Myrmica fortior

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - Poorly known. It has been found at altitudes between 2000 and 2700 m, where it nested in the soil and under stones, in open pine wood and open rocky pasture, at the edge of spruce-fir groves (Phil Ward, pers. comm.).

This species was commonly observed nesting under stones in grasslands, pine forest and at the edge of spruce-fir grooves. Nesting sites had temperature ranging from 20°C in Babarishi to 25°C in Pahalgam and humidity from 51% in Babarishi to 57% in Yusmarg. Average nest temperature was found to be 33°C. (Bharti et al., 2016)

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the smythiesii group. It is probably a Kashmir endemic very close to Myrmica smythiesii, from which it differs by a suite of minor characters including the shape and sculpture of the petiole and postpetiole, slightly longer propodeal spines and somewhat larger body size (about 5% larger). M. fortior workers differ from those of rubra-group species by having a distinctly more prominent and anteriorly pointed clypeus. However, by other characters they are superficially similar to those of several oriental species, related to M. ruginodis. Also, despite having quite long antennae, the male scape is relatively shorter than that of males of oriental rubra-group species (SI2 0.S3- 1.0 versus 1.23-1.36).

Distribution
Known only from Kashmir State in India.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  fortior. Myrmica smythiesii var. fortior Forel, 1904c: 22 (w.) INDIA. Radchenko & Elmes, 2002: 39 (q.m.). Raised to species: Radchenko & Elmes, 2001a: 254. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 136.

Type Material

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): worker, “India, Sind Valley, 6500 ft, Kashmir (Wroughton), var. fortior Forel” (MHNG).
 * Paralectotypes (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): 2 workers “India, Sind Valley, 6500 ft, Kashmir (Wroughton), var. fortior Forel” (MHNG); 1 worker, “Smythiesi var. fortior Sind Valley” (MSNG).

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from the Latin word fortior = stronger, to describe its greater robustness compared to M. smythiesii.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.
 * 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. 2002. First descriptions of the sexual forms of seven Himalayan Myrmica species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Vestnik Zoologii 36(5): 35-46.
 * 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.