Myrmica curvispinosa

Myrmica curvispinosa has been collected by the hand picking method from a nest under stones in a patchy Cedrus forest in a temperate region of the Himalayas. The forest was surrounded by cultivated fields and an apple orchard. The temperature recorded at the site was 23°C. One paratype and ergatoid were collected from another locality (Kothi, Himachal Pardesh, India), beneath a stone in moist soil. The area was surrounded by a patchy Cedrus forest with grass cover and located under the foothills of Peer-Panjal range of the Himalayas, covered with snow from October to mid-March.

Identification
Bharti & Sharma (2013) - Myrmica curvispinosa belongs to the inezae group due to a very long petiole (PI1 1.71), shape and length of spine and sculpture of mesosoma dorsum. It well differs from other species of this group, Myrmica rigatoi and Myrmica radchenkoi by comparatively much shorter propodeal spines (ESLI 0.35, whereas in M. rigatoi and M. radchenkoi ESLI 0.52 and 0.42, respectively). However, due to some transverse rugosity on mesosoma it is somewhat similar to Myrmica inezae, but differs considerably from it by the following combination of characters: in M. inezae whole mesosoma dorsum, the petiole and postpetiole have coarse transversal rugosity and propodeal spines are much longer (ESLI 0.42), whereas in M. curvispinosa sp. nov. pronotum reticulate, mesopropodeum transverse, and petiole reticulate-rugulose, the postpetiole is smooth and shiny and propodeal spines are much shorter (ESLI 0.28–0.35). Moreover, both species show significant differences in the morphology of gyne as well. In M. curvispinosa the scutum is separated from the scutellum by a convex ridge, propodeal spines are comparatively short, and the peiole has a very long peduncle (ESLI 0.29, PI1 1.71). Whereas in M. inezae a concave ridge separates the scutum from the scutellum, propodeal spines are much longer, and the petiole has a shorter peduncle (ESLI 0.41, PI1, 1.63).

Key to Myrmica inezae species group

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  curvispinosa. Myrmica curvispinosa Bharti & Sharma, 2013: 124, figs. 1-9 (w.q.) INDIA.

Worker
Head longer than wide, sides slightly convex, occipital corners evenly rounded; mandibles with 9 teeth (apical and preapical ones are the largest), longitudinally rugulose without punctures; clypeus convex, pointed anteriorly, longitudinally rugose, surface between rugae smooth and shiny; frontal triangle polished, smooth and shiny; frontal lobes narrow, frontal carinae merge with the rugae that surround the antennal sockets, anterior half of the frons with longitudinal rugae, less than 15 rugae between frontal carinae at the level of eyes, remaining part of head dorsum reticulate, surface between rugae appears shiny; antennae 12 segmented with 4 segmented club, scape feebly curved at the base, without any trace of lobe or carina, longitudinally rugulose, punctulate, ¼th longer than head length.

Mesosoma forming a regular arch in profile, pronotal dorsum coarsely reticulate with few transverse rugae, promesonotal suture indistinct;mesonotum with coarse transverse rugae; metanotal groove smooth, few longitudinal rugulae on sides of metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum with coarse transverse rugae, propodeal spines long, pointed, directed backward, tips weakly curved upward, propodeal lobes rounded, propodeal declivity smooth and shiny; sides of pronotum reticulate, rest of the mesosoma longitudinally rugose without punctures, rugae on sides of mesosomamerge with transverse rugae on propodeal dorsum; petiole with long peduncle (PI1 1.71) and well developed sub-petiolar process, petiolar dorsum reticulaterugulose, sides reticulate; postpetiole sub-globular, little longer than wide, dorsum smooth and shiny, sides rugulose. Gaster smooth and shiny.

Short sub-decumbent hairs present on head, more dense on sides. Long erect hairs on head dorsum including clypeus, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster. Short suberect hairs also present on gaster. Head,mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster brownish-black; mandibles, antennae and legs reddish-brown.

Queen
Similar to worker except pronotal dorsum transversally rugose, reticulate on sides, rest of the mesosoma longitudinally rugose; scutum and scutellum shiny, costate, without punctures; transverse rugulosity encircles scutellum posteriorly, sclerite between scutellum and propodeum transversally rugulose; propodeum with divergent rugae, propodeal spines shorter, surface between spines transversally regulate; declivity smooth and shiny; propodeal lobes rounded.

Ergatoid. Similar to worker except the posterior part of the clypeus is much more convex, propodeal spines thick, gaster exceptionally long and wide as compared to workers. Short depressed hairs on head and mesosoma, long scattered hairs on head, petiole, postpetiole and gaster.

Etymology
The species is named after the shape of propodeal spines, which are curved at the tips.