Meranoplus bicolor

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Meranoplus bicolor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Meranoplus
Species: M. bicolor
Binomial name
Meranoplus bicolor
(Guérin-Méneville, 1844)

Meranoplus bicolor casent0246060 p 1 high.jpg

Meranoplus bicolor casent0246060 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Meranoplus bicolor inhabits bare lands, grasslands and sparse forests, and nests in soil. Workers forage on the ground. (Eguchi, Bui and Yamane 2011)

Photo Gallery

  • Worker from Trivandrum, India, tending a leafhopper under a Setaria grass leaf. The hopper was aggressively tended and in return the ant dined on the copious amounts of nectar given by the hopper. Photo by Kalesh Sadasivan.
  • Meronoplus bicolor queen among brood and workers in a captive colony. Photo by Dulneth Wijewardana

Identification

The most common species in the Oriental Region. It is hardly to be confused with any other congener within the range of its occurrence. It is distinct by the long posteriorly directed spines and the unique pilosity, which are found in no other species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

  • Yodprasit et al. (2024), Fig. 4. Distribution map of the Thai Meranoplus species.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.9141° to -6.5975°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore.
Oriental Region: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India (type locality), Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Palaearctic Region: China.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Meranoplus bicolor inhabits bare lands, grasslands, and sparse forests, and nests in soil. Workers forage on the ground. Mohyuddin et al. (2020) found this species in grasslands, field crops of maize and wheat, and apple orchards. This is the most commonly found species of Meronoplus in Asia. They make nests on soil which don't are usually not deep than a few inches and a nest contains a few chambers. M.bicolor colonies are Monogynous and workers would kill or kick out extra queens in the nest. A colony reaches maturity usually in the 4th year. By that time the colony would reach about the size of 500-1000 including workers, queen, and new reproductive. The ants are omnivores who are active during both day and night and are mainly scavengers who'd pick up small animals, and insects killed by others and are also found tending to aphids in nearby plants. These ants are very timid and aren't usually hunted by other insects because of the toxic hair covering their body. Once picked by other insects like ants they will let go of the Meronoplus and would display behavior of trying to rub off the areas which were in contact with Meronolus. This allows the ants to forage freely in areas occupied by territorial species such as Diacamma and Oecophylla. Other than that the ants would roll up to a ball and pretend to "play dead" to trick the enemies. The ants also display an attack position of raising their abdomen and secreting a small drop of acid from the tip of their stinger. This behavior is rarely seen and is usually displaced once other insects try to steal food or when the nest is disturbed.

Queens are usually found flying in the morning when humidity is high at around 6.00 am and are found foraging for suitable nesting places till about 9.00 am (In Sri Lanka and India). Once found a good spot a queen would dig a burrow which is about 4-5cm to the ground with a single chamber to lay her eggs. The queen is fully claustral but sometimes they are found to be eating small organisms they find nearby.


In captivity

From my personal experience of dealing with this species, it's a very easy species to keep. The queen in the colony is now 5 years old(2023) and is still producing eggs. They produce alates twice a year in the months of April-June and from November-February (practically the colony has alates year round).


Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis craccivora (a trophobiont) (Rakhshan and Ahmad, 2015; Saddiqui et al., 2019).

