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.