Lasius coloratus

The species was always connected to woodland both in continental China and in Taiwan.

Identification
Seifert (2020) - For differences to the sister species Lasius sichuense, see there.

Distribution
Seifert (2020) - Distributed over the Chinese provinces Sichuan and Shaanxi from 28.82°N, 103.06°E to 34°N, 109°E. The two sites in Taiwan are at 23.5°N, 120.7°E and 24.0°N, 121.1 °E. The elevation of 13 sites was 1388 ± 517 [583, 2490] meters.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  coloratus. Lasius niger st. coloratus Santschi, 1937h: 387 (w.q.) TAIWAN. Combination in L. (Lasius): Wilson, 1955a: 60. Junior synonym of niger: Wilson, 1955a: 60. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Seifert, 1992b: 44.

Worker
Seifert (2020) - Rather large (CS 985 µm). Head and scape length indices rather large (CL/CW900 1.083, SL/CS900 1.029). Postocular and torulo-clypeal distances large (PoOc/CL900 0.250, dClAn900 5.23); terminal segment of maxillary palp long (MP6/CS900 0.209). Number of mandibular dents medium (MaDe900 8.28). Pubescence on clypeus moderately dense (sqPDCL900 4.69); frontal pubescence of medium length (PLF900 29.5). Pubescence surface on body and appendages rough. Setae of medium length and numerous (PnHL/CS900 0.156, GuHL/CS900 0.102, nOcc900 14.6, nGen900 5.5, nGu900 6.2, nSc900 24.6, nHT900 22.0). Sculpture on metapleuron, lower propodeum and often pronotum differing from the condition in species related to Lasius niger or Lasius japonicus in having regular, slightly curved, dense longitudinal carinulae and delicate microstructures within the meshes of the microreticulum. This produces a matt overall surface appearance at lower magnifications. Coloration: more or less bicolored. The lighter forms have the mesosoma pale yellowish-reddish brown, the dorsum of head slightly and the gaster notably darker. The darker forms have the mesosoma medium reddish brown, the dorsum of head dark brown with a reddish tinge and the gaster blackish brown.

See table 10 in Seifert 2020 for additional morphometrics. The abbreviated names of various quantitative data shown above are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters.

Type Material
Seifert (2020) - Lectotype (des. E.O. Wilson) and paralectotype worker labelled in Santschi‘s handwriting ”Lasius niger .... coloratus Sant“, ”Musha Formosa K. Sato“, ”Type“; depository.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
 * Ran H., and S. Y. Zhou. 2012. Checklist of chinese ants: formicomorph subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) II. Journal of Guangxi Normal University: Natural Science Edition 30(4): 81-91.
 * Santschi F. 1937. Fourmis du Japon et de Formose. Bulletin et Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 77: 361-388.
 * Seifert B. 1992. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the ant subgenus Lasius s.str. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Görlitz 66(5): 1-67.
 * Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
 * Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Terayama. M. and Inoue. N. 1988. Ants collected by the members of the Soil Zoological Expedition to Taiwan. ARI Reports of the Myrmecologists Society (Japan) 18: 25-28
 * Terayama. M. and Y. Watanabe. 1994. Ant fauna of the Zhongyang Mountains in Taiwan. Abstracts of papers presented at 33th Annual Meeting of the Myrmecological Society of Japan held on September 1st and 2nd, 1990, at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo. ARI Reports of the Myrmecologists Society (Japan) 18: 32