Flight Period

X X X X X X X X X X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Castes

Worker

MCZ Meranoplus bicolor hef6 3.jpgMCZ Meranoplus bicolor hal3 2.jpgMCZ Meranoplus bicolor had5.jpgMCZ Meranoplus bicolor lbs.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Meranoplus bicolor casent0217854 h 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0217854 p 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0217854 d 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0217854 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0217854. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Meranoplus bicolor casent0902027 h 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0902027 p 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0902027 p 2 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0902027 d 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0902027 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype of Meranoplus dimicansWorker. Specimen code casent0902027. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Meranoplus bicolor casent0246059 h 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0246059 p 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0246059 d 1 high.jpgMeranoplus bicolor casent0246059 l 1 high.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0246059. Photographer Andrea Walker, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by USNM, Washington, DC, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • bicolor. Cryptocerus bicolor Guérin-Méneville, 1844a: 425 (w.) INDIA (Puducherry).
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: India: Pondichery (A. Delessert).
    • Type-depository: MNHN.
    • [Note: Schödl, 1998: 372 says, “the holotype worker could not be located”.]
    • Smith, F. 1875: 34 (q.m.); Imai, et al. 1984: 6 (k.).
    • Combination in Meranoplus: Smith, F. 1853: 224.
    • Status as species: Smith, F. 1853: 224; Smith, F. 1858b: 193; Smith, F. 1862d: 412; Mayr, 1862: 764; Roger, 1863b: 39; Mayr, 1863: 428; Smith, F. 1871a: 334; Smith, F. 1873: ix; Smith, F. 1875: 34; Forel, 1885b: 182; Emery, 1887b: 470; Rothney, 1889: 373; Emery, 1892b: 166; Dalla Torre, 1893: 136; Emery, 1893f: 248; Emery, 1895k: 472; Mayr, 1897: 431; Emery, 1901f: 120; Forel, 1903a: 705; Rothney, 1903: 97; Bingham, 1903: 168; Forel, 1907a: 12; Forel, 1908a: 2; Forel, 1911i: 226; Forel, 1913k: 83; Wheeler, W.M. 1913e: 237; Viehmeyer, 1916a: 128; Wheeler, W.M. 1923b: 3; Emery, 1924d: 228; Wheeler, W.M. 1927b: 45; Mukerjee, 1930: 154; Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 69; Donisthorpe, 1932b: 576; Karavaiev, 1935a: 99; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 112; Collingwood, 1970: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 250; Wu, J. & Wang, 1995: 78; Schödl, 1998: 371 (redescription); Tiwari, 1999: 61; Mathew & Tiwari, 2000: 332; Zhou, 2001b: 98; Ghosh, et al. 2005: 25; Terayama, 2009: 186; Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 47; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 44; Bharti & Akbar, 2014c: 814 (in key); Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 38; Jaitrong, Guénard, et al. 2016: 36; Rasheed, et al. 2019: 432; Dias, R.K.S. et al. 2020: 75.
    • Senior synonym of dimicans: Smith, F. 1871a: 334; Bingham, 1903: 168; Emery, 1924d: 228; Donisthorpe, 1932b: 576; Bolton, 1995b: 250; Schödl, 1998: 372.
    • Senior synonym of fuscescens: Schödl, 1998: 372; Terayama, 2009: 186.
    • Senior synonym of lucidus: Schödl, 1998: 372.
    • Senior synonym of tarda: Emery, 1892b: 166; Dalla Torre, 1893: 136; Emery, 1924d: 228; Bolton, 1995b: 250; Schödl, 1998: 372; Zhou, 2001b: 98.
    • Senior synonym of villosus: Roger, 1863b: 39; Smith, F. 1871a: 334; Bingham, 1903: 168; Emery, 1924d: 228; Bolton, 1995b: 250; Schödl, 1998: 372.
    • Distribution: Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia (Java), Laos, Malaysia (Peninsula), Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
  • dimicans. Meranoplus dimicans Walker, 1859: 375 (w.) SRI LANKA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Sri Lanka: (no further data) (F. Walker).
    • Type-depository: BMNH.
    • Unidentifiable taxon: Forel, 1903a: 705.
    • Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 428; Motschoulsky, 1863: 21; Dalla Torre, 1893: 136.
    • Junior synonym of bicolor: Smith, F. 1871a: 334; Bingham, 1903: 168; Emery, 1924d: 228; Donisthorpe, 1932b: 576; Bolton, 1995b: 251; Schödl, 1998: 372.
  • fuscescens. Meranoplus bicolor var. fuscescens Wheeler, W.M. 1930a: 101 (w.) TAIWAN.
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Schödl, 1998: 372), 1 paralectotype worker.
    • Type-locality: lectotype Taiwan (“Formosa”): Pescadore (R. Takahashi); paralectotype with same data.
    • Type-depository: MCZC.
    • [Misspelled as fuscens by Lin & Wu, 2003: 64.]
    • Subspecies of bicolor: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 112; Bolton, 1995b: 251; Lin & Wu, 2003: 64 (error).
    • Junior synonym of bicolor: Schödl, 1998: 372; Terayama, 2009: 186.
  • lucidus. Meranoplus bicolor var. lucida Forel, 1903a: 706 (w.) MYANMAR, INDIA.
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Schödl, 1998: 372), 2+ paralectotype workers..
    • Type-locality: lectotype Myanmar (“Burma”): (no further data), 1893 (Watson); paralectotypes with same data.
    • [Note: other syntype localities: Myanmar (“Burma”): (no futher data) (L. Fea), India: Calcutta (Rothney), India: Calicut (Rothney).]
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Forel, 1909d: 225 (m.).
    • Subspecies of bicolor: Forel, 1909d: 224; Forel, 1913k: 83; Emery, 1924d: 228; Wheeler, W.M. 1927b: 45; Wheeler, W.M. 1928c: 25; Santschi, 1928e: 471; Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 69; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 112; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
    • Junior synonym of bicolor: Schödl, 1998: 372.
  • tarda. Myrmica tarda Jerdon, 1851: 115 (w.) INDIA (Karnataka/Kerala).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: India: “in the Carnatic and Malabar” (T.C. Jerdon).
    • Type-depository: unknown (no type-material is known to exist).
    • [Duplicated in Jerdon, 1854a: 56.]
    • Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 435.
    • Junior synonym of bicolor: Emery, 1892b: 166; Dalla Torre, 1893: 136; Emery, 1924d: 228; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Schödl, 1998: 372; Zhou, 2001b: 98.
  • villosus. Meranoplus villosus Motschoulsky, 1860a: 115 (q.) SRI LANKA.
    • Type-material: holotype queen.
    • Type-locality: Sri Lanka: (no further data) (V. Motschoulsky).
    • Type-depository: ZMUM.
    • Unidentifiable taxon: Forel, 1903a: 705.
    • Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 428; Motschoulsky, 1863: 21.
    • Junior synonym of bicolor: Roger, 1863b: 39; Smith, F. 1871a: 334; Bingham, 1903: 168; Emery, 1924d: 228; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Schödl, 1998: 372.

