Lioponera anokha

Lioponera anokha
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dorylinae
Genus:	Lioponera
Species:	L. anokha
Binomial name
	Lioponera anokha; Bharti & Akbar, 2013

This species seems to be infrequent. It is from the Western Ghats. Four specimens were collected by handpicking from the Thanikkudy region of the Periyar tiger reserve. Which is a primary, undisturbed tropical moist evergreen forest. The area is situated at 1003 meters elevation. It is a shady place with little sunlight penetration.

Identification

Bharti & Akbar (2013) - This species is unique in having the declivous face of the propodeum lacking cariniform margins across the top and along the sides, features unique in described workers of the Cerapachyinae. The new species show interesting variation in the form of the petiole. The petiolar node has the inferior as well as the superior posterolateral angles produced, but not sharply angular. The sides of the petiole could not be considered either immarginate (Cerapachys lineage) or marginate (Phyracaces lineage). This makes the placement of this species somewhat transitional between the two lineages and easily distinguishes it from other reported species of the genus. When using Brown`s (1975) key C. anokha comes close to singaporensis Viehmeyer, 1916. The two species however can be easily separated. Lioponera singaporensis has the body arrayed with long pale hairs; and copiously pubescent, and the dorsal sides of the petiole strongly marginate, while Cerapachys anokha has only decumbent or subdecumbent body hairs, little pubescence and the dorsolateral sides of petiole are not marginate. C. anokha could also be confused with Lioponera nayana which has similar habitat preferences and body colouration; however the two species can be easily separated: C. nayana has larger eyes (EL 0.24–0.27 mm), the declivous face of the propodeum has cariniform margins across the top, and the petiole has marginate dorsolateral sides; while C. anokha has smaller eyes (EL 0.20–0.22 mm), the declivous face of its propodeum lacks cariniform margins across the top, and the petiole is without marginate dorsolateral sides.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 9.5° to 9.5°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (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.

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.

Biology

This species seems to be infrequent. It is from the Western Ghats. Four specimens were collected by handpicking from the Thanikkudy region of the Periyar tiger reserve. Which is a primary, undisturbed tropical moist evergreen forest. The area is situated at 1003 meters elevation. It is a shady place with little sunlight penetration.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

anokha. Cerapachys anokha Bharti & Akbar, 2013a: 88, figs. 7B, 14-16 (w.) INDIA (Kerala).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 3 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: India: Kerala, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thanikkudy, 9°30’N, 77°16’E, 1003 m., 15.x.2011, hand picking (S.A. Akbar); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: PUAC (holotype); BMNH, PUAC (paratypes).
- Combination in Lioponera: Borowiec, M.L. 2016: 163.
- Status as species: Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 21.
- Distribution: India.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, Thanikkudy, Periyar tiger reserve, Kerala, 1003 a.s.l., India, 9°30′0″N 77°16′0″E / 9.5°N 77.266667°E / 9.5; 77.266667, 15 October 2011, Shahid A. Akbar, Punjabi University Ant Collection; hand picking method.
Paratype, 3 workers, Thanikkudy, Periyar tiger reserve, Kerala, 1003 a.s.l., India, 9°30′0″N 77°16′0″E / 9.5°N 77.266667°E / 9.5; 77.266667, 15 October 2011, Shahid A. Akbar, The Natural History Museum; hand picking method.

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

Description

Worker

Measurements (holotype in brackets): HL 0.69–0.73(0.72); HW 0.60–0.63 (0.63); EL 0.20–0.22(0.22); WL 0.72–0.80(0.80); MH 0.33–0.38(0.38); PrW 0.42–0.47(0.47); PL1 0.29–0.33(0.33); PW1 0.38–0.41(0.41); IIIAL 0.38–0.45(0.41); IIIAW 0.44–0.55(0.52); SL 0.29–0.32 (0.32); IVAL 0.85–0.92(0.92); IVAW 0.57–0.64(0.64). Indices: CI 86–87(87); SI 48–51(51); PI 124–131(124) (n=4).

Head. Rectangular, longer than broad, widest at about mid-length; sides parallel; vertexal margin slightly concave, posterior lateral corners are weakly acute to rounded. Parafrontal ridges present. Eyes prominent, placed below midline of head. Mandible triangular with acute apices and sharp concave, edentate, masticatory margins; anterior clypeal margin with small apron shaped transparent structure. Lateroclypeal teeth small, blunt and projecting slightly inwards. Antennae 12 segmented; scape short and clavate, reaching up to 1/3rd of posterior margin of head.

Mesosoma. Stout, rectangular in dorsal view; dorsal surface convex, the dorsal surface gently rounded along sides without any distinct margin. Declivous face of propodeum lacking cariniform margins across the top and along sides.

Metasoma. Petiole highly convex, broader than long, with traces of reduced dorsolateral margins, anterior and posterior faces continuous with dorsum. Subpetiolar process prominent, wedge like, with apex directed backward; no fenestra present. Postpetiole wider than long, uniformly rounded. Gaster elongate; base of cinctus of first gastral tergite with cross ribs; sting exerted.

Sculpture. Mandibles smooth and shining. Head with few small punctures. Sculpture on dorsal surface of mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole consist of very small, uniform punctures, distributed throughout the surface. Gaster mostly smooth, with few scattered punctures. Cinctus of 1st gastral, with few cross ribs.

Vestiture. Body covered with decumbent or subdecumbent hairs. Longer hairs are also present on postpetiole and gaster. Head also consists of few long hairs; apical funicular segments and legs with standing hairs.

Colour. Black with mandibles, antennae and legs castaneous.

Etymology

The species epithet is Hindi for “unique”, in reference to its unique nature of propodeal declivity.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Dad J. M., S. A. Akbar, H. Bharti, and A. A. Wachkoo. 2019. Community structure and ant species diversity across select sites ofWestern Ghats, India. Acta Ecologica Sinica 39: 219–228.