Stictoponera lattkei

The only known workers of this species were handpicked from a tree trunk at Rorathang, East Sikkim, India. Rorathang is situated at an average elevation of 500 meters and has an average daily temperature of 30C. The village is enclosed by dense forest area and have a good agricultural land. The workers of Stictoponera lattkei were collected along with workers of Camponotus parius during foraging. The association between the two species is yet to be determined.

Identification
Stictoponera lattkei resembles Stictoponera menadensis and Stictoponera bicolor and can be distinguished from them as follows:

Stictoponera lattkei can be differentiated from S. menadensis, by a combination of the following characteristics (Fig. 4A, 5A): in dorsal view, the mesonotum foveolate and foveate-reticulate; the propodeal declivity is margined on both sides with no projections or raised areas posterolaterally and the subpetiolar process is polygonal and ventrally produced into a denticle. While in S. menadensis (Fig. 4B, 5B) the mesosomal dorsum has a smooth median strip, the propodeal declivity surrounded posterolaterally by ridges creating a denticle or a low triangular projection, and a subquadrate or lobe-like subpetiolar process. In S. menadensis sculpture is areolate and foveo-reticulate, whereas in S. lattkei sculpture is mainly foveolate.

However, from S. bicolor it can be differentiated by following characteristics (Fig. 4A, 5A): Body weakly pilose, mesosomal dorsal margin with one or two hairs, metacoxal spine slender and curved, subpetiolar process is polygonal and ventrally produced into a denticle, mesosomal dorsum foveolate and foveate-reticulate and gastral tergite II smooth and lustrous. While in S. bicolor (Fig. 4C, 5C) body generally pilose with scattered suberect to subdecumbent hairs, metacoxal spine usually straight and slender, subpetiolar process subquadrate or lobe like, mesosomal dorsum densely foveolate to areolate with median longitudinal strip of strigae-rugulae extending from posterior pronotum to mesonotum and gastral tergite II smooth with scattered punctures.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 * . Stictoponera lattkei Dhadwal & Bharti, 2023: 3, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA (Sikkim).

Type Material

 * Holotype worker: India, Sikkim, Rorathang, 27.19610N, 88.60790E, 560m, hand picking, 18.ix.2019, Tarun Dhadwal leg. [PUAC-T17] “Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection” at Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India).
 * Paratypes: 5 workers with the same data as holotype [PUAC].