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

Description

Worker

Schödl (1998) - TL: 3.7 - 4.5, HL: 0.76 - 0.93, HW- 85 - 1 05 CI- 89-103 SL- 0.65 - 0.75, SI: 75 - 82, PML: 0.55 - 0.82, PW: 0.7 - 1.0, PMI: 1 16 - 136 AL- 8 -'l 13 (16 measured).

Mandibles striate, armed with four teeth. Mid-portion of clypeus carinulate at least with a tew cannulae; anterior clypeal margin produced into a narrow and concave translucent lamella which is produced into small denticles in the antero-lateral corners Frontal triangle shiny, with few carinulae posteriorly. Head above antennal scrobes trapezoid lateral sides evenly narrowed towards clypeus; ventral part of head (below antennal scrobes) distinctly wider, parallel-sided, the genae distinctly protruding and visible from above. Antennal scrobes posteriorly shagreened, occasionally with additional transverse carinulae or rugae Genae rugulose. Compound eyes situated in posterior half of sides of head close to posterior corners. Maximum diameter of eye 0.2 - 0.26, with 11-14 ommatidia in the longest row.

Promesonotum slightly wider than long, laterally margined and slightly overhanging alitrunk. Declivity of propodeum almost invisible from above, overhung by posterior margin of promesonotal shield (the propodeal spines are visible though). Anterior pronotal corners produced into acute, laterally projecting teeth. At about level of (not visible) promesonotal suture the shield constricted by a lateral indentation which is followed by a short lateral denticle and a large, posteriorly directed straight spine on each side, which may vary considerably in length. In specimens from Sri Lanka the posterior spines occasionally are conspicuously diverging ("dimicans"). Posterior margin of the mesonotum a translucent lamella between the posterior spines, overhanging the propodeum. Propodeal declivity meeting dorsum of alitrunk almost at a right angle. Propodeum shiny throughout, with occasional transverse rugae above or at level of the slender and acute, only little diverging lateral spines. The suture between dorsal alitrunk and propodeum is very well visible beneath posterior mesonotal margin on the propodeal declivity, when viewed from behind.

