Protanilla tibeta

Protanilla tibeta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Leptanillinae
Tribe:	Leptanillini
Genus:	Protanilla
Species:	P. tibeta
Binomial name
	Protanilla tibeta; Xu, Z., 2012

Besides the fact the types were collected from "a soil sample in the valley tropical rain forest" nothing is known about the biology of Protanilla tibeta.

Identification

This new species is close to Protanilla rafflesi, but in profile view, posterodorsal corner of propodeum evenly convex; petiolar node strongly narrowed upward, anterior face nearly straight, dorsal face weakly convex, anterodorsal corner blunt. (Xu 2012)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Tibet (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.

tibeta. Protanilla tibeta Xu, 2012: 487, figs. 17-20 (w.) TIBET.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: TL 2.6, HL 0.53, HW 0.40, CI 76, SL 0.43, SI 106, ML 0.28, PW 0.33, AL 0.75, PNL 0.18, PNH 0.30, PNW 0.23, PPNL 0.20, PPNH 0.30, PPNW 0.23.

In full face view, head longer than broad, anterior 1/3 of the head distinctly narrowed forward. Lateral sides weakly convex, anterolateral corners prominent and tooth-like, strongly concave before the teeth. Occipital margin weakly concave. Occipital corners roundly prominent. Mandibles elongate and down-curved apically, laterodorsal surface with a longitudinal groove, basal corners roundly prominent, masticatory margin with about 12 peg-like teeth. Clypeus roughly trapezoidal, anterior margin nearly straight. Antennae 12-segmented, apices of scapes just reached to occipital corners, flagella segments 2-10 about as broad as long.

In profile view, pronotum weakly convex. Promesonotal suture complete but not depressed. Dorsum of mesonotum straight and weakly slope down backward. Metanotal groove shallowly depressed. Dorsum of propodeum weakly convex, posterodorsal corner evenly convex; declivity weakly convex, about 1/2 length of the dorsum. Propodeal spiracle circular and small, lower down on the side. Metapleural bulla elongate and roughly elliptical, close to the spiracle. Petiolar node nearly trapezoidal, anterior face nearly straight, about as long as dorsal face, dorsal and posterior faces weakly convex; anterodorsal corner blunt, higher than posterodorsal corner, the latter rounded; ventral face oblique and straight, anteroventral process roughly square, with circular semitransparent fenestra. Postpetiolar node strongly inclined forward, dorsum roundly convex, anterodorsal corner bluntly prominent, anterior face straight; ventral face roundly convex, anteroventral corner roundly protruding. Sting strong and extruding.

In dorsal view, petiolar node broader than long, width : length = 1.4:1, slightly widened backward; lateral sides weakly convex, anterior and posterior faces nearly straight. Postpetiolar node about as broad as long, width : length = 1.1:1, weakly widened backward, lateral sides and anterior face roundly convex, posterior face nearly straight. Anterior margin of gaster nearly straight.

Mandibles, head, and body smooth and shining. Dorsa of head and body with sparse erect to suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Scapes and tibiae with abundant subdecumbent short hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Mouthparts with abundant longer hairs, apex of mandible with a long stout hair on the ventral face. Color reddish brown. Mandibles, antennae, and legs brownish yellow.

Paratype worker: TL 2.7, HL 0.51, HW 0.40, CI 78, SL 0.40, SI 100, ML 0.25, PW 0.33, AL 0.83, PNL 0.18, PNH 0.31, PNW 0.23, PPNL 0.20, PPNH 0.30, PPNW 0.23 (1 individual measured.). As holotype.

Type Material

Holotype: worker, CHINA: Tibet, Medog County, Damu Town, Damu Village, 1200m, collected from a soil sample in the valley tropical rain forest, 2011.VII.20, leg. Xia Liu, No.A11-3925.

Paratype: 1 worker, with the same data as holotype, but collected from a ground sample, No.A11-3863.

Etymology

The new species is named after the type locality “Tibet”.

References

Aswaj, P., Anoop, K., Priyadarsanan, D.R. 2020. First record of the rarely collected ant Protanilla gengma Xu, 2012 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Leptanillinae) from the Indian subcontinent. Check List 16, 1621–1625 (doi:10.15560/16.6.1621).
Griebenow, Z. 2024. Systematic revision of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1189, 83–184 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1189.107506).
Satria, R., Putri, D.H., Ahda, Y. 2023. Genus Protanilla Taylor, 1990 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae) from Sumatra, with the descrdiption of a new species. Serangga 28(1): 69-78.
Xu, Z.-H. 2012. Furcotanilla, a new genus of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae from China with descriptions of two new species of Protanilla and P. rafflesi Taylor (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Sociobiology 59, 477-491.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
Liu X., Z. Xu, N. Yu, and C. Zhang. 2016. Distribution patterns of ant species ( Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Galongla Mountains and Medog Valley of Southeastern Tibet. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 52(11): 88-95.
Xu Z.-H. 2012. Furcotanilla, a new genus of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae from China with descriptions of two new species of Protanilla and P. rafflesi Taylor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 59: 477-491.