Myrmica smythiesii

Myrmica smythiesii is distributed in forest composed of conifers (Pinus, Cedrus) and Rhododendron species at the subtemperate zone of Northwest Himalaya. The nests were located under stones and in rotten wood covered with leaves. The temperature and humidity recorded at the collection site were 25°C and 67%, respectively, the nest temperature varied from 15°C to 20°C. Alates appear in the months of May, June and July. At few localities, Myrmica smythiesii is sympatric with Myrmica rugosa. The altitudinal range for this species is 2133-3749m above mean sea level. (Bharti et al., 2016)

Identification
A member of the smythiesii group.

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

Nomenclature

 *  smythiesii. Myrmica smythiesii Forel, 1902c: 226 (w.) INDIA. Radchenko & Elmes, 2002: 37 (q.). Senior synonym of himalayana: Radchenko & Elmes, 2001a: 253. See also: Bingham, 1903: 269; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 282.
 * himalayana. Myrmica smythiesi subsp. himalayana Weber, 1947: 460 (w.) INDIA. Junior synonym of smythiesii: Radchenko & Elmes, 2001a: 253.

Myrmica smythiesii

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): worker, “Himalaya (Smythies)”, “M. smythiesii Forel”, “LX/1, LX/12” (MHNG).
 * Paralectotypes (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): 2 workers “Himalaya (Smythies)”, “M. smythiesii Forel”, “LX/1, LX/12” ; 1 worker, “M. smythiesi Forel, Himalaya, 7000-12,000 ft (Smythies)”, “M.C.Z type 20533” (MCZ); 2 workers (upper with gaster and waist stuck separately; bottom - without postpetiole and gaster), “M. smythiesii For. Himalaya” (MSNG).

Myrmica smythiesi himalayana

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): worker, “India, Simla (Wroughton)” (MCZ).
 * Paralectotypes: (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 2001): 2 workers “India, Simla (Wroughton)” (MCZ).

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - this species was dedicated to “Smythies” who collected the material; most probably this was the Englishman Arthur Smythies, who started work for the Indian Forest Service in 1873 retiring from the post of Conservator in 1902, who was the father of the more famous forester and ornithologist E. A. Smythies.