Petiole in profile cuneate, when viewed from behind, highest in middle, occasionally the crest acute. Both anterior and posterior faces of petiole unsculptured. Postpetiole nodiform, strongly rugulose throughout. Caster densely shagreened, sometimes partly glossy (lucidus).

Dorsum of head longitudinally carinulate to rugulose anteriorly, occipital region with a reticulum, width of meshes ca. 50 - 70 μm. Secondarily the meshes with a distinct shagreenmg. Promesonotal shield and postpetiole strongly reticulate-rugulose, width of meshes ca. 50 - 80 μm, without secondary shagreening. All dorsal surfaces with a shorter suberect, scattered pilosity (ca. 100 - 170 μm) and fewer, extraordinary long, outstanding erect setae (0.3 - 0.6 mm). Femora and tibiae with numerous long, outstanding hairs as well. Populations from different samples vary noticeably in the hair length. Body mostly bicoloured, with head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole of a pale to darker ferrugmeous and the gaster piceous. Sometimes appearance of entire body uniformly dark.

Schödl (1999) - Meranoplus bicolor workers with identical label data as the type series of Meranoplus birmanus: TL: 4,1 ± 0.17 (3.8 - 4.4), HL: 0.95 ± 0.037 (0.88 - 0.98), HW: 0.88 ± 0.035 (0.84 - 0.93), CI: 93 ± 1 (90 - 95), SL: 0.70 ± 0.028 (0.66 - 0.73), SI: 80 ± 2 (78 - 83), PML: 0.69 ± 0.040 (0.60 - 0.75), PW: 0.85 ± 0.042 (0.80 - 0.90), PMI: 124 ± 3 (120 - 130), AL: 0.96 ± 0.058 (0.8 - l.0), PTL: 0.42 ± 0.019 (0.39- 0.44), PTH: 0.43 ± 0.024 (0.39 - 0.46), PTI: 96 ± 3 (93 - 100), eyes with 12 - 14 ommatidia in the longest row, maximum diameter of eye 0.21 - 0.25 (12 measured).

Type Material

Schödl (1999) - The holotype worker could not be located.

