Monomorium hiten

Found in open land to woodland margins nesting under stones (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification
Terayama (1996) - Separated from the other East Asian congeners by the yellow colored body with a pair of large brown spots on the 1st gastral tergite in worker.

This species is similar to Monomorium intrudens and Monomorium triviale, but identified by the characteristic paired spots on its gaster (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

Nomenclature

 *  hiten. Monomorium hiten Terayama, 1996: 26, figs. 57-59 (w.q.) JAPAN.

Worker
Holotype. HL 0.35 mm; HW 0.30 mm; SL 0.23 mm; CI 86; SI 77; WL 0.40 mm; PL 0.14 mm; PH 0.14 mm; DPW 0.11 mm; TL 1.4 mm.

Head rectangular, 1.17 x as long as wide, with weakly convex sides and concave posterior margin in frontal view. Mandibles with 3 teeth of which basalmost smallest. Clypeus with a pair of indistinct longitudinal carinae; anterior margin weakly concave. Eyes 0.03 mm in length, each consisting of ca. 12 facets. Antennae with 12 segments; scape short, not reaching the posterior margin of head; terminal segment longer than the preceding 2 segments combined.

Dorsum of promesonotum convex in lateral view; metanotal groove distinct; dorsum of propodeum convex, dorsolateral corner not fornting an angle. Petiole 0.87x as long as high, with broadly rounded ventral margin; node subtriangular with convex dorsal margin. Postpetiole 0.75x as long as high; dorsal width 1.10x dorsal width of petiole.

Entire body smooth and shining. Five pairs of elect hairs present on the dorsum of alitrunk; a pair on the dorsum of both petiole and postpetiole.

Body yellow; 1st gastral tergite with a pair of large brown spots.

Paratypes. Paratype workers show small variation in head length (0.35-0.38 mm) and in head width (0.30-0.32 mm).

Queen
Paratype. HL 0.50 mm; HW 0.45 mm; SL 0.33 mm; CI 90; SI 73; WL 0.93 mm; AW 0.30 mm; PL 0.30 mm; PH0.28mm; DPW0.23mm; TL3.1 mm(n = 1). Eyes 0.13 mm in length.

Head and alitrunk yellow; ground color of gaster yellow; 1st tergite with a pair of large brown spots; 2nd to 4th tergites each with a transverse brown apical band.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Yonaguni-jima, Okinawa Pref., II.VIII.I989, H. Takamine leg.

Paratypes. 3 females, 30 workers, same data as holotype.

Etymology
The specific name is the Japanese noun hiten, which means a heavenly maiden in buddhism.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Eguchi K., T. V. Bui, S. Yamane, H. Okido, and K. Ogata. 2004. Ant faunas of Ba Vi and Tam Dao, North Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Inst. Trop. Agr. Kyushu Univ. 27: 77-98.
 * Eguchi K.; Bui T. V.; Yamane S. 2011. Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), part I  Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmecinae. Zootaxa 2878: 1-61.
 * Fukumoto S., R. Satria, T. Maeda, and S. Yamane. 2014. Ant fauna of Gaja-jima, Tokara Islands, southwestern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 40: 127131.
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Hosoishi S., M. Yoshimura, Y. Kuboki, and K. Ogata. 2007. Ants from Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Ari 30: 47-54.
 * Huang Jian-hua, Zhou Shan-yi. 2007. A checklist of family Formicidae of China - Myrmicinae (Part II) (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Journal of Guangxi Normal University : Natural Science Edition 25(1): 91-99.
 * Ogata K. 2005. Asian ant inventory and international networks. Report on Insect inventory Project in Tropic Asia TAIIV: 145-170.
 * Shimono A., and S. Yamane. 2003. Ant species diversity on Okinoerabu-jima, the Ryukyus, southern Japan. For the Establishment of Remote Islands Study (Kagoshima Univ.) 3: 11-29.
 * Terayama M. 1996. Taxonomic studies on the Japanese Formicidae, part 2. Seven genera of Ponerinae, Cerapachyinae and Myrmicinae. Nature & Human Activities 1: 9-32.
 * 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 M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
 * 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.
 * Yamane S. 2016. How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? (in Japanese). Part 2, chapter 1 in How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? Pp. 92-132.
 * Yamane S. S. Fukumoto, Y. Maeda, and Y. Sato. 2017. Records of ants from Kakeroma-jima, the Amami Islands, Japan. Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan 71, 131-137.
 * Yamane S., S. Ikudome, and M. Terayama. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp, 138-317.
 * Yamane S., Y. Harada, and K. Eguchi. 2013. Classification and ecology of ants. Natural history of ants in Southern Kyushu. 200 pages
 * Yamane S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp138-317.