Lepisiota wroughtonii

This species appears widespread in India and has been mainly hand collected from tree trunks, by beating vegetation, from honey baits and occasionally in pitfall traps. (Wachkoo et al., 2021)

Identification
The main characters that distinguish this species from Lepisiota rothneyi, the species with which it is most likely to be confused, are a combination of a densely pubescent and dull body with few erect setae on the pronotum, whereas L. rothneyi has a sparsely pubescent and shiny body, lacking erect setae on the mesosomal dorsum. (Wachkoo et al., 2021)

Distribution
China, India (Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, West Bengal), Sri Lanka (Guénard & Dunn 2012; Bharti et al. 2016; Dias et al. 2020; Wachkoo et al. 2021).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India, Nepal, Sri Lanka. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 * . Plagiolepis rothneyi r. wroughtonii Forel, 1902d: 292 (w.) INDIA.
 * Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 229.
 * Status as species: Bingham, 1903: 321; Wachkoo et al., 2021: 241.

Taxonomic Notes
This medium-sized ant was originally described by Forel (1892) as an infraspecific taxon rothneyi r. wroughtonii and later elevated to species rank by Bingham (1903). Emery (1925) reverted it back to subspecies without any justification. Based on our examination, we consider it as a valid species and elevate it to species rank (Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Description
Worker

Bingham (1903): Black with, in certain lights, a purple gloss on the abdomen, very smooth and shining, antennae and legs reddish brown, tarsi yellowish white, mandibles ferruginous. Pilosity and pubescence very sparse; flagellum of the antennae only somewhat densely pubescent. Head square, slightly emarginate posteriorly; mandibles comparatively robust, with a much straighter, not oblique, masticatory margin; clypeus convex, with a very distinct median carina; eyes large, placed somewhat to the front below the middle line of the head. Thorax short and stout, pronotum very convex and vaulted, mesonotum small, seen from above circular; meso-metanotal suture emarginate; metanotum short and broad, the basal portion somewhat flat and nearly as long as the oblique apical portion; legs comparatively short and stout. Node of the pedicel low, flat, transverse above; abdomen massive, much longer than broad.

Length: 2 - 2.5 mm

Wachkoo et al. (2021): Head subquadrate; longer than wide, wider posteriorly than in front; lateral margins convex, posterior margin gently convex, posterolateral corners rounded; clypeus subcarinate in the middle; anterior clypeal margin complete and convex; eyes relatively small, broadly oval, weakly convex, placed at the middle line of head, covering three-tenths of lateral cephalic margin; three small ocelli present; antennal scape surpassing posterior head margin by about one-fourth its length. Mesosoma constricted in the middle, in lateral view promesonotum dome like, convex; metanotum distinctly lower than promesonotum but almost as high as propodeum; mesometanotum demarcated; metanotal area short but distinct; propodeum unarmed without pair of teeth or spines; propodeal declivity steep. Petiole upright, with smoothly curved sides, dorsally rounded, without a pair of teeth or spines.

Body overall dull covered with relatively dense pubescence. Setae restricted to clypeus, gastral venter and segmental margins; few short erect setae on pronotum and near lateral ocelli usually present; pubescence relatively dense, more so on gaster; antennal funiculus with appressed to decumbent pubescence. Color black; antenna, mandible and tarsi light brown.

Measurements (n = 13): HL 0.60–0.75; HW 0.54– 0.69; EL 0.16–0.21; SL 0.60–0.73; PnW 0.36–0.48; ML 0.76–0.96; PFL 0.49–0.62; PFW 0.16–0.20 mm. Indices: CI 82–93; SI 103–119; REL 26–28.