Myrmica polyglypta

Myrmica polyglypta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species group:	pachei
Species:	M. polyglypta
Binomial name
	Myrmica polyglypta; Radchenko & Rigato, 2008 Specimen Label

Collected from subalpine meadows at altitudes 4000-4700 m Together with Myrmica kozlovi, M. polyglypta seem to be one of the most high altitude tolerant of the Myrmica species.

Identification

A member of the pachei group (see also Radchenko and Elmes 2009a). We placed it to this group because of the transverse rugosity on the alitrunk dorsum (combined with a coarsely reticulate pronotum and longitudinally rugose propodeal dorsum); other important characters are the hairless lateral margins of the head above eyes (only genae and occipital margin with sparse, quite long suberect to subdecumbent hairs) and reticulation on the head dorsum posterior to the eyes, combined with longitudinal rugosity on the rest of the head dorsum. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 5. Diagnostic characters of Myrmica inermis and clustering based on Ward’s method from the M. pachei-group. Values indicate the presence (1) or absence (0) of a character. Abbreviations: A, head extensively punctated; B, dense rugae between frontal carinae; C, posterior cephalic margin distinctly rounded; D, lateral margins of head without long suberect hairs; E, head slightly longer than broad, not elongated; F, pronotal dorsum reticulate sculpture; G, metanotal groove weak depression; H, mesopleuron with monotonous regular horizontal rugae; I, propodeal spines strongly shortened; J, petiole distinctly longer than high; K, first gastral tergite smooth.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Known only from Yunan Province of China.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 27.31666667° to -27.31666667°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

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.

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

Known only from the worker caste.

Phylogeny

Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 5. Diagnostic characters of Myrmica inermis and clustering based on Ward’s method from the M. pachei-group. Values indicate the presence (1) or absence (0) of a character. Abbreviations: A, head extensively punctated; B, dense rugae between frontal carinae; C, posterior cephalic margin distinctly rounded; D, lateral margins of head without long suberect hairs; E, head slightly longer than broad, not elongated; F, pronotal dorsum reticulate sculpture; G, metanotal groove weak depression; H, mesopleuron with monotonous regular horizontal rugae; I, propodeal spines strongly shortened; J, petiole distinctly longer than high; K, first gastral tergite smooth.

Nomenclature

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

polyglypta. Myrmica polyglypta Radchenko & Rigato, in Radchenko, Zhou, et al. 2008: 781, figs. 44-48 (w.) CHINA. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 220.

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

Description

Worker

Head subrectangular, longer than broad, with almost straight sides, straight occipital margin, and broadly rounded occipital corners: anterior clypeual margin rounded, slightly prominent and not notched medially. Upper latero-ventral corners of head rounded, not pointed, at most bluntly angles (seen in profile). Mandibles with 7-8 teeth. Frontal carinae neither curved outwards, nor merging with rugae, which surround antennal sockets., but confluent with rugae, running to the posterior head margin. Frontal carinae very feebly curved, frons wide, frontal lobes not extended. Scape shorter than head width, gradually curved at the base, without any trace of lobe or carina.

Alitrunk not robust, promesonotum slightly flattened, dorsally with barely marked promesonotal suture. Metanotal groove distinct, but shallow. Propodeal lobes rounded apically. Propodeal spines relatively short, straight, acute, slightly widened at the base, inclined at about 30° nearly horizontal (seen in profile). Petiole quite high, with short peduncle, its anterior face steep, feebly concave, dorsum of node with hardly convex, horizontal or slightly sloping backward plate, with a small posterior strp (seen in profile).

Postpetiole subglobular. Spurs of middle and hind tibiae well developed and pectinate.

Only anterior (lower) half of frons wirh not coarse longtitudinal, slightly sinuous rugae, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes less than 20, the rest of head dorsum reticulate. Clypeus with longitudinal rugae, frontal triangle smooth. Surface between rugae (except for shiny clypeus and frontal triangle) densely superficially punctate, but apprears quite shiny. Mandibles longitiudinally rugulose.

