Myrmecina camellia

This species was found widely distributed throughout the tea gardens of the Hatikhuli Organic Tea Estate (type locality). They were not seen above the soil surface and appear to be adapted to an underground life.

Identification
Sheela et al. (2020) - Worker. New species is similar to Myrmecina raviwonghei from Thailand in the presence of three small processes at anterior clypeal margin, for the presence of petiolar and post petiolar processes, punctate gastral tergum and presence of abundant hairs on body; but it differs clearly in the presence of extended lateral keels on post petiole and the antero-lateral corners of gaster not as extended as in M. raviwonghei. Further new species is similar to Myrmecina striata in presence of clypeal processes and longitudinal striations on mesosoma. But it differs from M. striata in the gastral tergum being punctate (smooth in M. striata) and for presence of subpetiolar processes and lateral keels on post petiole (such processes absent on petiole and post petiole in M. striata).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  camellia. Myrmecina camellia Sheela, in Sheela et al., 2020: 14, figs. 1-5 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Holotype. DPW - 0,42 mm, ED - 0,07 mm, HL - 0,78 mm, HW - 0,84 mm, ML - 0,9 mm, PW - 0,54 mm, SL - 0,72 mm, TL - 2,98 mm, CI - 107, OI - 8,82, SI - 86,17.

Dorsum of head mesosoma and gaster reddish brown; petiole, postpetiole and antennae light brown, mandibles and legs honey yellow; hairs abundant, long, erect and suberect; pubescence not visible. Ground sculpture finely punctate all over body; head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole coarsely longitudinally striate; striations on head slightly diverging posteriorly at sides; mandibles weakly striate; striations on mesosoma diverging towards anterior portion of pronotum; apical face of propodeum smooth; gaster finely punctate, opaque.

Head in full-face view, posteriorly widely emarginated; sides weakly convex; clypeus medially depressed, its anterior margin transverse; mandibles with two sharp apical teeth followed by a row of small denticles; masticatory margins curved towards basal margin in such a way that when closed, make a ‘V’ shaped gap in front of clypeus; antennae 12-segmented; antennal carinae short, its posterior margin not reaching level of anterior margin of eyes; scapes reaching posterior margin of head in front view.

Mesosoma in profile, weakly convex; promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent; pronotum in dorsal view, broader anteriorly; ventral teeth on pro-sternum prominent and acute; antero-lateral corners of pro notum angular; dorsal propodeal teeth present, small and vertical; propodeal spines broad at base, long and almost straight; length of spines subequal to (in some specimens shorter than) distance between them; legs crescentic. Petiole without a well defined peduncle in front, anterior face of petiole concave and node above weakly convex; petiole broader than long, width and height subequal; post petiole broader than long, slightly broader than petiole; sub-petiolar process present, ventral tooth on postpetiole large and triangular; lateral keels visible on postpetiole in dorsal view; gaster broadly oval.

Type Material
Holotype – worker (Reg. No. 22921/H3), India: Assam, Hatikhuli Organic Tea Estate (26.5822° N, 93.4120°E), 01.XII 2016, leg. S. Roy. Paratypes: 15 workers (Reg. Nos. 22921/H3 to 22928/H3, 22934/H3 to 22941/H3), same data as holotype.

Etymology
The species is named after Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, under its roots, the species, inhabits.