Myrmica zhengi

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Ma and Xu (2011) - The new specie belongs to pachei-group of the genus Myrmica, the species of this group are characterized by antennal scapes slightly curved at bases, not angulate and without trace of a lobe; males with short antennal scapes; generally with much less coarse sculpture on the body, and with dense fine transverse striations on the promesonotum, etc. It can be distinguished from other related species mainly by its very light coloration, head nearly square in front view, the striations on the promesonotum transverse but very irregular, propodeal spine strong and widen at base, the first gastral tergite with obviously longitudinal fine striate-punctatures.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  zhengi. Myrmica zhengi Ma & Xu, 2011: 795, figs. 1-5 (w.m.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 7.5, EL 0.2, EI 12, HL 1.6, HW 1.5, CI 94, SL 1.4, SI 93, AL 2.3, PW 1.1.

Head nearly square-shaped; mandible armed with 2-3 distal large teeth and 7-9 small teeth which continuous or discontinuous; clypeus convex and round, and its anterior margin slightly wide concave. Scapes not reached the occipital margin, its base bared, without lobes and curved as obtuse angle. Eyes large, convex and round. Alitrunk shorter than 1.5 times of head length; pronotum somewhat thick and round, which gradually contracted to propodeum; propodeal spine thick, strong, widen at base and longer than basal face of propodeum. Petiole triangular and with ventral process; postpetiole oval.

Mandible, anterior part of clypeus .and area around the scrobe with longitudinal striate; mainly part of clypeus and frontal area shiny and smooth, the remainder of head with subparallel longitudinal striations and the interspaces punctate. Alitrunk with very irregular transverse striations; between the propodeal spines shiny and smooth; meso-pleura and the sides of propodeum with longitudinal striations. Dorsum of petiole with transverse striations and the striations on postpetiole slightly longitudinal. The first gastral tergite with longitudinal striations and the remainder of gaster shiny and smooth.

Body mainly yellowish, postpetiole and gaster dark. Body armed with sparse suberect hair.

Paratype. TL 7.3- 8.2, HL 1.54-1.65, HW 1.43-l.52, CI 91-94, SL 1.32-1.40, SI 92-94, AL 2.1-2.3, PW 0. 98- 1.10.

The anterior margin of clypeus straight or slightly wide concave, but never convex.

Male
Head with three large, convex and round ocelli; eyes very large and with dark patches. The scape very short and nearly 1/2 width of the head. Clypeus round and convex, almost globular, and its anterior edge straight; mandible with seven teeth. Propodeal spines blunt convex, very short and small; petiole wide and flat in dorsum and without ventral process. Body colored dark brown and clothing sparse hair. Tile pronotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster shiny and smooth, and the striations on the remainder are same as those of workers.

Type Material
Type specimens are kept in the Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University, and some of paratype specimens are also deposited in the College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, the Entomological Museum, Northwest A & F University, the College of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University and the Insect Collections of Southwest Forestry University.

Holotype worker, China, Shaanxi, Foping (33°42'N, 107°48'E), 23 July 2006, coll. MA Li-Bin. Paratypes 20 workers and three males, same data as holotype.

Etymology
This species is named in honor of Professor Zheng Zhe-Min for his outstanding contribution to the systematic entomology.