Pronotum and propodeal dorsum with irregular short sinuous rugae and reticulation. Mesonotum with no more than 10 quite coarse transverse, slightly sinuous rugae. Sides of pronotum with longitudinal sinuous rugae and reticulation, mesopleura and sides of propodeum with longitudinal rugosity. Sides of petiole and postpetiole with short longitudinal rugae, petiolar node dorsum with two longitudinal sulci on its sides, postpetiolar dorsum with semicircular rugae on its margins; whole petiole and postpetiole not coarsely, but densely punctate. Surface of alitrunk between rugae at most with weak superficial microsculpture appears shiny. Gaster smooth and shiny.

Lateral margins of head above eyes hairless, only genae and occipital margin with sparse, quite long suberect to subdecumbent hairs. Promesonotal dorsum with not abundant long erect hairs. Promesonoral dorsum without or at most with a few short hairs; petiole with 6-8 long hairs. Scape with subdecumbent pilosity and tibiae with decumbent pilosity only.

Body colour dark brown to blackish-brown.

Mcasurements (mm) and indices of workers (n = 20) in order minimum – maximum, ranges with means and SD are in parentheses, data of the holotype are in square brackets: HL 1.17-1.31 (1.225 ± 0.041) [1.25]. HW 1.00-1.12 (1.044 ± 0.035) [1.03]. FW 0.44-0.52 (0.464 ± 0.020) [0.47], FLW 0.45-0.53 (0.479 ± 0.022) [0.48], SL 0.92-1.00 (0.953 ± 0.064) [0.95], AL 1.65-1.84 (1.738 ± 0.050) [1.73], PNW 0.72-0.81 (0.761 ± 0.026) [0.78], HTL 0.88-0.99 (0.939 ± 0.032) [0.92], PL 0.47-0.54 (0.505 ± 0.020) [0.52], PW 0.29-0.33 (0.309 ± 0.019) [0.31], PH 0.38-0.42 (0.400 ± 0.014) [0.40], PPL 0.31-0.36 (0.336 ± 0.012) [0.34], PPW 0.39-0.44 (0.420 ± 0.0 17) [0.43], PPH 0.41-0.45 (0.430 ± 0.014) [0.44], ESL 0.31-0.39 (0.353 ± 0.023) [0.36], ESD 0.42-0.52 (0.471 ± 0 032) [046]: CI 1.14-1.21 (1.174 ± 0.016) [1.21], FI 0.43-0.46 (0.446 ± 0.010) [0.46], FLI 1.02- 1.05 (1.026 ± 0.010) [1.02], SI1 0.74-0.80 (0.777 ± 0.017) [0.75] SI2 0.86-0.94 (0.912 ± 0.022) [0.91], PI1 1.16-1.36 (1.267 ± 0.055) [1.31], PI2 0.45-0.51 (0.483 ± 0.016) [0.50], PI3 0.28-0.31 (0.296 ± 0.011) [0.30], PPI1 0.76-0.80 (0.784 ± 0.013) [0.78], PPI2 0.99-1.08 (1.026 ± 0.024) [1.03], PPI3 1.33-1.38 (1.352 ± 0.018) [1.37], PPI4 0.39-0.41 (0.401 ± 0.010) [0.41], ESLI 0.29-0.39 (0.339 ± 0.027) [0.35], ESDI 1.17-1.07 (1.336 ± 0.135).

Type Material

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - Holotype, w, “China, Yunnan, Habashan Mts., 4000-4700 m, 27°19'W, 100006'E, 8-9.vi,2002, leg. S. Becvar and R. + H. Fougue” (Milan); paratypes: 13 W with the same labels as holotype (Milan, Kiev)

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from a combination of the Greek words poly = many, and glyptos = carved, to describe the variable sculpture on the alitrunk.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Chen Z. L., S. Y. Zhou, and J. H. Huang. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551: 85–128.
Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
Radchenko A. G.; and G. W. Elmes. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the pachei species-group of the genus Myrmica Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 59: 67-92.
Radchenko A., S. Zhou, G. W. Elmes, and F. Rigato. 2008. Seven new Myrmica species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from China. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 58: 767-784.