Lasius sichuense

Lasius sichuense
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. sichuense
Binomial name
	Lasius sichuense; Seifert, 2020 Specimen Labels

The species was always connected to woodland both in continental China and in Taiwan but occurs at significantly higher elevations than L. coloratus (Seifert 2020).

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Seifert (2020) - Distributed over the Chinese provinces Yunnan, Sichuan and Shaanxi from 24.86°N, 98.76°E to 32.0°N, 109.1°E. The elevation of 13 sites was 2154 ± 357 [1400, 2710] m.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (type locality).

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.

Biology

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Holotype of Lasius sichuense. Worker. Specimen code antweb1041452. Photographer Roland Schultz, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by SMNG, Görlitz, Germany.

Nomenclature

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

sichuense. Lasius sichuense Seifert, 2020: 76, figs. 97-98 (w.) CHINA.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Sister species of Lasius coloratus. Rather large (CS 1005 µm). Head length rather large (CL/CW900 1.083), scape shorter than in L. coloratus (SL/CS900 0.999). Postocular distance large (PoOc/CL900 0.250), torulo-clypeal distance smaller than in L. coloratus (dClAn900 4.90); terminal segment of maxillary palp long (MP6/CS900 0.200). Number of mandibular low (MaDe900 7.93). Pubescence on clypeus denser than in L. coloratus (sqPDCL900 4.23); frontal pubescence of medium length (PLF900 29.1). Pubescence surface on body and appendages rough. Setae significantly shorter and fewer than in L. coloratus (PnHL/CS900 0.135, GuHL/CS900 0.084, nOcc900 10.2, nGen900 2.6, nGu900 2.9, nSc900 9.4, nHT900 12.1). Sculpture on metapleuron and lower propodeum similar to situation in L. coloratus. Coloration similar to L. coloratus but in the average slightly darker.

See table 10 in Seifert 2020 for additional morphometrics. The abbreviated names of various quantitative data shown above are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters.

Type Material

Holotype and 2 paratype workers on one pin labelled ”China, Sichuan, NW Jiuxiangzhen, N 29,562, E 102,336, 2615 m asl, 2009-07-10, leg. Kabak, Chi 2009 221a“; 3 paratype workers on one pin labelled ”China, Sichuan, NW Jiuxiangzhen, N 29,564, E 102,336, 2710 m asl, 2009-07-10, leg. Kabak, Chi 2009 204“; depository Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.

Etymology

The name refers to the type locality in the Chinese province Sichuan.

References