Lophomyrmex kali

Lophomyrmex kali
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Lophomyrmex
Species:	L. kali
Binomial name
Lophomyrmex kali Rigato, 1994 Specimen Labels

Known from a single holotype worker collected in NE India.

Identification

A member of the Lophomyrmex quadrispinosus group.

Lophomyrmex kali is very distinct within the quadrispinosus-group because of its slender appendages (see SI and TI) and other minor peculiar characters. These include the elongate eye whose anterior point is nearer than usual in related taxa to the mandibular insertion, the slightly raised pronotal spines and the bend of the propodeal spines in profile. Its most closely related taxon is Lophomyrmex birmanus. but indices and minor features easily allow the separation of the two species.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Lophomyrmex of India
• Key to Lophomyrmex 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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Holotype of Lophomyrmex kali. Worker. Specimen code casent0901264. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

• kali. Lophomyrmex kali Rigato, 1994a: 58, figs. 26-28 (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 3.2, HL 0.77, HW 0.70, CI 91 SL 0.70, SI 100, PW 0.47, AL 0.95, SpL 0.23, HTL 0.70, TI 100.

In lateral view the eye is quite elongate: the distance between its anterior point and the mandibular insertion is about equal to the maximum eye length. Pronotal spines in dorsal view with thin divergent apices, and appearing raised above the pronotal dorsum: the borders of the spines are thin and sharp. Pronotal dorsum in frontal view shallowly and evenly concave. Mesonotum in profile with a low but well-defined prominence and without a distinct posterior step. Metanotal groove shallow in profile. Propodeal spines in profile appearing rather long and slightly (above all the left one) upcurved, gradually tapering toward the apex. Petiole and postpetiole robust. Petiolar node quite distinctly obliquely shortly truncate in profile.

Clypeus finely sculptured, sublucid except for its posteriormost median portion which is smooth. Frontal triangle sublucid. Head shining with a distinct faint honeycomb-like reticulation. Genae with some longitudinal rugulae. Frontal lobes with feebly developed, thinner longitudinal rugulae. Pronotum shining throughout with only a faint reticulation like that of the head. Mesonotum in front of the prominence shining; mesonotum behind the prominence and propodeal dorsum finely reticulate and subopaque. Mesopleurae and propodeal sides with a widermeshed reticulation. Propodeal declivity only superficially reticulate and shining. Petiole and postpetiole finely reticulate on the sides; their nodes less distinctly so and sublucid. Gaster shining, very superficially reticulate.

Pilosity as usual in the genus. Pubescence poorly developed on the body.

Colour bright brownish yellow, head slightly darker.

Type Material

Holotype worker, NE India: no further data (Kurl) (The Natural History Museum).

References

• Ghosh, S.N. & Sheela, S. 2008. On a collection of Formicidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) from Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India, with new records of one rare genus and a rare species. Asian Myrmecology, 2, 99-102.
• Rigato, F. 1994b. Revision of the myrmicine ant genus Lophomyrmex, with a review of its taxonomic position (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology. 19:47-60. (page 58, figs. 26-28 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Ghosh S. N., and S. Sheela. 2008. On a collection of Formicidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) from Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India, with new records of one rare genus and a rare species. Asian Myrmecology 2: 99-102.