Lophomyrmex changlangensis

Lophomyrmex changlangensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Lophomyrmex
Species:	L. changlangensis
Binomial name
	Lophomyrmex changlangensis; Sheela & Ghosh, 2008

Nothing is known about the biology of Lophomyrmex changlangensis.

Identification

Sheela and Ghosh (2008) - L. changlangensis comes closer to the species Lophomyrmex bedoti in the following main characters in addition to the colour: 1. The pronotal humeri only margined laterally; 2. Scape Index less than 100; 3. Propodeal spines thinner, straight and longer; 4. Mesonotum with a prominence and 5. Petiole with a narrow peduncle and a distinct high node.

Differs from L. bedoti in the following main characters: 1. In L. changlangensis distance between eye and mandibular base is 1.2x eye length (In L. bedoti distance between eye and mandibular base is > 1.5x eye length); 2. In L. changlangensis body almost bare with only three or four pairs of setae on head, thorax and pedicel (In L. bedoti body with long, erect setae all over); 3. In L. changlangensis body not shining; dull, opaque with light, indistinct punctures all over except gaster (In L. bedoti body shining with clear sculpture on parts) and 4. In L. changlangensis prominence on mesonotum high (In L. bedoti prominence on mesonotum shallow).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

changlangensis. Lophomyrmex changlangensis Sheela & Ghosh, 2008: 18, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. Worker: TL- 3.2mm; HL- 0.78mm; HW-0.72mm; CI- 92; SL- 0.63mm; SI- 88; PW- 0.42mm;AL- 0.94mm; SpL- 0.26.

Colour. Uniform brownish yellow; head with a little red tint all over; hairs minute, small, appressed on antennae and legs; head, thorax and abdomen almost bare with two- three hairs on each part; head and thorax minutely reticulate, dull; sculpture on meso-metanotum stronger than other parts; pedicel and gaster opaque.

Head. Masticatory margin of mandibles broad with two distinct apical teeth followed by a number of ill defined crenulations towards base; clypeus convex with anterior margin arched; eyes placed at middle, elongate oval; distance between mandible and eye 1.2x eye length; scape of antennae just crossing posterior margin of head; posterior margin shallowly emarginated.

Mesosoma. Pronotum anteriorly rounded, very broad, posteriorly constricted; pronotal humeri margined; middle of pronotum longitudinally subcarinate; mesonotum very narrow with a clear prominence above; pro-meso and meso-metanotal grooves deep; propodeal spines long, with a slight bend downwards; spine 1.4x dorsum of propodeum in profile.

Metasoma. Petiole with a long peduncle, which is 1.4x length of node in profile; node vertical in front; rounded above; in dorsal view its anterior margin transverse and submargined; post petiole broader than petiole.

Type Material

Holotype: Worker, India: Arunachal Pradesh, Tirap District, Changlang, 30-x-1971, G. S. Arora. (NZC, ZSI, Regn. No. 10513/ H3). Paratype: 1 Worker, with same data as that of holotype (NZC, ZSI, Regn. No. 10514/ H3). National Zoological Collections, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata all types were deposited there.

Etymology

The species epithet is after the type locality, Changlang.

References

Sheela, S. and S.N. Ghosh. (2008). A new species of Lophomyrmex Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from India with a key to Indian species. Biosystematica. 2:17–20.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Sheela S., and S. N. Ghosh. 2009. A new species of Lophomyrmex Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from India with a key to Indian species. Biosystematica 2(2): 17-20.