Monomorium hiten

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Terayama (1996) - Separated from the other East Asian congeners by the yellow colored body with a pair of large brown spots on the 1st gastral tergite in worker.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

Nomenclature

 *  hiten. Monomorium hiten Terayama, 1996: 26, figs. 57-59 (w.q.) JAPAN.

Worker
Holotype. HL 0.35 mm; HW 0.30 mm; SL 0.23 mm; CI 86; SI 77; WL 0.40 mm; PL 0.14 mm; PH 0.14 mm; DPW 0.11 mm; TL 1.4 mm.

Head rectangular, 1.17 x as long as wide, with weakly convex sides and concave posterior margin in frontal view. Mandibles with 3 teeth of which basalmost smallest. Clypeus with a pair of indistinct longitudinal carinae; anterior margin weakly concave. Eyes 0.03 mm in length, each consisting of ca. 12 facets. Antennae with 12 segments; scape short, not reaching the posterior margin of head; terminal segment longer than the preceding 2 segments combined.

Dorsum of promesonotum convex in lateral view; metanotal groove distinct; dorsum of propodeum convex, dorsolateral corner not fornting an angle. Petiole 0.87x as long as high, with broadly rounded ventral margin; node subtriangular with convex dorsal margin. Postpetiole 0.75x as long as high; dorsal width 1.10x dorsal width of petiole.

Entire body smooth and shining. Five pairs of elect hairs present on the dorsum of alitrunk; a pair on the dorsum of both petiole and postpetiole.

Body yellow; 1st gastral tergite with a pair of large brown spots.

Paratypes. Paratype workers show small variation in head length (0.35-0.38 mm) and in head width (0.30-0.32 mm).

Queen
Paratype. HL 0.50 mm; HW 0.45 mm; SL 0.33 mm; CI 90; SI 73; WL 0.93 mm; AW 0.30 mm; PL 0.30 mm; PH0.28mm; DPW0.23mm; TL3.1 mm(n = 1). Eyes 0.13 mm in length.

Head and alitrunk yellow; ground color of gaster yellow; 1st tergite with a pair of large brown spots; 2nd to 4th tergites each with a transverse brown apical band.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Yonaguni-jima, Okinawa Pref., II.VIII.I989, H. Takamine leg.

Paratypes. 3 females, 30 workers, same data as holotype.

Etymology
The specific name is the Japanese noun hiten, which means a heavenly maiden in buddhism.