Aenictus fergusoni

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the laeviceps species group.

Distribution
India, from the extreme south north to Darjeeling and Assam, thence SE to Burma and Java. This species is also most unusual in that it has been recorded from Great Nicobar Island, which is over 160 km from the nearest large land mass (Sumatra).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nicobar Island, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.



Nomenclature

 * . Aenictus fergusoni Forel, 1901a: 473 (w.) INDIA (Kerala).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: India: Travancore (Ferguson), and Travancore (Rothney).
 * Type-depositories: MHNG, NHMB.
 * Combination in A. (Typhlatta): Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199.
 * Status as species: Bingham, 1903: 18; Emery, 1910b: 29; Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199 (in key); Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 57; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 12; Wilson, 1964a: 462; Wang, M., 1992: 679; Xu, 1994a: 119; Bolton, 1995b: 59; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42; Tiwari, 1999: 17; Mathew & Tiwari, 2000: 266; Jaitrong & Nabhitabhata, 2005: 11; Wang, W. 2006: 637 (in key); Mohanraj, et al. 2010: 6; Bharti, Wachkoo & Kumar, 2012: 293 (in key); Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 22; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 21.
 * Senior synonym of karawaiewi: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 59; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.
 * Senior synonym of montanus: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 59; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.
 * Senior synonym of piltzi: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 59; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.
 * Distribution: China, India (+ Andaman Is), Myanmar, Thailand.
 * karawaiewi. Aenictus (Typhlatta) fergusoni var. karawaiewi Wheeler, W.M. & Chapman, in Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199 (diagnosis in key) (w.) no locality given.
 * Type-material: holotype(?) worker.
 * [Note: no indication of number of specimens is given.]
 * Type-locality: none given, “Indomalayan Region”.
 * Type-depository: unknown (presumably MCZC).
 * Junior synonym of fergusoni: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 59; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.
 * montanus. Aenictus fergusoni var. montanus Forel, 1901a: 474 (w.) INDIA (West Bengal).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: India:Darjeeling, 3000-8000 ft (Wroughton).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Combination in A. (Typhlatta): Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199.
 * Subspecies of fergusoni: Bingham, 1903: 18; Forel, 1906b: 90; Emery, 1910b: 30; Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199 (in key); Menozzi, 1939a: 327; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 13.
 * Junior synonym of fergusoni: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.
 * piltzi. Aenictus fergusoni var. piltzi Forel, 1901a: 474 (w.) INDIA (Karnataka).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: India: Kanara (Wroughton), and Surat Dist. (Wroughton).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Combination in A. (Typhlatta): Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199.
 * Subspecies of fergusoni: Bingham, 1903: 18; Emery, 1910b: 30; Wheeler, W.M. 1930g: 199 (in key); Chapman & Capco, 1951: 13.
 * Junior synonym of fergusoni: Wilson, 1964a: 462; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Tang, J., Li, et al. 1995: 42.

Worker
Wilson (1964) - Syntypes: HW 0.67 mm, HL 0.76 mm, SL 0.72 mm; other HW's in this series 0.63-0.72 mm. Antenna 10-segmented. Mandibles typical. Clypeus feebly convex, entire, armed with about 12 teeth. Parafrontal ridge very short, only 0.08 mm. Occiput convex, lacking distinct collar. Propodeal junction approximately right-angulate. Subpetiolar process a rounded lobe surmounted by a thin, downward-projecting flange. Pilosity moderately abundant, long; length of longest pronotal hairs 0.25 mm.

Head shining. Pronotum shining; remainder of mesosoma microreticulate and opaque, with traces of a few longitudinal rugae. Pedicel wholly shining except for the shagreened and subopaque peduncles. Head bearing yellow "Typhlatta spots"; otherwise head and mesosoma dark reddish brown. Pedicel and gaster somewhat lighter, medium reddish brown.

Type Material
Type locality: Tranvancore, India

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * Chapman, J.W. and S.R. Capco. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monographs of the Institute of Science and Technology (Manila) 1: 1- 327
 * Chen Y. Q., Q. Li, Y. L. Chen, Z. X. Lu, X. Y. Zhou. 2011. Ant diversity and bio-indicators in land management of lac insect agroecosystem in Southwestern China. Biodivers. Conserv. 20: 3017-3038.
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 * Dias R. K. S. 2002. Current knowledge on ants of Sri Lanka. ANeT Newsletter 4: 17- 21.
 * Dias R. K. S. 2006. Current taxonomic status of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. The Fauna of Sri Lanka: 43-52. Bambaradeniya, C.N.B. (Editor), 2006. Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. The World Conservation Union, Colombo, Sri Lanka & Government of Sri Lanka. viii + 308pp.
 * Dias R. K. S., K. R. K. A. Kosgamage, and H. A. W. S. Peiris. 2012. The Taxonomy and Conservation Status of Ants (Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. In: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds., Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. p11-19.
 * Dias R. K. S., and K. R. K. Anuradha Kosgamage. 2012. Occurrence and species diversity of ground-dwelling worker ants (Family: Formicidae) in selected lands in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 7: 55-72.
 * Dias R. K. S., and R. P. K. C. Rajapaksa. 2016. Geographic records of subfamilies, genera and species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the four climatic zones of Sri Lanka: a review. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 11(2): 23-45.
 * Dias, R.K.S. 2006. Overview of ant research in Sri Lanka: 2000-2004. ANeT Newsletter 8:7-10
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