Karyotype

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Karyotype data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • 2n = 16 (India; Indonesia) (Imai et al., 1984; Imai et al., 1985).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Amarasinghe H. E. 2010. Species composition and nesting habits of ants in a hill-country home garden in Sri Lanka. Asian Myrmecology 3: 9-20.
  • Anh L. N., K. Ogata, and S. Hosoichi. 2010. Ants of agricultural fields in Vietnam (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr., Kyushu Univ. 33: 1-11.
  • Basu P., N. Tak, and A. K. Sanyal. 2013. Ants (insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Bethuadahari wildlife sanctuary, Nadia, West Bengal, India. Rec. zool, Surv. India: 113(4): 17-22.
  • Bharti H. 2003.Ants and forensic entomology. ANeT Newsletter 6: 18-20.
  • Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, M. Bharti, and M. Pfeiffer. 2013. Ant species richness, endemicity and functional groups, along an elevational gradient in the Himalayas. Asian Myrmecology 5: 79-101.
  • Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, and A. Kaur. 2009. Seasonal patterns of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Punjab Shivalik. Halteres 1(1): 36-47.
  • Bui T.V. 2002. Result of ant survey in Tam Dao National Park. Hoi Nghi Con Trung Hoc Toan Quoc, Ha Noi 495-498.
  • Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
  • Chhotani O. B., and K. K. Ray. 1976. Fauna of Rajasthan, India, Hymenoptera. Records of the Zoological Survey of India 71: 13-49.
  • Collingwood C.A. 1970. Formicidae (Hymenopter: Aculeata) of Nepal. Himalaya Khumbu Himal, 3: 371-388.
  • D'Cunha P., and V. Mala Grover Nair. 2013. Diversity and Distribution of Ant Fauna in Hejamadi Kodi Sandspit, Udupi District, Karnataka, India. Halteres 4: 33-47.
  • 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.
  • Dias R. K. S. 2002. Current knowledge on ants of Sri Lanka. ANeT Newsletter 4: 17- 21.
  • Dias R. K. S. 2006. Current taxonomic status of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. The Fauna of Sri Lanka: 43-52. Bambaradeniya, C.N.B. (Editor), 2006. Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. The World Conservation Union, Colombo, Sri Lanka & Government of Sri Lanka. viii + 308pp.
  • Dias R. K. S. 2013. Diversity and importance of soil-dweeling ants. Proceedings of the National Symposium on Soil Biodiversity, chapt 4, pp 19-22.
  • Dias R. K. S., K. R. K. A. Kosgamage, and H. A. W. S. Peiris. 2012. The Taxonomy and Conservation Status of Ants (Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. In: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds., Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. p11-19.
  • Dias R. K. S., and K. R. K. A. Kosgamage. Systematics and community composition of foraging workers ants (Family: Formicidae) collected from three habitats in a dry zone region of Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the Annual Research Symposium 2008. Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya.
  • Dias R. K. S., and K. R. K. Anuradha Kosgamage. 2012. Occurrence and species diversity of ground-dwelling worker ants (Family: Formicidae) in selected lands in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 7: 55-72.
  • Dias R. K. S., and R. P. K. C. Rajapaksa. 2016. Geographic records of subfamilies, genera and species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the four climatic zones of Sri Lanka: a review. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 11(2): 23-45.
  • Dias R. K. S.; Perera K. A. M. 2011. Worker ant community observed by repeated sampling and information on endemic Aneuretus simoni Emery in the Gilimale Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka. Asian Myrmecology 4: 69-78.
  • Dias, R.K.S. 2006. Overview of ant research in Sri Lanka: 2000-2004. ANeT Newsletter 8:7-10
  • Dlussky G. M.; Radchenko A. G. 1990. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Vietnam. Subfamily Pseudomyrmicinae. Subfamily Myrmicinae (tribes Calyptomyrmecini, Meranoplini, Cataulacini). Pp. 119-125 in: Akimov, I. A.; Emelianov, I. G.; Zerova, M. D. et al. (eds.) 1990. News of faunistics and systematics. [In Russian.]. Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 184 pp.
  • Eguchi K., T. V. Bui, S. Yamane, H. Okido, and K. Ogata. 2004. Ant faunas of Ba Vi and Tam Dao, North Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 27: 77-98.
  • Emery C. 1887. Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine). [concl.]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 25(5): 427-473.
  • Emery C. 1889. Formiche di Birmania e del Tenasserim raccolte da Leonardo Fea (1885-87). Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale 27: 485-520.
