Lepisiota lunaris

This species seems to be widespread across India, although infrequent in the collections. The specimens were collected both in forest and non-forest habitats, mainly by hand collecting from the dry soil and honey baits. (Wachkoo et al., 2021)

Identification
This small to medium-sized species is similar to many workers of the medium sized Lepisiota mayri but the erect setae on the body are distinctly sparse, whereas the latter species is covered with abundant erect setae and very hairy overall (Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Distribution
India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir), Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (Thapa 2000; Bharti et al. 2016; Rasheed et al. 2019; Dias et al. 2020; Wachkoo et al. 2021).

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

Nomenclature

 *  lunaris. Acantholepis lunaris Emery, 1893f: 250, pl. 6, fig. 12 (w.) SRI LANKA.
 * [Misspelled as lunaria by Chapman & Capco, 1951: 209.]
 * Imai, et al. 1984: 9 (k.).
 * Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 228.
 * Subspecies of capensis: Forel, 1895e: 458; Forel, 1906b: 86; Forel, 1909e: 395; Emery, 1925b: 24; Menozzi, 1939a: 312; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 209; Bolton, 1995b: 228.
 * Status as species: Collingwood, 1970: 379.

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
 * Collingwood C.A. 1970. Formicidae (Hymenopter: Aculeata) of Nepal. Himalaya Khumbu Himal, 3: 371-388.
 * Emery C. 1893. Voyage de M. E. Simon à l'île de Ceylan (janvier-février 1892). Formicides. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 62: 239-258.
 * Forel A. 1909. Études myrmécologiques en 1909. Fourmis de Barbarie et de Ceylan. Nidification des Polyrhachis. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 45: 369-407.
 * Menozzi C. 1939. Formiche dell'Himalaya e del Karakorum raccolte dalla Spedizione italiana comandata da S. A. R. il Duca di Spoleto (1929). Atti della Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano. 78: 285-345.
 * Rasheed M. T., I. Bodlah, A. G. Fareen, A. A. Wachkoo, X. Huang, and S. A. Akbar. 2019. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pakistan. Sociobiology 66(3): 426-439.
 * Thapa V. K. 2000. An Inventory of Nepal's Insects, Vol. III. IUCN Nepal, Kathmandu, xi + 475 pp.