Nylanderia taylori

This species is widespread in India. It has been reported through most parts of India and Sri Lanka (Forel 1894, Bingham 1903). The workers were collected in leaf litter, rotting wood and underneath stones. (Wachkoo and Bharti 2015)

Identification
Wachkoo and Bharti (2015) - N. taylori resembles most to Indonesian Nylanderia kraepelini, but can be easily separated from latter by larger eyes (facets > 50) and darker brown body whilst N. kraepelini is characterized by small eyes (facets < 25) and pale brown body.

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

Nomenclature

 *  taylori. Prenolepis taylori Forel, 1894c: 410, fig. 2 (w.q.m.) INDIA. Combination in Pr. (Nylanderia): Forel, 1913d: 438; in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 220; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Current subspecies: nominal plus levis.

Worker
Wachkoo and Bharti (2015) - HL 0.55-0.63 mm; HW 0.46-0.53 mm; EL 0.15-0.17 mm; SL 0.52-0.61 mm; PW 0.32-0.40 mm; PrFL 0.40-0.50 mm; PrFW 0.12-0.16 mm; WL 0.63-0.72 mm. Indices: CI 80.00-84.00; SI 111.90-120.45; REL 26.31-28.00 (n = 15).

Head is mostly oval; distinctly longer than wide, lateral margins strongly convex, posterior margin concave to convex with rounded posterolateral corners. Clypeus subcarinate in the middle; anterior clypeal margin shallowly concave. Eyes oval, weakly convex, large, covering one-third of lateral cephalic margin; three small ocelli present. Antennae relatively shorter, scape surpasses the posterior margin by not more than one-third their length.

Metanotal groove relatively weakly developed, in lateral view interrupts the regular promesonotal convexity from propodeum; metanotal area short. Dorsal face of propodeum much shorter than declivitous face; in lateral view, propodeum lower than remainder of dorsum, dorsally angular; declivity steep. Petiole low, inclined forward with rounded dorsum.

Overall cuticle dull and opaque covered with fine punctulae; clypeus and mesosoma relatively shining. Body covered with dense pubescence on the head and gaster, less so on the mesosoma. Scape with erect macrosetae and abundant appressed to decumbent pubescence (SMC = 30-45). Mesosoma with erect macrosetae of varying lengths (PMC = 3-6; MMC = 2-4).

Head and gaster are brown; mesosoma varies from yellow to brown; antennae and legs yellow to yellowish brown.

Queen
Wachkoo and Bharti (2015) - HL 0.73-0.74 mm; HW 0.69-0.72 mm; EL 0.24-0.25 mm; SL 0.72-0.74 mm; PrFL 0.65-0.68 mm; PrFW 0.20-0.21 mm; WL 1.20-1.30 mm. Indices: CI 94.31-97.01; SI 102.94-103.53; REL 32.84-33.15 (n = 2).

Generally matches worker description, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: head subquadrate with concave posterior margin; petiole concave above; coloration pattern lighter than in workers with yellowbrown head, mesosoma and antennae; legs yellow; gaster brown (SMC 60 = 65; PMC = 9- 11; MMC = 47-54).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, M. Bharti, and M. Pfeiffer. 2013. Ant species richness, endemicity and functional groups, along an elevational gradient in the Himalayas. Asian Myrmecology 5: 79-101.
 * Chen Y., C.-W. Luo, H. W Li, Z. H. Xu, Y. J. Liu, and S. J. Zhao. 2011. The investigation of soil ant resources on the West slope of Mt Ailao. Hubei Agricultural Sciences 50(7): 1356-1359.
 * 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.
 * Forel A. 1902. Variétés myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 46: 284-296.
 * Forel A. 1903. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part X. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 14: 679-715.
 * Forel A. 1913. Quelques fourmis des Indes, du Japon et d'Afrique. Rev. Suisse Zool. 21: 659-673
 * Forel A. 1913. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise nach Ostindien ausgeführt im Auftrage der Kgl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin von H. v. Buttel-Reepen. II. Ameisen aus Sumatra, Java, Malacca und Ceylon. Gesammelt von Herrn Prof. Dr. v. Buttel-Reepen in den Jahren 1911-1912. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 36:1-148.
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Hua Li-zhong. 2006. List of Chinese insects Vol. IV. Pages 262-273. Sun Yat-sen university Press, Guangzhou. 539 pages.
 * Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
 * Ran H., and S. Y. Zhou. 2012. Checklist of chinese ants: formicomorph subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) II. Journal of Guangxi Normal University: Natural Science Edition 30(4): 81-91.
 * Tak N. 2008. Ants of Rajasthan. Conserving Biodiversity of Rajasthan Zool. Surv. India. 149-155.
 * Tak N. 2009. Ants Formicidae of Rajasthan. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Paper No. 288, iv, 46 p
 * Tak N., and S. I. Kazmi. 2013. On some ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Nagaland, India. Rec. zool. Surv. India: 113(1): 169-182.
 * Tang J., Li S., Huang E., Zhang B. and Chen Y. 1995. Hymenoptera: Formicidae (1). Economic Insect Fauna of China 47: 1-133.
 * Tiwari R.N., B.G. Kundu, S. Roychowdhury, S.N. Ghosh. 1999. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Pp. 211-294 in: Director; Zoological Survey of India (ed.) 1999. Fauna of West Bengal. Part 8. Insecta (Trichoptera, Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera and Anoplura). Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, iv + 442 pp.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1937. Additions to the ant-fauna of Krakatau and Verlaten Island. Treubia 16: 21-24.
 * Wheeler, William Morton. 1924. Ants of Krakatau and Other Islands in the Sunda Strait. Treubia. 5(1-3):1-20.
 * Xu Z. H., J. G. Li, Q. Z. Fu, and Q. Z. Long. 2001. A Study on the Ant Communities on West Slope at Different Elevation of theGaoligongshan Mountain Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Zoological Research 22(1): 58-63.
 * Yamane S. 2013. A Review of the ant fauna of the Krakatau Islands, Indonesia. Bull. Kitakyushu Mus. Nat. Hist. Hum. Hist. Ser: A, 11: 1-66
 * Zhang Z., M. Cao, X. Yang, X. Deng, and Y. She. 2000. A study on species diversity of ant in fragments of seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, China. Zoological Research 21(1): 70-75.