Myrmica margaritae

Workers have been found at altitudes between 1000 and 19000 m

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the ritae complex of the ritae species group. It is known until now only from the two type specimens, collected in 1887 in northern Burma. The most distinctive feature of this species is the extremely coarse sculpture on its head dorsum, where there are only four rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes (only Myrmica pulchella, Myrmica sinensis and Myrmica emeryi are known to have similar coarse rugosity). A second unusual feature appears to be the very few hairs on the occipital margin and alitrunk dorsum. When we revised the ritae species group (Radchenko and Elmes 1998) we believed there to be only one specimen that we designated as the lectotype. We thought that the lack of hairs was probably an artefact because the hairs of old specimens get brittle and quite often are broken off. However, our recent (2007) discovery of a second type specimen in Genoa confirms the quite unusual lack of pilosity in this species.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India, Myanmar. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  margaritae. Myrmica margaritae Emery, 1889b: 502 (w.) MYANMAR. See also: Bingham, 1903: 267; Radchenko & Elmes, 1998: 5; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 199.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - C. Emery probably named this species for his wife who was known as Rita (see etymology of M. ritae) being a diminutive of Margarita. Emery used the name for new species in two other genera and Forel also used it in two genera.