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Downloaded from Brill.Com09/30/2021 01:18:19AM Via Free Access 10 Tijdschrift Voor Entomologie, Volume 155, 2012 Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 155 (2012) 9–14 brill.nl/tve Two new species of the genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from the Himalaya Himender Bharti Two new species of the genus Myrmica are described from the Himalaya. Myrmica adrijae sp. n. is reported from North-western region in India, while Myrmica pseudorugosa sp. n. is reported from North-eastern Pakistan. Myrmica adrijae sp. n. and Myrmica pseudorugosa sp. n. belong to the smythiesii and rugosa species groups respectively. Both species are considerably distinct from already described species in these groups. Himender Bharti, Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University Patiala, India, 147002. [email protected] Introduction lided with the Eurasian plate, followed by a sec- The genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 is represented ond phase of mountain development about 65 mil- in the old world by 146 valid species, which are lion years ago. Rising of the Himalaya as an isola- well distributed in the Palearctic zone and in south- tion barrier has led to a high degree of endemism east Asian tropical and subtropical regions (Rad- (Radchenko & Elmes 2001, 2010; Bharti 2008a, chenko & Elmes 2010; Bharti 2011, 2012; Bharti 2008b, 2011, 2012; Bharti & Sharma 2011a, 2011b, & Sharma 2011a, 2011b, 2011c). The central Asian 2011c). Only during the last ten years, the author has mountains, which comprise Hindu Kush, Karako- started exploring the Himalayan fauna. The region rum and the south-western slopes of the Himalaya appears to have quite a number of undescribed or (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan), unnoticed species which would contribute in under- harbour 37 species representing seven species groups. standing the systematics of Myrmica of the old world. Of these, 35 species (94%) are endemic to this re- The species groups in Myrmica as created by Rad- gion. The diversity of this region is quite interest- chenko & Elmes (2001, 2010) are arbitrary divi- ing because the species from this region show a ple- sions, but the groups seem to be supported by molec- siomorphic state of features (Radchenko & Elmes ular studies (Jansen et al. 2009, 2010) and appear to 2010). However, much less is known from the In- be monophyletic. The two new species, viz., Myr- dian Himalaya. One of the significant reasons is the mica adrijae sp. n. and Myrmica pseudorugosa sp. n., lack of material from this region. Given the geologi- cal history of Himalaya, and as elucidated by Moreau which are described in the present paper, belong to et al. (2006), the diversification of major ant lin- the smythiesii and rugosa species groups, respectively. eages occurred from the beginning of the early Pa- The rugosa species group is currently represented by leocene to the late Cretaceous, 60 to 100 million nine species and is endemic to central Asian moun- years ago in the age that the angiosperms diversi- tains. The smythiesii species group is currently repre- fied. Interestingly, it is the same time span during sented by three species from central Asian mountains which the Himalaya was formed. The initial moun- and two species from the Tibetan Plateau. The two tain building processes were underway about 70 mil- new species are quite distinct from already known lion years ago when the Indo-Australian plate col- species in these species groups. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 155: 9–14, Tables 1–2. Figs 1–6. [ISSN 0040-7496]. brill.nl/tve © Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging. Published by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden. Published 1 August 2012. DOI 10.1163/004074912X631742 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:18:19AM via free access 10 Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, volume 155, 2012 Material, methods and terminology short suberect hairs and few long hairs combined to- Specimens were preserved in 70% alcohol. These gether. were later pinned as per standard procedure in ant Alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole. Alitrunk dorsum taxonomy, and examined with a Nikon SMZ-1500 feebly convex; promesonotum with weak suture and stereo zoom microscope. Digital images were cap- irregular reticulate sculpture with few very wide tured using Auto-Montage software (Syncroscopy, transverse reticulations; mesonotum dorsally slightly Division of Synoptics). These images were cleaned by depressed; metanotal groove broad, deep, longitudi- using Helicon Filter 5 and Adobe Photoshop CS. For nally rugose; anterior half of propodeum transver- morphological measurements, Radchenko & Elmes sally rugose dorsally, posterior part irregularly rugose, (1998, 2010) have been followed. propodeal spines long, pointed, widened at base, pro- jected backward, divergent; propodeal