Myrmica oui

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Myrmica oui
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Myrmica
Species: M. oui
Binomial name
Myrmica oui
Chen, Zhou & Huang, 2016

Chen, Z., Zhou, S., Huang, J hal23.jpg

Chen, Z., Zhou, S., Huang, J had23.jpg

This species was found nesting under the litter layer and soil layer in broadleaf forest, at elevation 1202m.

Identification

Chen et al. (2016) - This species belongs to the draco-complex of the ritae species group that includes Myrmica draco, Myrmica poldii, Myrmica schoedli, Myrmica yamanei. The workers of this species complex seems to be intermediate between the ritae-complex and boltoni-complex, but differs from the latter two by head dorsum and mesosoma rugose, petiole and postpetiole finely striated and punctuated, space of head dorsum between rugae punctuated. In terms of geography, M. oui and M. draco may be occupying similar niches, but former differs from the latter by mesonotum abruptly curving down to the propodeum to form a distinct, deep and wide metanotal groove; in dorsal view, the dorsum of propodeum behind the metanotal groove bears a distinct U−shaped coarse ruga; first gastral tergite with clear superficial hexagonal microsculpture; body large (HW=1.38), dorsum of head with some dark patches. Given these obvious morphological differences, we are certain that M. oui is not a variety of M. draco but an independent science species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • oui. Myrmica oui Chen, Zhue & Huang, 2016: 105, figs. 23-25 (w.) CHINA.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. HL 1.50, HW 1.32, FW 0.53, FLW 0.55, SL 1.60, PW 1.00, ML 2.25, PL 0.63, PH 0.40, ESL 0.68, CI 1.14, FI 0.40, FLI 1.04, SI1 1.07, SI2 1.21, ESLI 0.51. Paratypes (n = 2). HL 1.44−1.50, HW 1.28−1.33, FI 0.40−0.43, FLI 1.04−1.06, SL 1.56−1.59, PW 1.00−1.08, ML 2.10−2.17, PL 0.63−0.67, PH 0.40−0.45, ESL 0.63−0.64, CI 1.10−1.18, FW 0.50−0.59, FLW 0.50−0.56, SI1 1.02−1.08, SI2 0.77−0.80, ESLI 0.50−0.55.

Holotype worker. Head longer than broad, with very feebly convex sides, nearly straight posterior margin and broadly rounded posterior corners. Anterior clypeal margin very feebly convex, notched medially. Frontal carinae curved, merging with the rugae that extend to the posterior third dorsum of head. Frons wide, frontal lobes not extended, but raised vertically (i.e. perpendicular to the surface of the head). Antennal scape relatively long (SI2 1.21), longer than head width, gradually though distinctly curved at the base, without any trace of lobe or carina.

Mesosoma relatively short (compared to related species), promesonotal dorsum in profile view finely convex, promesonotal suture in dorsal view indistinct; mesonotum abruptly curved down to propodeum to form distinct, deep and wide metanotal groove. Propodeal lobes projecting to form short and blunt triangle. Propodeal spines relatively long, widened at the base, directly backward and downward. Petiole relatively long and narrow, with strongly concave of anterior surface, dorsum of node feebly convex, with distinct dorsal plate; postpetiole as shown in figures, slightly shorter than high.

Head with fine, almost straight, posteriorly diverging longitudinal rugae on the whole dorsum, eight rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes. Posterior part and sides of the head without reticulations, spaces between rugae densely punctate, dull. Clypeus with longitudinal rugae, surface between rugae shiny. Frontal triangle smooth and shiny.

Dorsum of mesosoma with coarse reticulation, lateral sides with coarse sinuous longitudinal rugae. Lower part of mesopleuron and sides of propodeum with coarse longitudinal rugae. In dorsal view, dorsum of propodeal behind the metanotal groove with a distinct U-shaped coarse rugae. Petiole and postpetiole at most with very fine sculptures or short irregular rugae and dense, though not coarse, punctures and dull.

Head posterior margin with long suberect hairs; mesosoma dorsum with longer hairs, petiole with 6−8 long hairs. Antennal scape with suberect hairs. Tibiae with subdecumbent hairs. Head, gaster and petiole and postpetiole brownish-red, dorsum of head with some dark patches. Mesosoma black to blackish-brown.

Paratypes. As holotype, but in one individual, petiole only with 4 long hairs.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Kuankuoshui, Guizhou Prov., China, 28°14'24"N, 107°12'00"E, 1202m. 16.viii.2010, leg. Duoduo Ye, No. G100231. Paratypes. 4 workers, data as holotype. Deposited in the Insect Collection of Guangxi Normal University.

Etymology

The specific epithet is the last name of a famous Chinese artist in the Tang Dynasty, Yanxun Ou.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Chen Z. L., S. Y. Zhou, and J. H. Huang. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551: 85–128.