Nylanderia smythiesii (Forel, 1894)

Wachkoo, Aijaz Ahmad & Bharti, Himender, 2014, First description of the worker caste of Nylanderiasmythiesii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Biodiversity Data Journal 2, pp. 1163-1163 : 1163

Nylanderia smythiesii (Forel, 1894)

Prenolepis smythiesii Forel, 1894 - Forel 1894: 410, fig. 5 (q.m.) INDIA. Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia) : Emery 1925: 220; in Nylanderia : LaPolla et al. 2010: 127.

Materials

Type status: Syntype. Occurrence: recordedBy: A. Forel; individualCount: 1; sex: queen; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Dehradun; Record Level: institutionCode: MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland; collectionCode: CASENT0911010

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 13; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Andretta; verbatimElevation: 930 m; decimalLatitude: 32.0744; decimalLongitude: 76.5856; Event: eventDate: Jun-21-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 110; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Baijnath; verbatimElevation: 1125 m; decimalLatitude: 32.0527; decimalLongitude: 76.6500; Event: eventDate: Jun-17-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 1; sex: worker; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Bakhra; verbatimElevation: 650 m; decimalLatitude: 31.4087; decimalLongitude: 76.4327; Event: eventDate: Oct-07-2008; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 99; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Bilaspur; verbatimElevation: 520 m; decimalLatitude: 31.3423; decimalLongitude: 76.7616; Event: eventDate: Jul-01-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 204; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Chanaur; verbatimElevation: 600 m; decimalLatitude: 31.9067; decimalLongitude: 76.1428; Event: eventDate: Oct-20-2008; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 1; sex: worker; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Chohal; verbatimElevation: 450 m; decimalLatitude: 31.6666; decimalLongitude: 76.0666; Event: eventDate: Oct-08-2008; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 19; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Kotla; verbatimElevation: 500 m; decimalLatitude: 31.8821; decimalLongitude: 75.9963; Event: eventDate: Nov-30-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 9; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Kotla; verbatimElevation: 500 m; decimalLatitude: 31.8821; decimalLongitude: 75.9963; Event: eventDate: Jul-13-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 20; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Lwasa; verbatimElevation: 1200 m; decimalLatitude: 30.7394; decimalLongitude: 77.1528; Event: eventDate: Aug-27-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 6; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Nagabari; verbatimElevation: 420 m; decimalLatitude: 32.3004; decimalLongitude: 75.8901; Event: eventDate: Jun-18-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 3; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Nahan; verbatimElevation: 760 m; decimalLatitude: 30.5596; decimalLongitude: 77.2960; Event: eventDate: Sep-27-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 216; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Poanta Sahib; verbatimElevation: 420 m; decimalLatitude: 30.4384; decimalLongitude: 77.6239; Event: eventDate: May-09-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 171; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Poanta Sahib; verbatimElevation: 420 m; decimalLatitude: 30.4384; decimalLongitude: 77.6239; Event: eventDate: Aug-19-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 8; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Renuka; verbatimElevation: 600 m; decimalLatitude: 30.6083; decimalLongitude: 77.4615; Event: eventDate: Aug-26-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 5; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Terrace; verbatimElevation: 430 m; decimalLatitude: 31.9234; decimalLongitude: 75.9294; Event: eventDate: Jun-13-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 2; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Terrace; verbatimElevation: 430 m; decimalLatitude: 31.9234; decimalLongitude: 75.9294; Event: eventDate: Sep-24-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 4; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Himachal Pradesh; verbatimLocality: Terrace; verbatimElevation: 430 m; decimalLatitude: 31.9234; decimalLongitude: 75.9294; Event: eventDate: Jul-19-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 3; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Jammu and Kashmir; verbatimLocality: Mansar; verbatimElevation: 690 m; decimalLatitude: 32.6979; decimalLongitude: 75.1489; Event: eventDate: Jul-13-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 12; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Jammu and Kashmir; verbatimLocality: Surinsar; verbatimElevation: 700 m; decimalLatitude: 32.7009; decimalLongitude: 75.1512; Event: eventDate: Jul-14-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 204; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Assan Barrage; verbatimElevation: 750 m; decimalLatitude: 30.4417; decimalLongitude: 77.6754; Event: eventDate: Jun-30-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 11; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Dakpathar; verbatimElevation: 750 m; decimalLatitude: 30.5164; decimalLongitude: 77.7848; Event: eventDate: Aug-20-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 12; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Forest Research Institute, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 640 m; decimalLatitude: 30.3416; decimalLongitude: 77.9903; Event: eventDate: Sep-30-2008; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 1; sex: worker; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Forest Research Institute, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 640 m; decimalLatitude: 30.3416; decimalLongitude: 77.9903; Event: eventDate: Oct-02-2008; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 16; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Forest Research Institute, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 640 m; decimalLatitude: 30.3416; decimalLongitude: 77.9903; Event: eventDate: Jul-31-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 5; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Rajaji Forest Area, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 660 m; decimalLatitude: 30.2483; decimalLongitude: 77.9878; Event: eventDate: Aug-05-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 1; sex: queen; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Rajaji Forest Area, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 660 m; decimalLatitude: 30.2483; decimalLongitude: 77.9878; Event: eventDate: Aug-05-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 9; sex: males; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Rajaji Forest Area, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 660 m; decimalLatitude: 30.2483; decimalLongitude: 77.9878; Event: eventDate: Aug-05-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 21; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Rajaji Forest Area, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 660 m; decimalLatitude: 30.2483; decimalLongitude: 77.9878; Event: eventDate: Aug-11-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 18; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Rajaji Forest Area, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 660 m; decimalLatitude: 30.2483; decimalLongitude: 77.9878; Event: eventDate: Sep-07-2010; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Aijaz A. Wachkoo; individualCount: 7; sex: workers; Location: country: India; stateProvince: Uttarakhand; verbatimLocality: Selaqui, Dehradun; verbatimElevation: 670 m; decimalLatitude: 30.3720; decimalLongitude: 77.8605; Event: eventDate: Aug-08-2009; Record Level: institutionCode: PUPAC

