Myrmecina bawai

Two workers of Myrmecina bawai were collected from Phawngpui National Park (Blue Mountain National Park), one specimen each in two pitfall traps 200 m apart. The protected area is named for the mountain Phawngpui, often called the Blue Mountain, which is the highest mountain peak in Mizoram (maximum altitude 2157 m above sea level). The park spreads over an area of 50 km2 and covers the Blue Mountain along with the surrounding reserve forest. The park consists of sub-tropical broadleaf and tropical evergreen forest. The annual rainfall is approximately 2500 mm and temperature ranges from 2 °C to 30 °C. The type locality is a shaded region with about 70% canopy cover.

Identification
Myrmecina bawai is unique in the following combination of characters:
 * small eyes (0.04–0.05 mm)
 * anterolateral corners of the median portion of clypeus with dentiform process
 * absence of tooth like process on the middle anterior clypeal margin
 * head and mesosoma with distinct rugae, the interspaces between rugae densely punctate
 * presence of anterior pair of denticles on propodeal dorsum
 * first gastral tergum punctulate anteriorly, coarsely reticulate medially
 * yellow coloured body with a dark tinge.

Myrmecina bawai is close to Myrmecina taiwana in body colour, relatively small eyes, absence of tooth like process on the middle anterior clypeal margin and presence of anterior pair of denticles on the propodeal dorsum. However it differs from M. taiwana by the following characteristics:
 * head and mesosoma with distinct rugae, the interspaces between rugae densely punctate in M. bawai (head and mesosoma with longitudinal rugose sculpture in M. taiwana)
 * a dentiform process is present on anterolateral corners of the middle portion of the clypeus in M. bawai (dentiform process on anterolateral corner of the middle portion of the clypeus absent in M. taiwana)
 * first gastral tergum punctulate anteriorly, coarsely reticulate medially in M. bawai (gaster smooth in M. taiwana)
 * large size, HW 0.80, TL 3.73 in M. bawai (small size HW 0.59—0.61, TL 2.62—2.73 in M. taiwana)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  Myrmecina bawai Aswaj et al., 2021: 163, figs. 2-3 (w.) INDIA.

Type Material

 * Holotype: worker: “India: Mizoram, Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) National Park, Lawngtlai district, (22.6907°N, 93.0492°E, 1619 m), 17.iv.2019, Pitfall trap, Coll. Punnath Aswaj and Karunakaran Anoop” (NBAIR/HYM-FOR/9421).
 * Paratype: 1 worker, data same as holotype, collected in another pitfall trap (AIMB/Hy/ Fr 25003).