and tarsi of legs yellowish-brown; palps, mandible, distal part of scape and funicles of antennae brown.

Etymology

The patronymic name honours Prof. Edward O. Wilson for his extensive contribution to myrmecology.

Comments

Lepisiota wilsoni differs from the closest species L. lunaris in terms of sculpture of body and structure of the propodeal spine. The head, dorsum of pronotum, and propleuron of L. wilsoni are microreticulate with feeble striations and subopaque, whereas the head and dorsum of pronotum in L. lunaris are microreticulate without striations and propleuron is shiny. Propodeal spines are pointed in L. lunaris ( Emery 1893a, Fig. 12; Syntype worker images, AntWeb: Casent0905157 photographed by Zach Lieberman) while blunt in L. wilsoni .

Distribution in India: Madhya Pradesh (Pachmarhi).

Figures

Figure 4A–C. Lepisiota wilsoni sp. nov. (Holotype worker). A, body in profile view; B, body in dorsal view; C, head in full-face view.