Myrmica wittmeri

Myrmica wittmeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species group:	tibetana
Species complex:	smythiesii
Species:	M. wittmeri
Binomial name
Myrmica wittmeri Radchenko & Elmes, 1999 Specimen Labels

Myrmica wittmeri seems to be well adapted to high altitude regions of Himalaya above the timberline. The nests were observed under stone and in rotten wood, in ground covered with scarce vegetation mainly of Rhododendron. Nest temperature ranged from 15°C to 23°C and relative humidity varied from 43% to 72%. Alates appear in the month of June and July. Altitudinal range of this species is 2300m to 3300m. (Bharti et al., 2016)

Identification

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) – A member of the smythiesii group that distinctly differs from the other species of this group by its much darker colour and reduced sculpture on the alitrunk.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Myrmica of the Himalaya and Afghanistan

Distribution

Known only from the type localities in India (Himahal Pradesh State) and Pakistan.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 33.90778° to 33.90778°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India, Pakistan (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

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

• wittmeri. Myrmica wittmeri Radchenko & Elmes, 1999a: 38, fig. 3 (11-14) (w.) PAKISTAN. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 326.

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

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named for the collector, the coleopterologist Dr. Walter Wittmer (1915-1998) of the Natural History Museum, Basle, Switzerland.

References

• Bharti, H., Sasi, S., Radchenko, A. 2016. Biogeography and ecology of Myrmica species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Himalayan regions. Sociobiology 63, 956-975 (DOI 10.13102/sociobiology.v63i3.1145).
• Jansen, G., Savolainen, R., Vepsäläinen, K. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 561, 294–304 (doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.01.029).
• Radchenko, A. G.; Elmes, G. W. 1999a. Ten new species of Myrmica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Himalaya. Vestn. Zool. 33(3): 27-46. (page 38, fig. 3 (11-14) worker described)
• Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2010. Myrmica ants of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3: 1-789.
• Rasheed, M.T., Bodlah, I., Fareen, A.G., Wachkoo, A.A., Huang, X., Akbar, S.A. 2019. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pakistan. Sociobiology 66(3), 426-439 (doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v66i3.4330).
• Seifert, B., Schltz, R., Ritz, M.S., Ritz, C.M. 2018. Cryptic species of the Myrmica tibetana complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) revealed by integrative taxonomy. Myrmecological News, 27: 93-110.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bharti H., S. Sasi, and A. Radchenko. 2016. Biogeography and ecology of Myrmica species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Himalayan regions. Sociobiology 63(3): 956-975.
• 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.
• Jansen G., R. Savolainen, K. Vespalainen. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genusMyrmica(Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 294-304.
• Radchenko, A. G., and G. W. Elmes. "A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Entomologica Basiliensia 23 (2001): 237-276.
• 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.