Lasius sichuense, Seifert, 2020

Seifert, Bernhard, 2020, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the subgenus Lasius s. str. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Soil Organisms 92 (1), pp. 15-86 : 76

4.4.51 Lasius sichuense sp. nov.

Etymology. The name refers to the type locality in the Chinese province Sichuan.

Type material. Holotype and 2 paratype workers on one pin labelled ” China, Sichuan, NW Jiuxiangzhen, N 29,562, E 102,336, 2615 m asl, 2009-07-10, leg. Kabak, Chi 2009 221a“; 3 paratype workers on one pin labelled ” China, Sichuan, NW Jiuxiangzhen, N 29,564, E 102,336, 2710 m asl, 2009-07-10, leg. Kabak, Chi 2009 204“; depository SMN Görlitz.

All material examined. A total of 13 samples with 29 workers were subject to NUMOBAT investigation. These originated from continental China (12 samples) and Taiwan (1). For details see supplementary information SI1.

Geographic range. Distributed over the Chinese provinces Yunnan, Sichuan and Shaanxi from 24.86°N, 98.76°E to 32.0°N, 109.1°E. The elevation of 13 sites was 2154 ± 357 [1400, 2710] m.

Biology. The species was always connected to woodland both in continental China and in Taiwan but occurs at significantly higher elevations than L. coloratus (ANOVA F 1,24 = 19.26, p<0.0005).

Diagnosis ( Tab. 10 , Figs. 97 –98; key):

Sister species of L. coloratus . Rather large (CS 1005 µm). Head length rather large (CL/CW 900 1.083), scape shorter than in L. coloratus (SL/CS 900 0.999). Postocular distance large (PoOc/CL 900 0.250), torulo-clypeal distance smaller than in L. coloratus (dClAn 900 4.90); terminal segment of maxillary palp long (MP6/CS 900 0.200). Number of mandibular low (MaDe 900 7.93). Pubescence on clypeus denser than in L. coloratus (sqPDCL 900 4.23); frontal pubescence of medium length (PLF 900 29.1). Pubescence surface on body and appendages rough. Setae significantly shorter and fewer than in L. coloratus (PnHL/CS 900 0.135, GuHL/CS 900 0.084, nOcc 900 10.2, nGen 900 2.6, nGu 900 2.9, nSc 900 9.4, nHT 900 12.1). Sculpture on metapleuron and lower propodeum similar to situation in L. coloratus . Coloration similar to L. coloratus but in the average slightly darker.

Comments. Any variant of NC-clustering separated the 26 samples of Lasius sichuense sp. nov. and L. coloratus with an error of 0% and the classification error by an LDA was 0% in 63 worker individuals. For separation of from Lasius kabaki sp. nov. and L. longipalpus sp. nov., see there.

Figures

Figs. 97 and 98: Lasius sichuense sp. nov.; holotype