Stenamma jhitingriense

The type material was collected from forest leaf-litter.

Identification
Bharti et al. (2012) - Stenamma jhitingriense is significantly different from previously reported species of this genus due to the following combination of characters: blunt anteroventral corner of petiole, scape not reaching occipital corners, equal length of petiole and peduncle, longer propodeal spines than propodeal plates and blackish brown color of body. However it shows few affinities with Stenamma gurkhale, Stenamma punctiventre and Stenamma koreanense. In Stenamma gurkhale and Stenamma koreanense the petiolar anteroventral corner is acutely toothed, Stenamma punctiventre has an anteroventral corner of petiole extended and finger-like, but in Stenamma jhitingriense the anteroventral corner of the petiole is blunt. It is easily separated from Stenamma kashmirense as in Stenamma kashmirense the peduncle is less than the half the length of petiole, and the scape reaches the occipital corners distinctly.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  jhitingriense. Stenamma jhitingriense Bharti, Gul & Sharma, 2012: 3, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
TL (3.44); HL (0.77); HW (0.66); SL (0.57); PW (0.43); ML (1.0); ED (0.07); PL (0.40); PH (0.20); DPW (0.15); PPL (0.29); PPH (0.21); PPW (0.21); GL (0.98); CI (85.71); SI (86.36); PI (200); PPI (72.41) (1individual measured).

Head: Head rectangular, longer than broad in full face view; occipital margin straight; occipital corners less distinct, more round; lateral sides almost parallel; anterior clypeal margin convex, emarginate in the middle; eyes small, with 4 less distinct facets in their greatest diameters, located below the mid points of the lateral sides of head; mandibles triangular, the masticatory border with 3 prominent apical teeth, and 5 less distinct basal teeth; antennae short, 12-segmented, scape stout, falling short by nearly 1/6 of its length to reach the occipital corners, club 4-segmented.

Mesosoma, Petiole and Postpetiole: In profile view promesonotum high and convex nearly arched, promesonotal suture less distinct; mesometanotum suture well marked making a deep and wide groove; propodeum distinctly lower than promesonotum, dorsum more flat, forms a gentle slope towards apex; propodeal spines short, acute, as long as 2/5 the range of their bases; propodeal plates broad, roughly rectangular, slightly shorter than propodeal spines, bluntly angled on posterodorsal and posteroventral corners; petiole long, petiolar node approximately as long as anterior peduncle, anteroventral face straight, posteroventral face slightly concave, anteroventral corner of petiole bluntly angled; postpetiolar dorsum round, ventral face weakly concave, anteroventral corner strongly extruding.

Gaster: Gaster ovate, smooth and shining all over.

Sculpture: Head retirugose, except longitudinal irregular rugae in between the frontal carinae; mandibles indistinctly striate; clypeus smooth; promesonotal dorsum with distinct retirugose sculpture, sides of pronotum with indistinct rugae; propodeum and sides of mesonotum retirugose; propodeal declivity smooth; dorsum of petiolar peduncle with a fine longitudinal central carina; petiole and postpetiole interweaved with fine, less distinct longitudinal rugae; gaster smooth and shining except a few short rugae at base.

Pilosity: Body clothed with sub-erect to erect hairs, more abundant on the head and gaster; on mesosomal surface hairs erect, sparse and scattered; shorter subdecumbent hairs on antennae and legs; decumbent pubescence on antennae and legs, more dense on antennal funiculus.

Color: Head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and middle of gaster blackish brown; mandibles, antennae, legs, and remaining part of gaster yellowish brown; eyes black; pilosity yellowish white.

Type Material
Holotype worker: India, Himachal Pradesh, Jhitingri, 32.006475N, 76.839237E, 1750m above msl, 27.vi.2010, hand picking. No paratypes. (coll. Yash Paul Sharma and Irfan Gul). Depository:, Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection, Patiala, India.

Etymology
The species is named after the type locality, Jhitingri.