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Lasius schaeferi
| Lasius schaeferi | |
|---|---|
| |
| 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. schaeferi |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasius schaeferi Seifert, 1992
| |
According to the geographic data of the type locality, it is possible that L. schaeferi lives under the harshest climatic conditions of all Lasius s. str. species worldwide.
Identification
The most similar species among the Himalayan-Tibetan species is Lasius obscuratus. Lasius schaeferi differs from the latter in particular by much more numerous setae on hind tibia (nHT900 12.7 vs. 2.8) which also occur on the distal half of extensor profile. The best separation from the Himalayan species Lasius lawarai and Lasius wittmeri, which show similar shape and setae data, is given by the shorter frontal pubescence (PLF900 29.6 µm; in L. lawarai and L. wittmeri 36.1 and 38.8 µm respectively) and the presence of very distinct erect to suberect setae on hind tibia, the morphology of which differs clearly from the neighboring appressed pubescence hairs. This clear differentiation between setae and pubescence is lost in L. lawarai and L. wittmeri where we observe unclear thickness differences between elongated semierect pubescence hairs and semierect setae. Coloration: Head and mesosoma yellowish-brown, gaster in three specimens yellow, in one specimen yellowish brown.
Presumed to belong to the Lasius obscuratus species complex.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Tibet (type locality).
Palaearctic Region: China.
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.
- schaeferi. Lasius (Lasius) schaeferi Seifert, 1992b: 40, fig. 30 (w.q.m.) TIBET.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Seifert (2020) - The most similar species among the Himalayan-Tibetan species is Lasius obscuratus. Lasius schaeferi differs from the latter in particular by much more numerous setae on hind tibia (nHT900 12.7 vs. 2.8) which also occur on the distal half of extensor profile. The best separation from the Himalayan species Lasius lawarai and Lasius wittmeri, which show similar shape and setae data, is given by the shorter frontal pubescence (PLF900 29.6 µm; in L. lawarai and L. wittmeri 36.1 and 38.8 µm respectively) and the presence of very distinct erect to suberect setae on hind tibia, the morphology of which differs clearly from the neighboring appressed pubescence hairs. This clear differentiation between setae and pubescence is lost in L. lawarai and L. wittmeri where we observe unclear thickness differences between elongated semierect pubescence hairs and semierect setae. Coloration: Head and mesosoma yellowish-brown, gaster in three specimens yellow, in one specimen yellowish 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 plus 4 paratype workers labelled ”II. Dolan Expedition Westchina/Tibet leg. E. Schäfer, 1934/36“, ”131“; depository: Template:NHM Basel.
The label ”131“ refers to station 131 of Ernst Schäfer‘s expedition route which is situated at approximately 33.60°N, 96.58°E and 3900 m and was reached 4 August 1935.
References
- 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 40, fig. 30 worker, queen, male 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).