Myrmica varisculpta

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Myrmica varisculpta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Myrmica
Species group: pachei
Species: M. varisculpta
Binomial name
Myrmica varisculpta
Radchenko & Rigato, 2009

Myrmica varisculpta P casent0904555.jpg

Myrmica varisculpta D casent0904555.jpg

Specimen Label

Nothing is known about the biology of Myrmica varisculpta (Bharti et al., 2016).

Identification

M. varisculpta was described from a unique holotype worker, it belongs to the pachei group. Recently this group was considerably enlarged with the discovery of a number of new species from China (Radchenko and Elmes 2009a). It is the third such species discovered on the Indian side of the Himalaya and the mixture of sculpture on its alitrunk dorsum clearly separates it from the others, Myrmica pachei and Myrmica villosa, which have only transverse striations. It is most similar to the Chinese species Myrmica phalacra and Myrmica hlavaci but has a distinctly longer head than these two. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

  • Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 5. Diagnostic characters of Myrmica inermis and clustering based on Ward’s method from the M. pachei-group. Values indicate the presence (1) or absence (0) of a character. Abbreviations: A, head extensively punctated; B, dense rugae between frontal carinae; C, posterior cephalic margin distinctly rounded; D, lateral margins of head without long suberect hairs; E, head slightly longer than broad, not elongated; F, pronotal dorsum reticulate sculpture; G, metanotal groove weak depression; H, mesopleuron with monotonous regular horizontal rugae; I, propodeal spines strongly shortened; J, petiole distinctly longer than high; K, first gastral tergite smooth.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Known only from the type locality Kashmir, India.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.812778° to 32.48611°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India.

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

Known only from the worker caste.

Phylogeny

  • Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 5. Diagnostic characters of Myrmica inermis and clustering based on Ward’s method from the M. pachei-group. Values indicate the presence (1) or absence (0) of a character. Abbreviations: A, head extensively punctated; B, dense rugae between frontal carinae; C, posterior cephalic margin distinctly rounded; D, lateral margins of head without long suberect hairs; E, head slightly longer than broad, not elongated; F, pronotal dorsum reticulate sculpture; G, metanotal groove weak depression; H, mesopleuron with monotonous regular horizontal rugae; I, propodeal spines strongly shortened; J, petiole distinctly longer than high; K, first gastral tergite smooth.

Nomenclature

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

  • varisculpta. Myrmica varisculpta Radchenko & Rigato, in Radchenko & Elmes, 2009a: 76, figs. 31-35 (w.) INDIA. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 317.

Type Material

Description

Etymology

From the Latin words varius = different and sculptus = sculptured, that describes the various combinations of sculpture of the alitrunk.

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. 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. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the pachei species-group of the genus Myrmica Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 59: 67-92.