Parasyscia keralensis

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Parasyscia keralensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Parasyscia
Species: P. keralensis
Binomial name
Parasyscia keralensis
(Karmaly, 2012)

Bharti & Akbar (2013): Cerapachys keralensis Karmaly, 2012 described on the basis of two minor? workers collected from the Palakkad district of Kerala. The new species is highly dubious. The description is minimal, superficial and contains no comparative notes. The photographs are derisory as illustrations supporting the inadequate descriptions. Cerapachys keralensis Karmaly, 2012 is here considered to be a species inquirenda.

Identification

Karmaly et al. (2012) - Cerapachys keralensis closely resembles to Cerapachys rissi (=Cerapachys sulcinodis) in following features: 1. Antennae 12 jointed., 2. The constriction between basal two segments of abdomen very deep, 3. Head, thorax, abdomen black, shiny; Mandibles, clypeus, antennae, legs reddish yellow. However Cerapachys keralensis differs from Cerapachys rissi in having: 1. Abdomen punctured (in Cerapachys rissiabdomen smooth)., 2. Pedicel with projection beneath (In Cerapachys rissi pedicel without projection beneath)., 3. Whole body covered with whitish hairs (in Cerapachys rissi whole body covered with yellowish hairs).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.78333333° to 10.78333333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (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

The type material was collected from a disturbed area. Nothing more is known about the biology of Parasyscia keralensis.

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

  • keralensis. Cerapachys keralensis Karmaly, in Karmaly, et al. 2012: 157, 2 figs. (w.) INDIA (Kerala).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 1 paratype worker.
    • Type-locality: holotype India: Kerala, Palakkad, 10°47’N, 76°40’E, 84 m., 23.vi.2009 (Karmaly et al.); paratype with same data.
    • Type-depository SXAK.
    • [Note: Karmaly, et al. 2012: 158 state that type-material, “eventually will be transferred to Western Ghats Regional Station of Zoological Survey of India, Calicut” (= SZIK).]
    • Unidentifiable taxon, incertae sedis in Cerapachys: Bharti & Akbar, 2013a: 101.
    • Combination in Parasyscia: Borowiec, M.L. 2016: 205.
    • Distribution: India.

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

Description

Worker

Minor TL = 4.8 mm; HL = 1 mm; HW = 0.7 mm; CI = 70; SL = 0.6 mm; SI = 85.7; ED = 0.2 mm; PW = 0.7 mm; AL = 1.2 mm.

Colour: Head, thorax, node, gaster blackish brown; shining; antennae, mandible, legs reddish yellow; hairs whitish.

Sculpture and hair pattern: Head, thorax, node, gaster punctured; mandibles, antennae, legs smooth; whole body pubescent, covered with white hairs.

Head: Ovalo-rectangular; mandibles triangular, masticatory margin broad, obsoletely dentate; clypeus very narrow, prominent, concave, transverse; eyes round, small, lateral; antennal hollow very widened; presence of antennal scrobe; antennae 12 segmented, scape cylindrical, not reaching to the vertex; funiculus short, stout, basal joints of funiculus very short, apical joint very long, thickened, massive, pointed at apex;. Relative measurements of length of antennal segments: Scape = 0.6 mm, F1 = 0.09 mm, F2 = 0.10 mm, F3 = 0.12 mm, F4 = 0.18 mm, F5 = 0.20 mm, F6 = 0.22 mm, F7 = 0.24 mm, F8 = 0.25, F9 = 0.26, F10 = 0.28, F11 = 0.29, club (F12) = 0.4 mm.

Thorax: Arched above, short; pronotum tapering at the anterior end forming a constriction between occiput and pronotum; promeso, mesometanotal suture indistinct; legs elongate; stout; femora, tibia cylindrical; tibia pectinate.

Gaster: Pedicel single jointed, nodiform, nearly square, broader than long, pedicel with a projection beneath; gaster five segmented, truncate, slightly concave in front, slightly convex above, elongate, basal segment much broader posteriorly than in front, second segment wide and long, convex above; the constriction between basal two segments very deep, last 4 segment small hidden, 5th segment ends with a sting.

Type Material

Holotype: Worker minor: 10° 47’ N, 76° 40’ E, 84 m, INDIA: Kerala, Palakkad, (Karmaly & party, 23.VI.2009, Department of Zoology, Aluva). Paratype: 1W: With same data as that of holotype (Department of Zoology, Aluva). All specimens are in the collections of Department of Zoology, St. Xavier’s College for Women, Aluva, (DZSX). But eventually will be transferred to Western Ghats Regional station of Zoological Survey of India, Calicut (ZSIC).

Etymology

Named after the state from which the specimen was collected.

References