  • Emery C. 1893. Voyage de M. E. Simon à l'île de Ceylan (janvier-février 1892). Formicides. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 62: 239-258.
  • Emery C. 1901. Ameisen gesammelt in Ceylon von Dr. W. Horn 1899. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1901: 113-122.
  • Emery, C.. "Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine)." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 5, no. 25 (1887): 427-473.
  • Forel A. 1885. Indian ants of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal Part II Nat. Sci. 54: 176-182.
  • Forel A. 1885. Indian ants of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Part II. Natural Science 54: 176-182.
  • Forel A. 1903. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part X. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 14: 679-715.
  • Forel A. 1907. Formicides du Musée National Hongrois. Ann. Hist.-Nat. Mus. Natl. Hung. 5: 1-42.
  • Forel A. 1909. Ameisen aus Java und Krakatau beobachtet und gesammelt von Herrn Edward Jacobson. Notes Leyden Mus. 31: 221-232.
  • Forel A. 1911. Ameisen aus Ceylon, gesammelt von Prof. K. Escherich (einige von Prof. E. Bugnion). Pp. 215-228 in: Escherich, K. Termitenleben auf Ceylon. Jena: Gustav Fischer, xxxii + 262 pp.
  • Forel A. 1913k. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise nach Ostindien ausgeführt im Auftrage der Kgl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin von H. v. Buttel-Reepen. II. Ameisen aus Sumatra, Java, Malacca und Ceylon. Gesammelt von Herrn Prof. Dr. v. Buttel-Reepen in den Jahren 1911-1912. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 36:1-148.
  • Forel, A. 1908. Fourmis de Ceylan et d'Égypte récoltées par le Prof. E. Bugnion. Lasius carniolicus. Fourmis de Kerguelen. Pseudandrie? Strongylognathus testaceus. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 44: 1-22
  • Ghosh S. N., S. Sheela, B. G. Kundu, S. Roychowdhury, and R. N. Tiwari. 2006. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 369-398 in: Alfred, J. R. B. (ed.) 2006. Fauna of Arunachal Pradesh. (Part -2). [State Fauna Series 13.]. New Delhi: Zoological Survey of India, iv + 518 pp.
  • Ghosh S. N., S. Sheela, and B. G. Kundu. 2005. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Rabindra Sarovar, Kolkata. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. Occasional Paper 234: 1-40.
  • Gumawardene, N.R., J.D. Majer and J.P. Edirisinghe. 2008. Diversity and richness of ant species in a lowland wet forest reserve in Sri Lanka. Asian Myrmecology 2:71-83
  • Gunawardene N. R., J. D. Majer, and J. P. Edirisinghe. 2008. Diversity and richness of ant species in a lowland wet forest reserve in Sri Lanka. Asian Myrmecology 2: 71-83.
  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Hannan M.A. 2008. New ant records fro Bangladesh. Asian Myrmecology 2: 95-98.
  • Herwina H., and K. Nakamura. 2007. Ant species diversity study using pitfall traps in a small yard in Bogor Botanic garden, West Java, Indonesia. Treubia 35: 99-116.
  • Hua Li-zhong. 2006. List of Chinese insects Vol. IV. Pages 262-273. Sun Yat-sen university Press, Guangzhou. 539 pages.
  • Huang Jian-hua, Zhou Shan-yi. 2007. A checklist of family Formicidae of China - Myrmicinae (Part II) (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Journal of Guangxi Normal University : Natural Science Edition 25(1): 91-99.
  • Imai H. T., C. Baroni Urbani, M. Kubota, G. P. Sharma, M. H. Narasimhanna, B. C. Das, A. K. Sharma, A. Sharma, G. B. Deodikar, V. G. Vaidya, and M. R. Rajasekarasetty. 1984. Karyological survey of Indian ants. Japanese Journal of Genetics 59: 1-32.
  • Imai H. T., M. Kubota, W. L. Brown, Jr., M. Ihara, M. Tohari, and R. I. Pranata. 1985. Chromosome observations on tropical ants from Indonesia. Annu. Rep. Natl. Inst. Genet. Jpn. 35: 46-48.
  • Ito, F.; Yamane, S.; Eguchi, K.; Noerdjito, W. A.; Kahono, S.; Tsuji, K.; Ohkawara, K.; Yamauchi, K.; Nishida, T.; Nakamura, K. 2001. Ant species diversity in the Bogor Botanic Garden, West Java, Indonesia, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Leptanilla (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Tropics 10:379-404.
  • Jaitrong W., B. Guenard, E. P. Economo, N. Buddhakala, and S. Yamane. 2016. A checklist of known ant species of Laos (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Asian Myrmecology 8: 1-32. DOI: 10.20362/am.008019
  • Jaitrong W., and T. Ting-Nga. 2005. Ant fauna of Peninsular Botanical Garden (Khao Chong), Trang Province, Southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(2): 137-147.
  • Jaitrong W.; Nabhitabhata, J. 2005. A list of known ant species of Thailand. The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(1): 9-54.
  • Kaleeswaran B., S. Ezil, B. P. Ganesh, and S. Bhavatarini. 2008. Biodiversity and niches of Ants in Alagar hills, Tamil nadu Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Published by Day publishing house pp 188-208.
