Myrmica smythiesii

Myrmica smythiesii is distributed in forest composed of conifers (Pinus, Cedrus) and Rhododendron species at the subtemperate zone of Northwest Himalaya. The nests were located under stones and in rotten wood covered with leaves. The temperature and humidity recorded at the collection site were 25°C and 67%, respectively, the nest temperature varied from 15°C to 20°C. Alates appear in the months of May, June and July. At few localities, Myrmica smythiesii is sympatric with Myrmica rugosa. The altitudinal range for this species is 2133-3749m above mean sea level. (Bharti et al., 2016)

Identification
A member of the smythiesii group.

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

Nomenclature

 *  smythiesii. Myrmica smythiesii Forel, 1902c: 226 (w.) INDIA. Radchenko & Elmes, 2002: 37 (q.). Senior synonym of himalayana: Radchenko & Elmes, 2001a: 253. See also: Bingham, 1903: 269; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 282.
 * himalayana. Myrmica smythiesi subsp. himalayana Weber, 1947: 460 (w.) INDIA. Junior synonym of smythiesii: Radchenko & Elmes, 2001a: 253.

Myrmica smythiesii

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): worker, “Himalaya (Smythies)”, “M. smythiesii Forel”, “LX/1, LX/12” (MHNG).
 * Paralectotypes (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): 2 workers “Himalaya (Smythies)”, “M. smythiesii Forel”, “LX/1, LX/12” ; 1 worker, “M. smythiesi Forel, Himalaya, 7000-12,000 ft (Smythies)”, “M.C.Z type 20533” (MCZ); 2 workers (upper with gaster and waist stuck separately; bottom - without postpetiole and gaster), “M. smythiesii For. Himalaya” (MSNG).

Myrmica smythiesi himalayana

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): worker, “India, Simla (Wroughton)” (MCZ).
 * Paralectotypes: (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): 2 workers “India, Simla (Wroughton)” (MCZ).

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - this species was dedicated to “Smythies” who collected the material; most probably this was the Englishman Arthur Smythies, who started work for the Indian Forest Service in 1873 retiring from the post of Conservator in 1902, who was the father of the more famous forester and ornithologist E. A. Smythies.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H., S. Sasi, and A. Radchenko. 2016. Biogeography and ecology of Myrmica species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Himalayan regions. Sociobiology 63(3): 956-975.
 * Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, M. Bharti, and M. Pfeiffer. 2013. Ant species richness, endemicity and functional groups, along an elevational gradient in the Himalayas. Asian Myrmecology 5: 79-101.
 * Bhoje P. M., K. Shilpa, and T. V. Sathe. 2014. Diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India. Uttar Pradesh J. Zool. 34(1): 23-25.
 * Forel A. 1904. Note sur les fourmis du Musée Zoologique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences à St. Pétersbourg. Ezheg. Zool. Muz. 8: 368-388.
 * Liu X., Z. H. Xu, X. Y. Zhou, N. N. Yu, and C. L. Zhang. 2011. Ant communities of West slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Forest Research 24(4): 458-463.
 * Liu X., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, N. Yu, and G. Xu. 2012. Distribution patterns of ants from West slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northwest Forestry University 27(4): 77-82.
 * Liu X., Z. Xu, N. Yu, and C. Zhang. 2016. Distribution patterns of ant species ( Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Galongla Mountains and Medog Valley of Southeastern Tibet. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 52(11): 88-95.
 * Liu X., Z. Xu, X. Zhou, N. Yu, and C. Zhang. 2011. Ant Communities of West Slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Forest Research 24(4): 458-463.
 * Liu X., Z.-H. Xu, C.-L. Zhang, N.-N., and G.-L. 2011. Distribution patterns of ants from West Slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northwest Forestry University 27(4): 77-82.
 * Mo F., Z. Xu, Y. Song, C. Li, and Q. He. 2015. Ant communities in Yadong section of Mt. Himalaya. Journal of Nanjing Forestry University 39(3): 85-90.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2001. A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Entomologica Basiliensia 23: 237-276.
 * Radchenko, A. G., and G. W. Elmes. "A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Entomologica Basiliensia 23 (2001): 237-276.
 * Ruzsky M. 1904. Ants of the Dzungarian Ala Tau. Izv. Imp. Tomsk. Univ. 30(5th p part: 1-6.
 * Tiwari R. N., B. G. Kundu, S. Roy Chowdhury, and S. N. Ghosh. 2003. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Fauna of Sikkim. Part 4. State Fauna Series. 9.Zool.Surv.India. i-iii, 1-512. Chapter pagination: 467-506.
 * Weber N. A. 1947. A revision of the North American ants of the genus Myrmica Latreille with a synopsis of the Palearctic species. I. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 40: 437-474.
 * Xu Z., J. Chu, C Zhang, and N. Yu. 2011. Ant species and distribution pattern in Gongbo Nature Reserve in Southeastern Tibet. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 30(1): 118-123.
 * Xu Z., J. Chu, C. Zhang, and N. Yu. 2011. Ant Species and D istribution Pattern in GongboNature Reserve in Southeastern T ibet. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 30(1): 118-123.
 * Yu N., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, J. Chu, B. Yang, and X. Liu. 2011. Distribution patterns of ant species from Mount Sejila, southeastern Tibet. Journal of Beijing Forestry University 33(5): 75-80.
 * Yu N., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, J. Chu, B. Yang, and X. Liu. 2011. Distribution patterns of ant species from mount Sejila, southeastern Tibet. Journal of Beijing Forestry University 33(5): 75-80
 * Yu N., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, X. Liu, and Q. Li. 2012. Ant Communities from East Slope of Mount Demola to Zayu Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 48(10): 163-169.
 * Zhang C., Z. Xu, N. Yu, Q. He, and X. Liu. 2012. Distribution Patterns of Ant Species on East Slope of Mount Demola and Zayu Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northeast Forestry University 40(3): 87-92