Myrmica religiosa

Myrmica religiosa has been collected by hand under stones in a dry forested area of Chaurangi khal, Uttarakhand, India. The forest is inhabited by the Cedrus, Oak and Rhododendron, surrounded by patches of Pinus. The area has numerous anthropogenic activities. The recorded temperature and humidity at the collection site was 30°C and 65%.

Identification
Bharti & Sharma (2013) - Myrmica religiosa shows some intermediate characters between Myrmica inezae and other species of the inezae group (promesonotal dorsum and sides of the pronotum with transverse rugosity), but longitudinal sculpture of the propodeum clearly separates it from Myrmica inezae. Myrmica religiosa differs from Myrmica curvispinosa by a smooth postpetiolar dorsumand a straight propodeal spine, as in M. curvispinosa the postpetiolar dorsumis longitudinally rugulose and has a curved propodeal spine. Both Myrmica kothiensis and Myrmica religiosa have longitudinal rugae on the metanotal groove and longitudinal rugulae on the postpetiole, but Myrmica religiosa differs from the latter by the very long propodeal spines and long petiole: ESLI 0.37–0.44, PI1 1.73 and ESDI 1.19–1.24 vs. ESLI 0.32–0.35, PI1 1.62 and ESDI 1.41-1.71 in Myrmica kothiensis.

Key to Myrmica inezae species group

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  religiosa. Myrmica religiosa Bharti & Sharma, 2013: 127, figs. 13-15 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Head longer than wide, with feebly convex occipital corners; mandibles with 8–9 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 highly polished, smooth and shiny; frontal carinae curved outwards to merge with the rugae that surround the antennal sockets; only anterior part of fronswith longitudinal rugae, remaining part of head dorsum reticulate, surface between rugae appears shiny; antennae 12 segmented with 4 segmented club, scape feebly curved at base, without any trace of lobe or carina, ¼th longer than head, longitudinally rugulose, punctulate.

Mesosoma forming a regular arch in profile, promesonotal suture indistinct dorsally, pronotal dorsum reticulate anteriorly; mesonotal dorsum transversally rugose; metanotal groove longitudinally rugose; propodeal dorsum with longitudinal rugae (propodeum reticulate in some specimens) except for a single transverse ruga on anterior side; propodeal spines thick, long and pointed, not curved at tips, propodeal lobes rounded, declivity smooth and shiny; sides of pronotum transversally rugose, rest of the mesosoma with longitudinal rugae, without punctures, rugae on sides of mesosoma do not merge with rugae on propodeal dorsum; petiole with long peduncle and well developed sub-petiolar process, peduncle and anterior face of petiolar node with faint longitudinal rugulosity, petiolar node concave anteriorly, sides reticulate; postpetiole sub-globular, longitudinally rugulose, without punctures. Gaster smooth and shiny.

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

Type Material


Note that the spelling of the type locality is given variously as Chourangi Khal, Chowrangi Khal, Chaurangi Khal and Chaurangi Khaal (with "Khal" and "Khaal" in upper or lower case). The spellings given in the original publication include Chourangi khaal, Chourangi khal and Chaurangi khal (Nachiketa taal).

Etymology
The specific epithet refers to its type locality Chaurangi khal (Nachiketa taal) which is of religious glory. The famous worship place of Nachiketa, the child protagonist in ancient Hindu fable.