lobes rounded apically; sides of alitrunk with longitudinal stria- Depositories tions except anterior part of pronotum with reticula- BMNH, The Natural History Museum, London, tions; tibiae of hind and middle legs with well devel- UK; PUAC, Punjabi University Patiala, Ant Collec- oped pectinate spur; petiole longer than broad, with tion at Department of Zoology and Environmental short anterior peduncle with a tooth like subpetiolar Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India. process, node obliquely truncate, shagreenate, punc- Holotypes of both the new species are in PUAC, tated; postpetiole almost as broad as long, punctated while one paratype of each species will be deposited and shagreenate; promesonotum with long erect to in BMNH. suberect hairs; metanotal groove with long hairs; propodeum with one pair of short hairs and minute pubescence; petiole and postpetiole equipped with Myrmica adrijae sp. n. long hairs which are directed upwards and back- Figs 1–3, Table 1 wards. Type Material. Holotype: worker, India,Himachal Gaster. Gaster highly polished and shiny; tergites and Pradesh, Kothi, 2479 meters above msl, 29.vi.1999 sternites with numerous long suberect hairs and with (H. Bharti coll.,code = 193) (PUAC). Paratypes: pubescence between them. 5 workers: collected from the same nest (BMNH; Coloration. Whole body blackish brown, mandibles, PUAC). GPS coordinates 32.1890°N–77.1170°E. antennae and legs brown. Description of worker Etymology Measurements. For measurements and indices, see Species has been named after Adrija, younger daugh- Table 1. ter of author; as she was always accompanying the Head. Head much longer than broad, sides paral- author in recent times to collect ants. lel, occipital margin straight; mandibles with 8– 9 teeth (apical and preapical one largest), longitu- Remarks dinally rugulose and with punctures; clypeus con- Myrmica adrijae sp. n. belongs to the smythiesii vex, longitudinally rugulose, anterior clypeal margin species group based on the following combination of prominent, very narrowly rounded medially and ex- characters: frontal carinae merge with the rugae that tending over mandibles, space between rugae smooth surround antennal sockets. Frons wide and frontal and shiny; frontal triangle highly polished, smooth lobes not extended. Scape very smoothly curved at and shining; frontal carinae short, curve outwards to the base, not angled and with no trace of lobe or ca- merge with rugae that surround the antennal sock- rina. Anterior clypeal margin is distinctly prominent, ets; frontal lobes partially cover condylar bulb; frons without a medial notch. This species group is cur- wide and frontal lobes not extended; antennae 12 rently represented by five species, viz.: M. smythiesii segmented, apical 4 segments forming club, apical 3 Forel, 1902, M. bactriana Ruzsky, 1915, M. for- segments densely punctated and following segments tior Forel, 1904, M. ruzskyana Radchenko & Elmes, minutely punctated, scape slender, narrow, weakly 2010 and M. wittmeri Radchenko & Elmes, 1999. curved at base without any trace of lobe or carina, Three of these species (M. smythiesii, fortior and widening towards apex, just extending beyond the wittmeri) are restricted to the central Asian moun- upper margin of head, antennae with oblique short tains, while two species (M. bactriana and ruzskyana) hairs; eyes almost at midlength of head; head dorsum are native to Tibet. However, the Tibetan species are and sides with reticulate sculpture, punctated except very distinct with HW < 0.95 mm, AL < 1.55 for small area behind frontal triangle up to the level mm, PI1 1.29–1.32 and different sculpture, Myr- of eyes longitudinally rugose; head with numerous mica adrijae with HW 0.99 mm, AL 1.75 mm, PI1 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:18:19AM via free access Bharti: Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from the Himalaya 11 Figs 1–6. Myrmica adrijae (1–3) and M. pseudorugosa (4–6). – 1, 4, Heads; 2, 5, profiles; 3, 6, dorsal view. Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:18:19AM via free access 12 Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, volume 155, 2012 Table 1. Myrmica adrijae mean, standard deviation, and Table 2. Myrmica pseudorugosa mean, standard devia- minimum and maximum values (in mm) of measure- tion, and minimum and maximum values (in mm) of ments and indices taken from workers (n = 6). measurements and indices taken from workers (n = 4). Measure- Mean ± SD Min Max Indices Mean Min Max Measure- Mean ± SD Min Max Indices Mean Min Max ments ments HL 1.29 ± 0.04 1.24 1.35 CI 1.30 1.30 1.31 HL 0.93 ± 0.02 0.91 0.94 CI 1.28 1.26 1.30 HW 0.99 ± 0.03 0.95 1.03 FI 0.44 0.44 0.44 HW 0.72 ± 0 0.72 0.72 FI 0.44 0.44 0.44 SL 0.99 ± 0.03 0.95 1.03 FLI 1.08 1.09 1.08 SL 0.75 ± 0.01 0.74 0.75 FLI 1.00 1.00 1.00 PL 0.49 ± 0.02 0.47 0.52 PI1 1.50 1.56 1.44 PL 0.38 ± 0 0.38 0.38 PI1 1.46 1.52 1.40 PH 0.33 ± 0.02 0.30 0.36
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