  • Karavaiev V. 1935. Neue Ameisen aus dem Indo-Australischen Gebiet, nebst Revision einiger Formen. Treubia 15: 57-118.
  • Kosgamage K. R. K. A., and R. K. S. Dias 2008. Systematics and community composition of Foraging worker ants ((Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae) collected from three habitats on a dry zone region of Sri Lanka.Proceedings of Postgraduate Symposium of Kelaniya University. 115pp.
  • Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
  • Lopwichan S., and S. Khachonpisitsak. 2015. Ant diversity in Nong Tha Yu Arboretum, Si Racha District, Chon Buri Province. Proceedings The 7 th National Science Research Conference. 30-31 March 2015. Naresuan University.
  • Mathew R. 2003. On Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Nongkhyllem Wild Life Sanctuary, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya. Records of the Zoological Survey of India 101:195-207.
  • Mathew R., and R. N. Tiwari. 2000. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 251-409 in: Director; Zoological Survey of India (ed.) 2000. Fauna of of Meghalaya. Part 7. [State Fauna Series 4.] Insecta 2000. Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, 621 pp.
  • Musthak Ali T. M. 1992. Ant Fauna of Karnataka-2. Newsletter of IUSSI Indian Chapter 6(1-2): 1-9.
  • Narendra A., H. Gibb, and T. M. Ali. 2011. Structure of ant assemblages in Western Ghats, India: role of habitat, disturbance and introduced species. Insect Conservation and diversity 4(2): 132-141.
  • Ngoc Anh L., K. Ogata, and S. Hosoishi. 2010. Ants of agricultural fields in Vietnam (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 33: 1-11.
  • Ogata K. 2005. Asian ant inventory and international networks. Report on Insect inventory Project in Tropic Asia TAIIV: 145-170.
  • Parui A. K., S. Chatterjee, and P. Basu. 2015. Habitat characteristics shaping ant species assemblages in a mixed deciduous forest in Eastern India. Journal of Tropical Ecology: 1-14. doi:10.1017/S0266467415000036
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
  • Rajan P. D., M. Zacharias, and T. M. Mustak Ali. 2006. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Fauna of Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka). Conservation Area Series, Zool. Surv. India.i-iv,27: 153-188.
  • Rasheed M. T., I. Bodlah, A. G. Fareen, A. A. Wachkoo, X. Huang, and S. A. Akbar. 2019. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pakistan. Sociobiology 66(3): 426-439.
  • Rizali A., D. J. Lohman, D. Buchori, L. Budi Prasetyo, H. Triwidodo, M. M. Bos, S. Yamane, and C. H. Schulze. 2009. Ant communities on small tropical islands: effects of island size and isolation are obscured by habitat disturbance and tramp ant species. Journal of Biogeography 37(2): 229-236.
  • Rizali A., M. M. Bos, D. Buchori, Sk. Yamane, and C. H. Schulze. 2008. Ants in tropical urban habitats: the myrmecofauna in a densely populated area of Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Hayati Journal of Biosciences 15(2): 77-84.
  • Rizali A., M.M. Bos, D. Buchori, Sk. Yamane, C. Hans, and J. Schulze. 2008. Ants in tropical urban habitats: the myrmecofauna in a densely populated area of Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Hayati Journal of Biosciences 77-84.
  • Rothney G. A. J. 1889. Notes on Indian ants. Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 1889: 347-374.
  • Schmidt F. A., C. R. Ribas, T. G. Sobrinho, R. Ubaidillah, J. H. Schereder, Y. Clough, and T. Tscharntke. 2017. Similar alpha and beta diversity changes in tropical ant communities, comparing savannas and rainforests in Brazil and Indonesia. Oecologia DOI 10.1007/s00442-017-3960-y
  • Schödl S. 1998. Taxonomic revision of Oriental Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. B, Botanik, Zoologie 100: 361-394.
  • Song Y., Z. Xu, C. Li, N. Zhang, L. Zhang, H. Jiang, and F. Mo. 2013. An Analysis on the Ant Fauna of the Nangun river Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Forest Research 26(6): 773-780.
  • Sonune B. V., and R. J. Chavan. 2016. Distribution and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) around Gautala Autramghat Sanctuary, Aurangabad Maharashtra, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 4(2): 361-364.
  • Tak N. 2000. Studies on ants (Formicidae) of Rajasthan--II Dungarpur. Entomon 25: 47-54.
  • Tak N. 2008. Ants of Rajasthan. Conserving Biodiversity of Rajasthan Zool. Surv. India. 149-155.
  • Tak N. 2009. Ants Formicidae of Rajasthan. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Paper No. 288, iv, 46 p
  • Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 1996. Ant (Formicidae) fauna of the Thar Desert. Pp. 271-276 in: Ghosh, A. K.; Baqri, Q. H.; Prakash, I. (eds.) 1996. Faunal diversity in the Thar Desert: gaps in research. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers, xi + 410 pp.
  • Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. State Fauna Series 8: Fauna of Gujarat. Zool. Surv. India. Pp. 161-183.
  • Tak N., and S. I. Kazmi. 2013. On some ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Nagaland, India. Rec. zool. Surv. India: 113(1): 169-182.
  • Tak N., and S. L. Kazmi. 2011. On a collection of Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae from Uttarakhand. Rec. zool. Surv. India : 111(2) : 39-49.
  • Tak, N. 2009. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan and Gujarat. in C. Sivaperuman et al. (eds.), Faunal Ecology and Conservation of the Great Indian Desert
  • Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
  • Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
  • Thapa V. K. 2000. An Inventory of Nepal's Insects, Vol. III. IUCN Nepal, Kathmandu, xi + 475 pp.
  • Tiwari R. N. 1997. Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 441-451 in: Zoological Survey of India; Director (ed.) 1997. Fauna of Delhi. Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, vi + 903 pp.
  • Tiwari R. N. 1999. Taxonomic studies on ants of southern India (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Zoological Survey of India 18(4): 1-96.
  • Tiwari R.N., B.G. Kundu, S. Roychowdhury, S.N. Ghosh. 1999. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 211-294 in: Director; Zoological Survey of India (ed.) 1999. Fauna of West Bengal. Part 8. Insecta (Trichoptera, Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera and Anoplura). Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, iv + 442 pp.
  • Tiwari R.N., B.G. Kundu, S. Sheela, and S. N. Ghosh. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Alfred, J.R.B. [Ed.], Fauna of Manipur, part - 2 (insects). State fauna series 10. Zool.Surv.India.i-v, 1-625. Chapter pagination: 605-625.
  • Tiwari, R.N. 1999. Taxonomic studies on ants of southern India (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Zoological Survey of India 18(4):1-96
  • Umair M., A. Zia, M. Naeem, and M. T. Chaudhry. 2012. Species composition of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Potohar Plateau of Punjab Province, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 44(3): 669-705.
  • Varghese T. 2004. Taxonomic studies on ant genera of the Indian Institute of Science campus with notes on their nesting habits. Pp. 485-502 in : Rajmohana, K.; Sudheer, K.; Girish Kumar, P.; Santhosh, S. (eds.) 2004. Perspectives on biosystematics and biodiversity. Prof. T.C. Narendran commemoration volume. Kerala: Systematic Entomology Research Scholars Association, xxii + 666 pp.
  • Wang C. and Wu J.. 1992. Ants of the Jianfengling forest region in Hainan Province (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Scientia Silvae Sinicae 28: 561-564.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1913. Zoological results of the Abor Expedition, 1911-1912, XVII. Hymenoptera, II: Ants (Formicidae). Records of the Indian Museum 8: 233-237.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1921. Chinese ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 64: 529-547.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1928. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in China. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 22: 3-38.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1930. A list of the known Chinese ants. Peking Natural History Bulletin 5: 53-81.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1930. Formosan ants collected by Dr. R. Takahashi. Proceedings of the New England Zoological Club 11: 93-106.
  • Wu B., Y. Lu, G. Liang, and L. Zeng. 2010. Influence of the red inported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the diversity of ant communities in a newly infested longan orchard and grass areas nearby. Acta Ecologica Sinica 30(8): 2075-2083.
  • Wu B., Y. Lu, L. Zeng, and G. Liang. 2008. Influences of Solenopsis invicta Buren invasion on the native ant communities in different habitats in Guangdong. Chin. J. Appl. Ecol. 19(1): 151-156.
  • Zhang R. J., L. W. Liang, and S. Y. Zhou. 2014. An analysis on the ant fauna of Nonggang Nature Reserve in Guangxi, China. Journal of Guangxi Normal university: Natural Science Edition 32(3): 86-93.
  • Zhao S., F. L. Jia, G. Q. Liang, Y. L. Ke, W. J. Tian. 2009. Ants and their distribution in Guangdong Province, China. Journal of Environmental Entomology 31(2): 156-161.
  • Zryanin V. A. 2011. An eco-faunistic review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In: Structure and functions of soil communities of a monsoon tropical forest (Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam) / A.V. Tiunov (Editor). – M.: KMK Scientific Press. 2011. 277 р.101-124.