Myrmica kothiensis

This species was collected from a patchy Cedrus forest with grass cover. The workers were collected from under a stone in highly moist soil. The area is located under the foothills of Peer-Panjal range of the Himalayas and is covered with snow from October to mid-March.

Identification
Bharti & Sharma (2013) - Myrmica kothiensis belongs to inezae group as it possesses long peduncle, long propodeal spines and antennae feebly curved at the base without any trace of lobe or carina, but it well differs from Myrmica inezae, Myrmica radchenkoi and Myrmica rigatoi by the presence of coarse reticulation on pronotal dorsum, transverse rugosity on meso-propodeal dorsum, and other morphometric differences (ESLI 0.33, ESDI 1.54 and ESL 0.28–0.31) (in M. inezae whole of the mesosoma dorsum with transversal rugae, in M. radchenkoi with longitudinal rugae on pronotum, and in M. rigatoi with reticulate sculpture on whole mesosoma, in M. inezae ESLI 0.42, ESDI 1.36 and ESL 0.39, in M. radchenkoi ESLI 0.42, ESDI 1.18 and ESL 0.34–0.36, and in M. rigatoi ESLI 0.52, ESDI 0.95 and ESL 0.46). M. kothiensis also well differs from its closely related newly discovered Myrmica curvispinosa and Myrmica religiosa. In M. curvispinosa propodeal spines are curved at tips, and sides of the pronotum with transverse rugae, but in M. kothiensis spines are not curved, and sides of the pronotumwith reticulate sculpture. In M. religiosa propodeal dorsum has longitudinal rugosity and propodeal spines are very long (ESLI 0.37–0.44), but in M. kothiensis propodeal dorsum has transverse rugosity and propodeal spines are comparatively shorter (ESLI 0.32–0.35).

Key to Myrmica inezae species group

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  kothiensis. Myrmica kothiensis Bharti & Sharma, 2013: 126, figs. 10-12 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Head longer than wide, with slightly convex sides and rounded occipital corners; mandible with 8 teeth (apical and preapical ones are the largest), longitudinally rugulose; clypeus convex, pointed anteriorly, with coarse longitudinal rugae; frontal triangle smooth and shiny; frontal lobes narrow, frontal carinae curved outward to merge with the rugae that surround the antennal sockets; only frons with longitudinal rugae, rest of the head reticulate; antennae 12 segmented with a 4 segmented club, feebly curved at base, without any trace of lobe or carina, longitudinally rugulose, ¼th longer than head length.

Mesosoma in profile convex, pro-mesonotal dorsumcoarsely reticulate, rugose with few transverse rugae on mesonotum; sides of the pronotum with transverse rugae, rest of the mesosoma longitudinally rugose; metanotal groove longitudinally rugulose; propodeal dorsum with short transverse rugae, surface between rugae smooth and shiny; propodeal spines thick, long and straight, not curved at tips, surface between their bases transversally rugulose, declivity smooth and shiny, propodeal lobes rounded; petiole with long peduncle but reduced sub-petiolar process, dorsum of peduncle weakly rugulose, petiolar node concave anteriorly, rounded above, punctulate and reticulate, sides reticulate; postpetiolar dorsumrugulose, sides longitudinally rugulose. Gaster smooth and shiny.

Short sub-decumbent hairs on sides of the head, long erect hairs on whole head dorsum including the clypeus, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster. Short suberect hairs present on gaster as well. Head,mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster brownish-black; mandibles, legs and antennae yellowish brown.

Etymology
The species is named after its type locality, Kothi.