Lophomyrmex terraceensis

This species was collected from an intact Eucalyptus forest near the village of Terrace (31 .9234°N, 75.9294°E, 420 m alt.), Himachal Pradesh state, India. This area is semi-arid and falls within the lower Shivalik range of the north-western Himalayas. The forest has thick leaf litter and the ants were collected from leaf litter with a Winkler's extractor.

Identification
This species belongs to the bedoti group of the genus Lophomyrmex, which is characterized by a pronotum with lateral irregular marginations. This species can be separated from other species within this group by the presence of sub-parallel, blunt and thick propodeal spines of almost uniform diameter and by an obliquely truncate petiolar node.

Lophomyrmex terraceensis is quite distinct from other species within the bedoti group. The relatively wide, thick, and blunt propodeal spines are unique to this species and easily separate it from its congeners. It is most similar to Lophomyrmex ambiguus and Lophomyrmex bedoti but the combination of several characters easily allows separation of these species. The unique shape of the propodeal spines, the high mesonotal prominence, the truncate petiolar node with its steep anterior face, which meets the dorsal face at a distinct angle, separate L. terraceensis from L. ambiguus. It is easily distinguishable from L. bedoti by the more pronounced sculpture on the head and pronotum, the unique shape of the propodeal spines and by larger eyes. The abundant hairs on the whole body of L. terraceensis separate it from Lophomyrmex changlangensis, which has only three or four pairs of hairs on its body. The more pronounced sculpture and 3.14-3.27 mm total length of this species distinguishes it from Lophomyrmex lucidus, which has a smooth sculpture and a total length <2.8 mm. The short blunt propodeal spines (SpL<=0.24 mm) and SI<100 separates it from Lophomyrmex longicornis (with its very long and pointed propodeal spines (SpL>0.34mm), SI>100, and no erect setae near the midline on the pronotum). Finally, this species differs from Lophomyrmex striatulus by the absence of sharp propodeal spines, the short costula running backward from insertion of the humeral seta, and in the presence of a low prominence on the mesonotum.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Himachal Pradesh, India.

Nomenclature
Holotype: worker from leaf litter, 420 m alt., Terrace village (31.9234°N, 75.9294°E), Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh, India, 10.v.2004 (coll. H. Bharti, PUPAC). Paratype: 1 worker from the same site, 25.v.2009 (coll. R. Kumar, PUPAC).

Description
Measurements. Holotype worker: TL 3.27 mm; HL 0.74mm; HW 0.69mm; SL 0.63mm; EL 0.16mm; PW 0.44mm; PTW 0.16mm; PPTW 0.25mm; PPTH 0.22mm; PTH 0.24 mm; PTL 0.33 mm; PPTL 0.22mm, SpL 0.22 mm; SpD 0.29mm; HTL 0.63mm; ML 0.99mm; GL 0.99mm; CI 93.24 mm; SI 91.3 mm; SpLI 31.88 mm; TI 91.3 mm. Paratype worker: TL 3.14 mm; HL 0.75 mm; HW 0.71 mm; SL 0.63mm; EL 0.16 mm; PW 0.44mm; PTW 0.15mm; PPTW 0.25mm; PPTH 0.22mm; PTH 0.24 mm; PTL 0.33mm; PPTL 0.22 mm, SpL 0.24mm; SpD 0.32 mm; HTL 0.63mm; ML 0.97mm; GL 0.87mm; CI 94.67 mm; SI 88.73mm; SpLI 33.8 mm; TI 88.73 mm (one measured).

Worker description (holotype and paratype). Head slightly longer than broad, sides convex, occipital margin slightly emarginate; masticatory margin of mandibles with large apical and preapical teeth, third tooth slightly smaller than the preapical tooth followed by a series of denticles; clypeus convex, anterior clypeal margin with a protruding blunt tooth at the midpoint and this tooth with a strong seta on each side; antennae 11 segmented with distinct 3-segmented club; scape slender, narrow, reaching occipital margin of head; eyes situated at midlength of the sides of head, distance between the mandibular insertion and the anterior point of the eye is 1.3 times the maximum eye length, pronotal dorsum feebly convex; promesonotal suture absent; mesonotum sloping toward the propodeum, a well developed prominence present at its midlength; metanotal groove deep and narrow; propodeal lobes indistinct; propodeal spines very thick, essentially uniform in diameter, blunt, sub-parallel, projected rearward; petiole longer than broad, with long anterior peduncle, petiolar node clearly truncate as in Lophomyrmex bedoti, with steep anterior face which meet the dorsal face at a distinct angle, postpetiole about 1.6 times wider than petiole.

Mandibles longitudinally costulate, rugulose; clypeus finely reticulate and somewhat shiny; frontal triangle shagreened and opaque; cephalic dorsum finely reticulate, dull, opaque; genae and frontal lobes with fine longitudinal rugulae, rugulae on the frontal lobes appear long, fragmented, reach occipital margin, pronotal dorsum reticulate with short rugulae, anterior slope is also feebly reticulate with fragmented transverse rugulae, sides shiny with very superficial longitudinal reticulations; mesonotum and mesopleuron more strongly reticulate; propodeum flat with reticulate sculpture; propodeal declivity smooth and shiny; petiole and postpetiole faintly reticulate; gaster superficially reticulate, shiny.

Head,mandibles, clypeus, pronotum, petiole, post petiole and gaster with numerous long erect hairs; eyes with subdecumbent pubescence; mesonotum with two pairs of short hairs, propodeum pubescent; body dark brown with head, legs and sides a shade paler.