Description

Worker (Fig. 1).

Measurements: HL 0.60-0.68; HW 0.47-0.56; EL 0.14-0.19; SL 0.70-0.77; PW 0.37-0.43; PrFL 0.56-0.64; PrFW 0.13-0.17; WL 0.73-0.88. Indices: CI 77.68-82.26; SI 137.25-151.16; REL 23.64-27.42 (n = 8).

Head broadly oval; distinctly longer than wide, slightly wider posteriorly, lateral margins convex, posterior margin shallowly concave to gently convex with rounded posterolateral corners. Clypeus subcarinate in the middle; anterior clypeal margin weakly concave. Mandibles with six teeth. Eyes oval, weakly convex, covering one-third of lateral cephalic margin; three small ocelli present. Antennae long, scapes surpass the posterior margin by two-fifths their length.

Metanotal groove strongly developed, in lateral view interrupts the regular promesonotal convexity from propodeum; metanotal area long. Dorsal face of propodeal not higher than remainder of the notum, gently rounded; declivity steep.

In lateral view, petiole triangular with dorsum of the petiole well below the dorsum of propodeum, rounded above with posterior face much longer than anterior face.

Overall cuticle very smooth and shiny. Pubescence on body very sparse; almost entirely absent. Scapes and legs covered with abundant erect setae, and a very fine layer of pubescence. Erect setae of varying length cover head, pronotum, mesonotum and gaster. Setae very densely spaced on head and gaster.

Head brown; gaster brown to black; mesosoma, antennae and legs yellowish brown.

Queen (Fig. 2).

Measurements: HL 0.84; HW 0.80; EL 0.30; SL 0.93; PrFL 0.82; PrFW 0.23; WL 0.88. Indices: CI 95.59; SI 115.82; REL 35.71 (n = 1).

Generally matches worker description, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: Body covered with dense pubescence and fine punctulae. Head subtriangular, posterior margin concave; in lateral view, petiole with flat dorsum. Head yellow brown, gaster brown, a shade lighter than in workers.

Male (Fig. 3).

Measurements: HL 0.52-0.55; HW 0.42-0.46; EL 0.22-0.24; SL 0.66-0.72; PrFL 0.56-0.62; PrFW 0.13-0.15; WL 0.75-0.85. Indices: CI 80.00-85.42; SI 146.34-157.89; REL 41.67-44.44 (n = 8).

Head broadly oval; longer than wide; eyes large, subglobulose, projecting beyond head outline in full-face view; three prominent ocelli present. Antennae 13 segmented, filiform, scapes long, surpass posterior margin by about half their length. Mandibles slender, curved strap like with prominent, pointed apical and a small preapical tooth, remainder of masticatory margin smooth, without any teeth or denticles. Basal angle rounded, indistinct and seamlessly blends into inner mandibular margin.

Mesosoma enlarged to accommodate flight muscles; in lateral view scutum and scutellum flat; propodeum indistinct, lower than remainder of notum with very short dorsal face and long declivitous face.

Petiole as in worker; gaster elongated.

Parameres paddle-shaped, rounded apically, turning strongly inward toward midline of body posteriorly, as long as digiti; long setae extending off of parameres. Cuspi long and tubular reaching digiti dorsally; bent toward digiti; digiti weakly anvil-shaped; directed upward and covered with short peg-like teeth; digiti visible in lateral view. Penis valves projecting barely past parameres.

Sculpture, vestiture and color as in worker caste.

Distribution

This species is general in distribution in low altitude areas of Northwest India. Nests can be found easily underneath stones and leaf litter whilst foraging workers are fairly frequent on trees and fallen trunks.

Notes

The worker caste of this species is described here for the very first time and can be easily distinguished by the oval shape of head, and smooth and shiny cuticle without any pubescence. Nylanderia smythiesii although, abundant in its type locality, the Shivalik range of Northwest Himalaya, its worker caste was undescribed to date. Type locality, images of syntype queen examined on AntWeb (www.antweb.org): CASENT0911010, the description of female and male castes and the line drawings of external genitalia by Forel (1894) are all in conformity with our specimens and therefore, render us reasonable to describe its worker caste.