Lepisiota annandalei

Although infrequent in collections, this species seems widespread across India. Workers have mostly been hand collected from tree trunks and honey baits (Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Identification
This species has largely been misidentified as Afrotropical Lepisiota simplex due to its superficial resemblance with the latter. The small to medium-sized workers can be distinguished from the somewhat similar Lepisiota lunaris by their smooth and shiny body, a dorsally emarginate petiole and few setae on the pronotum; L. lunaris has a relatively dull and microreticulate body, a bispinose petiole and several pairs of setae scattered on the mesosoma including the propodeum (Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Distribution
India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, West Bengal) (Bharti et al. 2016; Wachkoo et al., 2021).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  annandalei. Acantholepis annandalei Mukerjee, 1930: 156, fig. 4 (w.) INDIA. Combination in Lepisiota: Bolton, 1995b: 226.

Description
Worker

Mukerjee (1930): Head sub-quadrate, nearly as long as broad; occiput not emarginate; antennal and clypeal hollows confluent; antennal carinae sub parallel, short; clypeus triangular, convex, carinate in the middle; antennae 11-jointed, the scapes extending beyond the posterior corners of the head by one-half their length; maxillary palpi 6-jointed; labial palpi 4-jointed; eyes prominent, about the middle of the head; ocelli present. Pronotum convex, circular in outline when viewed from above, pro-mesonotum viewed dorsally obvate; pro-mesonotal suture distinct; mesonotum convex from side to side, wider than long. Thorax deeply emarginate at the meso-metanotal suture. Scutellar region distinct and dorsally provided with two blunt tubercles. Basal portion of the metanotum with two short, stout, conical and blunt spines thick at the base and directed backwards and upwards; apical portion with small lateral blunt tubercles; node squamiform, shallowly emarginate at its upper surface and with two minute straight spines. Gaster broadly oval. Body black, abdomen shining, pubescence absent, with a few scattered erect hairs on the head and the posterior end of abdomen.

Harshana and Dey (2022):

Head: Head little longer than broad, sides slightly convex, posterior margin about straight, posterolateral corners rounded and head covered with sparse appressed pubescence (Fig. 5C); palp formula 6,4 and third maxillary segment from base longest of all segments; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin, third and fourth tooth from apex smaller than other teeth; antennae 11 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head not more than 1/3rd of its length; antennal insertions touching posterior clypeal margin and a pair of erect setae present little behind the antennal insertions; clypeus dorsally convex, having sparsely distributed appressed pubescence, posterior margin having a pair of long yellowish erect setae while anterior margin with two pairs of long yellowish erect setae with a downwardly directed long median seta, anterior clypeal margin weakly convex; eyes broadly oval, placed at about mid-length of head and covering about 1/3rd lateral margin of head; three ocelli present with a pair of erect setae in between the lateral ocelli.

Mesosoma: Promesonotum in profile view dome-shaped and convex, metanotum at a lower than promesonotum (Fig. 5A); pronotum with 2–5 erect setae and mesonotum with a pair of erect setae; propodeum with pointed tubercles and propodeal declivity steep; mesosoma with sparse appressed pubescence. Metasoma: Petiole upright, without distinct teeth, emarginated dorsally while its sides are convex; gaster with sparsely distributed erect setae; metasoma covered with sparse appressed pubescence; acidopore well-developed with the fringe of hairs.

Sculpture and colour: Head, mesosoma, and metasoma are smooth and shining except for rugulose mesopleuron. Body uniformly black; mandible, antennae, trochanters, tarsi, fore tibiae, the distal and proximal end of mid and hind tibiae yellowish-brown to brown.

Measurements (n = 4): EL: 0.17–0.18; HL: 0.54–0.57; HW: 0.49–0.51; MML: 0.22– 0.24; PH: 0.23–0.24; PRW: 0.34–0.36; SL: 0.55–0.56; TL: 2.19–2.34; WL: 0.69–0.74; CI: 89–94; OI: 35; REL: 31–33; SI: 108–114.