Lepisiota bicolor

The type series of this species was collected from soil in a paddy field at an elevation about 900 m above sea level. A colony from Tak Province, western Thailand (TH15-WJT-46) was collected in a dry dipterocarp forest, ca. 1,200 m above sea level. Thus, this species should be restricted to highland. Lepisiota bicolor is sympatric with Lepisiota siamensis in Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.

Identification
Lepisiota bicolor is most similar to Lepisiota pulchella from India in having dense punctures on head and mesosoma and yellow gastral segment I yellow (compared with L. pulchella syntype images, CASENT0909894). However, L. bicolor can be easily separated from L. pulchella by:
 * 1) head longer than broad (almost as long as broad in L. pulchella)
 * 2) flagellar segment of antennae largely dark brown (entirely grey in L. pulchella)
 * 3) in full-face view, outer margin of eyes reaching lateral margin of head (not touch in L. pulchella)
 * 4) petiole smooth and shiny (punctate in L. pulchella)
 * 5) legs yellow (grey alternating with dark brown in L. pulchella)
 * 6) head and mesosoma distinctly yellow (yellowish brown in L. pulchella)
 * 7) gastral segment I entirely yellow (partly yellow in L. pulchella)
 * 8) anterior half of gastral segment II yellow (entire segment dark to dark brown).

Lepisiota bicolor is also similar to Lepisiota thepthepae in having dense punctures on head and mesosoma. However, L. bicolor can be separated from L. thepthepae by:
 * 1) head, mesosoma, petiole, and gestral segment I yellow (head and gaster dark brown; mesosoma and petiole reddish brown in L. thepthepae)
 * 2) ventral surface of head punctate (smooth and shiny in L. thepthepae)
 * 3) posterior clypeal margin almost straight medially (feebly concave medially in L. thepthepae)
 * 4) mesonotal spiracle in profile lower than level of propodeal spines (higher than level of propodeal spines in L. thepthepae)
 * 5) gaster bicolor (dark brown in L. thepthepae).

Distribution
Thailand: Chiang Rai and Tak Provinces.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand.

Nomenclature

 * . Lepisiota bicolor Jarernkong et Jaitrong, in Jarernkong et al., 2023: 3, fig. 1 (w.) THAILAND.

Type Material

 * Holotype – worker (THNHM-I-24825, THNHM), N Thailand: Chiang Rai Province, Muaeng District, Pong Nam Ron Village, 21.X 2018, W. Jaitrong leg., WJT211018-15.
 * Paratypes: 13 workers (THNHM-I-24826 to THNHM-I-24838, THNHM), same data as holotype.