Myrmica rhytida

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Myrmica rhytida
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Myrmica
Species: M. rhytida
Binomial name
Myrmica rhytida
Radchenko & Elmes, 1999

Myrmica rhytida P casent0900306.jpg

Myrmica rhytida D casent0900306.jpg

Specimen Label

Myrmica rhytida is found at an altitudinal range of 2800m and 4200m in Himalaya. Nests are built in the soil (often under stones) and in birch logs. It inhabits alpine meadows often containing juniper species, dry alpine scrub and birch trees and at the edges of birch forests at an altitude where Rhododendron begin to appear. The nest temperature at one of the collection site (Sagnam) was 31°C and relative humidity 41%. It is primarily distributed above timberline in cold desert regions of Himalaya, with low pluviosity. There are records of sympatry between M. rhytida and Myrmica wardi, but M. rhytida tend to live at higher altitudes in comparison to the latter (mean of 3600m vs. 2700m). There are records of this species tending root aphids inside several of its nests (P.S. Ward). The foraging behaviour of M. rhytida appears to be quite cryptic, it stays close to the soil surface and was never found foraging on plants. In this respect it behaviour is reminiscent of that of the northern European Myrmica lobicornis. (Radchenko & Elmes, 2010; Bharti et al., 2016).

Identification

The saddle-shape alitrunk of the workers of M. rhytida suggest that it might be close to species from the cachmiriensis-complex of the rugosa species group. Both workers and queens differ from the species of the cachmiriensis-complex (Myrmica wardi, Myrmica ordinaria and Myrmica cachmiriensis) by the distinctly coarser rugosity of head dorsum, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole. However, rugosa-group species are typified by males having short antennal scape whereas the scape of M. rhytida males is long. Probably it could be placed inits own separate species group, but for now we list it under species whose taxonomic position is uncertain. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Known only from the type localities from India (Kashmir).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 34.23333333° to 32.48611°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • rhytida. Myrmica rhytida Radchenko & Elmes, 1999a: 41, fig. 5 (1-10) (w.q.m.) INDIA. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 224.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, M. Bharti, and M. Pfeiffer. 2013. Ant species richness, endemicity and functional groups, along an elevational gradient in the Himalayas. Asian Myrmecology 5: 79-101.
  • Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2001. A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Entomologica Basiliensia 23: 237-276.
  • Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
  • Radchenko, A. G., and G. W. Elmes. "A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Entomologica Basiliensia 23 (2001): 237-276.