Lasius coloratus Santschi 1937

Seifert, Bernhard, 2020, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the subgenus Lasius s. str. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Soil Organisms 92 (1), pp. 15-86 : 76

4.4.50 Lasius coloratus Santschi 1937

Lasius niger st. coloratus Santschi 1937

[type investigation]

Type material: Lectotype (des. E.O. Wilson) and paralectotype worker labelled in Santschi‘s handwriting ” Lasius niger .... coloratus Sant “, ”Musha Formosa K. Sato“, ” Type “; depository NHM Basel.

All material examined. A total of 13 samples with 36 workers were subject to NUMOBAT investigation. These originated from continental China (11 samples) and Taiwan (2). For details see supplementary information SI1.

Geographic range. Distributed over the Chinese provinces Sichuan and Shaanxi from 28.82°N, 103.06°E to 34°N, 109°E. The two sites in Taiwan are at 23.5°N, 120.7°E and 24.0°N, 121.1 °E. The elevation of 13 sites was 1388 ± 517 [583, 2490] meters.

Biology. The species was always connected to woodland both in continental China and in Taiwan.

Diagnosis ( Tab. 10 , Figs. 95 –96; key; images in www. antWeb.org with specimen identifiers CASENT0906278 and CASENT0912290):

Rather large (CS 985 µm). Head and scape length indices rather large (CL/CW 900 1.083, SL/CS 900 1.029). Postocular and torulo-clypeal distances large (PoOc/CL 900 0.250, dClAn 900 5.23); terminal segment of maxillary palp long (MP6/CS 900 0.209). Number of mandibular dents medium (MaDe 900 8.28). Pubescence on clypeus moderately dense (sqPDCL 900 4.69); frontal pubescence of medium length (PLF 900 29.5). Pubescence surface on body and appendages rough. Setae of medium length and numerous (PnHL/CS 900 0.156, GuHL/CS 900 0.102, nOcc 900 14.6, nGen 900 5.5, nGu 900 6.2, nSc 900 24.6, nHT 900 22.0). Sculpture on metapleuron, lower propodeum and often pronotum differing from the condition in species related to Lasius niger or L. japonicus in having regular, slightly curved, dense longitudinal carinulae and delicate microstructures within the meshes of the microreticulum. This produces a matt overall surface appearance at lower magnifications. Coloration: more or less bicolored. The lighter forms have the mesosoma pale yellowish-reddish brown, the dorsum of head slightly and the gaster notably darker. The darker forms have the mesosoma medium reddish brown, the dorsum of head dark brown with a reddish tinge and the gaster blackish brown.

Comments: For differences to the sister species Lasius sichuense sp. nov., see there.

Figures

Figs. 95 and 96: Lasius coloratus; CASENT0906278, photo E. Ortega