Myrmica weii

Myrmica weii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species:	M. weii
Binomial name
Myrmica weii Radchenko & Zhou, 2008

Nothing is known about the biology of Myrmica weii.

Identification

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) – A member of the pachei group. It well differs from M. pachei and M. villosa by the much coarser transverse rugosity on the propodeal and mesonotal dorsum and reticulated pronotal dorsum. Its head margins have numerous long suberect hairs, and by this feature it is similar to Myrmica pleiorhytida, Myrmica multiplex, Myrmica yunnanensis and Myrmica heterorhytida. It differs from the first species by its distinctly longer head (CI > 1.20 vs. < 1.15), it has a much lower petiole than M. multiplex (PI1 1.68 vs. < 1.55), and has coarser transversal rugosity on the alitrunk dorsum than M. yunnanensis and M. heterorhytida (number of the rugae on this area ≤ 20 vs. ≥ 25). In some respects M. weii resembles Myrmica inezae for which it was mistaken when first collected. It well differs from that species by its reticulated pronotal dorsum whereas the whole alitrunk dorsum of M. inezae is transversely rugose, and especially by the shape of petiole and propodeal spines.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Myrmica of China
• Key to Myrmica of South and South East Asia
• Key to Myrmica pachei-group

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in the Shaanxi Province, China

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

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.

• weii. Myrmica weii Radchenko & Zhou, in Radchenko, Zhou, et al. 2008: 779, figs. 39-43 (w.) CHINA. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 322.

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

Description

Worker

Head suboval, distinctly longer than broad, with convex sides and occipital margin, and very widely roundcd occipital corners; anterior clypcal margin widely convex, neither prominent nor notched medially. Mandibles with 7 teerh. Frontal carinae do not curve outwards and do not merge with rugae which surround antennal sockets. Frons wide, frontal lobes not extended. Scape of moderate length, shorter than head length, gradually curved at the base, without any trace of lobe or carina.

Alitrunk with convex promesonotal dorsum, promesonotal suture indistinct dorsally. Metanotal groove deep. Propodeal lobes rounded apically. Propodeal spines of moderate length, acute, straight, not widened at the base, inclined at about 45°. Petiole long and low, anterior face of node straight, not sleep, node dorsum long and very feebly convex, somewhat sloping posteriorly. Anterior and dorsal surfaces of postpetiole forming a regular arch. Spurs of middle und hind tibiae well developed and pectinate.

Frons with moderately fine straight, distinctly divergent rugae, numbering more than 20 between the frontal carinae level with the eyes; occiput and temples with moderately fine reticulation. Surface between rugae very densely punctate, appears dull. Clypeus finely longitudinally rugulose; clypeus and frontal triangle with very fine superficial microsculpture, appear shiny; mandibles longitudinally rugose.

Pronotual dorsum with coarse reticulation, lower half of its sides with longitudinal sinuous rugae; mesonotum and propodeal dorsum with less than 20 coarse transversal rugae. Mesopleura and lower part of sides of propodeum longitudinally rugose: surface between rugae smooth and shiny. Petiolar node and postpetiole with sinuous longitudinal rugosity, surface between rugae finely superficially punctate, but appears shiny. Gaster with very fine superficial microreticulation, but shiny.

Head margins with moderately long suberect hairs. Alitrunk and waist with long standing hairs, of which more than 15 occur on petiole. Scape and tibiae with quite long subdecumbent hairs.

Body colour reddish-brown. Appendages somewhat lighter.

Measurements (mm) and indices of the holotype worker: HL 1.77, HW 1.46, FW 0.62, FLW 0.63, SL 1.55, AL 2.60, HTL 1.65, PNW 1.03, PL 0.81, PW 0.40, PH 0.49, PPL 0.60, PPW 0.57, PPH 0.60, ESL 0.50, ESD 0.60, CI 1.21, FI 0.43, FLI 1.02, SI1 0.88, SI2 1.07, PI1 1.68, PI2 0.56, PI3 0.27, PPI1 1.00, PPI2 1.05, PPI3 1.44, PPI4 0.39, ESLI 0.35, ESDI 1.15.

Type Material

Holotype, w, China, Shaanxi Prov., Houzhenzi, July 251997, Cong Wei leg. (Guilin)

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named for the collector, the Chinese entomologist Prof. Cong Wei of The Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, China.

References

• Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the pachei species-group of the genus Myrmica Latreille. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa) 59: 67-92.
• Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2010. Myrmica ants of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3: 1-789.
• Radchenko, A.G., Zhou, S., Elmes, G.W. & Rigato, F. 2008. Seven new Myrmica species from China. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa) 58: 767-784.

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.
• Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.