Myrmica indica

Poorly known, this species lives in open forests at an altitude of about 2500m above mean sea level (Radchenko & Elmes, 2010; Bharti et al., 2016).

Identification
A member of the ritae complex of the ritae species group. Myrmica alperti had a more robust body and shorter appendages, a differently shaped petiole and more rounded apically propodeal lobes; Myrmica weberi was distinctly smaller and more "glossy" with frontal carinae that curve outwards to merge with the ruga that surround the antennal socket. All three forms resemble Myrmica serica by the sculpture on the head dorsum, but differ from the latter by the absence of standing hairs on the genae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Bhutan, India, Nepal.

Nomenclature

 *  indica. Myrmica ritae subsp. indica Weber, 1950b: 221 (w.) INDIA. Radchenko & Elmes, 1998: 11 (q.m.). Raised to species: Radchenko, 1994a: 44. See also: Elmes & Radchenko, 2009: 117; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 152.

Type Material

 * Lectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 1998): worker, “Tonglu, E. Himalayas, 10,000 ft., 22.04.10 (C. W. Beebe)” (MCZ).
 * Paralectotype (designated by Radchenko & Elmes, 1998): 2 workers, with the same label as lectotype (MCZ).

Type Material
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - Lectotype, w (designated by Radchenko and Elmes 1998), "Tonglu, E. Himalayas, 10,000 ft., 22.04.10 (C. W. Beebe)" (HARVARD); paralectotype: worker, with same label (HARVARD)

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from the Latin word indica = pertaining to India.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H., S. Sasi, and A. Radchenko. 2016. Biogeography and ecology of Myrmica species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Himalayan regions. Sociobiology 63(3): 956-975.
 * Bhoje P. M., K. Shilpa, and T. V. Sathe. 2014. Diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India. Uttar Pradesh J. Zool. 34(1): 23-25.
 * Elmes G. W.; A. G. Radchenko. 2009. Two new Himalayan ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) related to Myrmica indica. Vestnik Zoologii 43(2): 107-119.
 * Jansen G., R. Savolainen, K. Vespalainen. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genusMyrmica(Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 294-304.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 1998. Taxonomic revision of the ritae species-group of the genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Vestnik Zoologii 32(4): 3-27.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2001. A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Entomologica Basiliensia 23: 237-276.
 * Radchenko, A. G., and G. W. Elmes. "A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Entomologica Basiliensia 23 (2001): 237-276.