Lepisiota integra

This species seems to be general in distribution in India; it was collected in non-forest as well as forest habitats. Workers were mostly collected by beating vegetation, Winkler’s extractor, hand collecting, from honey baits and in pitfall traps. (Wachkoo et al., 2021)

Identification
This is a medium to large-sized ant with a dull and uniformly reddish-brown body and a dorsally emarginate petiole, whereas Lepisiota frauenfeldi is a relatively shiny, paler species with mesosoma, legs and antennae orange, distinctly contrasting the brown head and gaster, and a dorsally dentate petiole. (Wachkoo et al., 2021)

This species is comparatively less shiny than Lepisiota bipartita and about uniformly dark brown while L. bipartita is bicoloured (Harshana & Dey, 2022).

Distribution
India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Uttarakhand), Pakistan (Bharti et al. 2016; Rasheed et al. 2019; Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Lepisiota integra was first collected in Central India by Forel (1894) from Pachmarhi, and after 126 years we also collected this species in the same locality but not from any other place which we explored in Central India (Harshana & Dey, 2022).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India, Pakistan. Palaearctic Region: Afghanistan.

Nomenclature

 * . Acantholepis frauenfeldi var. integra Forel, 1894c: 411 (diagnosis in key) (w.) INDIA.
 * Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 227.
 * Subspecies of frauenfeldi: Forel, 1906b: 86; Santschi, 1917d: 44.
 * Status as species: Wachkoo et al., 2021: 231.

Description
Worker

Wachkoo et al. (2021): Head subrectangular; longer than wide, almost equally wide anteroposteriorly; lateral and posterior margins convex, posterolateral corners rounded; clypeus medially subcarinate; anterior clypeal margin complete and convex; eyes subglobulose, convex, projecting beyond cephalic lateral margins, covering one-third of lateral cephalic margin, placed at posterior half of head; three ocelli present; antennal scape surpassing posterior head margin by about half its length. In lateral view pronotum convex, mesometanotum strongly constricted, lower than pronotum and propodeum, giving mesosoma a dumbbell shape; mesometanotum demarcated; metanotal area distinct; propodeum armed with a pair of teeth diverging posteriorly; propodeal declivity steep. Petiole upright, with distinctly angular sides, dorsum emarginate with teeth-like apical corners.

Overall body dull and opaque, relatively densely and evenly microreticulate. Body covered with erect setae on head and pronotum; gastral setae restricted to apical segments; pubescence relatively more as in Lepisiota bipartita and Lepisiota sericea, fine and sparse, most visible on head and gaster; sparser on mesosoma; antennal funiculus with appressed to decumbent pubescence. Color uniformly reddish-brown

Measurements(n = 10): HL 0.66–0.75; HW 0.57– 0.66; EL 0.20–0.22; SL 0.82–0.95; PnW 0.39–0.49; ML 1.00–1.12; PFL 0.66–0.77; PFW 0.13–0.16 mm. Indices: CI 84–88; SI 140–151; REL 27–30.

Harshana and Dey (2022):

Head: Head longer than broad, sides are slightly convex, posterior margin almost straight with rounded posterolateral corners, head covered with sparse appressed pubescence (Fig. 7C); palp formula 6,4 and the third segment of maxillary palp from base longest of all, fifth segment smaller than the sixth segment; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin, the third tooth is smallest; antennae 11 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head about half its length, antennal insertions touching the posterior margin of clypeus; a pair of erect setae present little behind antennal insertions, and a pair at about mid-length of the head; clypeus dorsally convex, anterior clypeal margin convex with two pair of erect setae with a downwardly directed median seta, posterior margin with a pair of erect setae; compound eyes broadly oval, convex and placed at about mid-length of the head; three ocelli present with a pair of erect setae between lateral ocelli.

Mesosoma: Pronotum and about half of the mesonotum forming an arch in profile view (Fig. 7A); pronotum with two standing setae; mesometanotum strongly constricted (Fig. 7B) and lower than rest of mesosoma; propodeum armed with a pair of short spines; propodeal declivity slanting. Metasoma: Petiole upright, dorsally with teeth-like apical corners (Fig. 7A) and emarginated, sides angular; gastral segment with erect setae on their distal margin and basal part of first gastral sternite with 2 erect setae; acidopore well-developed with the fringe of hairs.

Sculpture and colour: Body sculpture microreticulate to effaced and subopaque; mandible smooth and shiny. Body about uniformly dark brown; mandible, antennae, and tarsi brown.

Measurements and indices (n = 2). EL: 0.21–0.22; HL: 0.69–0.70; HW: 0.53–0.59; MML: 0.39; PH: 0.32–0.36; PRW: 0.42–0.46; SL: 0.85–0.95; TL: 3.04–3.08; WL: 1.08– 1.15; CI: 76–86; OI: 37–40; REL: 30–32; SI: 144–178.