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Lasius magnus
| Lasius magnus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Lasiini |
| Genus: | Lasius |
| Section: | niger clade |
| Species group: | niger |
| Species: | L. magnus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasius magnus Seifert, 1992
| |
Lasius magnus is relatively large, as is the temporary social parasite Lasius crinitus. Their similarity in size coupled with their co-occurence suggests the former is the host of the latter.
Identification
Seifert (2020) - The unique character combination of L. magnus should exclude confusion with any other species. Small workers can be clearly distinguished from equal-sized specimens of other species by a combination of elongated head, low number of mandibular dents, short pronotal setae, extremely dilute clypeal pubescence and the diagnostic pubescence pattern on gaster tergites. There are three samples in Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel with no setae but only a fine pubescence on the dorsal crest and the sides of petiole scale. In other samples the scale is fringed in frontal view by a number of setae. I assume intraspecific polymorphism but the issue should be checked for taxonomic significance. The exceptionally large size of workers and queens in L. magnus, the exceptionally large size in the temporary social parasite Lasius (Chthonolasius) crinitus, and their syntopic occurrence strongly suggest the former represents the host of the latter.
Keys including this Species
- Key to Palaearctic Lasius s. str.
- Key to Palaearctic Lasius subgenus Lasius s. st.
- Key to the Lasius of the Indian Himalayas
Distribution
Seifert (2020) - Known from 16 sites at the southern flank of the Himalayas at elevations between 1700 and 3100 m and along a line delimited by 27.9°N, 86.2°E and 27.4°N, 90.5°E. Two sites from the Meghalaya Mountains (25.45°N, 91.76°E, 1800m; 25.50°N, 91.90°E, 1900 m) are isolated from the main population.
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Bhutan (type locality), India, Nepal.
Distribution based on AntMaps
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.
- magnus. Lasius (Lasius) magnus Seifert, 1992b: 43, figs. 33-35, 40 (w.q.) BHUTAN.
- Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 223.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Seifert (2020) - Largest species of the subgenus Lasius s.str. (CS 1153 µm). Head length index very large (CL/CW900 1.138, mean CL/CW without RAV 1.076). Scape length indices large (SL/CS900 1.034, mean SL/CS without RAV 0.978). Postocular and torulo-clypeal distances rather large (PoOc/CL900 0.253, dClAn900 4.90); terminal segment of maxillary palp of medium length (MP6/CS900 0.191). Number of mandibular dents very small (MaDe900 7.11). Pubescence on clypeus extremely sparse (sqPDCL900 7.24); frontal pubescence of medium length (PLF900 27.8). Pubescence on all surfaces smooth or rather smooth. Gaster tergites with a diagnostic pubescence pattern deviating from the strictly longitudinal orientation seen in other Lasius species: the paramedian pubescence hairs on posterior dorsum of tergites are directed caudomediad or even mediad. This unique pattern may be affected in case of polluted surfaces. Setae rather short and of medium numbers (PnHL/CS900 0.119, GuHL/CS900 0.080, nOcc900 10.0, nGen900 1.7, nGu900 3.4, nSc900 14.7, nHT900 16.7). Coloration: all body parts rather concolorous, varying from pale yellowish-reddish brown, over medium brown with yellowish tinge to dark brown.
See table 9 in Seifert 2020 for additional morphometrics. The abbreviated names of various quantitative data shown above are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters.
Type Material
Seifert (2020) - Holotype and 20 paratype workers labelled ”Gogona, 3100 m 10.-12.6“,“Nat.-Hist.Museum Basel – Bhutan Expedition 1972“; depositories: holotype plus 16 paratypes Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, 4 paratypes Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.
References
- Dendup, K.C., Dorji, C., Dhadwal, T., Bharti, H., Pfeiffer, M. 2021. A preliminary checklist of ants from Bhutan. Asian Myrmecology 14, e014005 (doi:10.20362/am.014005).
- Seifert, B. 1992b. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the ant subgenus Lasius s.str. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Abh. Ber. Naturkundemus. Görlitz 66(5): 1-67 (page 43, figs. 33-35 worker, queen described)
- Seifert, B. 2020. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the subgenus Lasius s.str. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Soil Organisms 92(1): 15-86 (doi:10.25674/so92iss1pp15).*Subedi, I.P., Budha, P.B., Bharti, H., Alonso, L. 2020. An updated checklist of Nepalese ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1006, 99–136 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1006.58808).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Seifert B. 1992. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the ant subgenus Lasius s.str. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Görlitz 66(5): 1-67.