Lepisiota bipartita ( Smith, 1861 )

Harshana, Anand & Dey, Debjani, 2022, Taxonomic studies on the ant genus <i> Lepisiota </ i> Santschi 1926 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) in India, with description of four new species, Oriental Insects 57 (3), pp. 785-818 : 20-25

Lepisiota bipartita ( Smith, 1861) ( Figs 5D–F & 6 )

Formica bipartita Smith 1861: 33 . Syntype workers, Lebanon and Israel (Holy Land).

Acantholepis bipartita (Smith) , Roger 1863: 11. Combination in Acantholepis .

Acantholepis bipartita (Smith) , Mayr 1863: 394. As junior synonym of Acantholepis frauenfeldi .

Acantholepis frauenfeldi var. bipartita (Smith) , André 1882: 211. Queen described and revived from synonymy as a variety of A. frauenfeldi .

Acantholepis frauenfeldi bipartita (Smith) , Emery 1891: 16; Emery 1898: 126; Forel 1902a: 155; Ruzsky 1905: 463; Santschi 1917: 47. As variety/ subspecies of A. frauenfeldi .

Acantholepis frauenfeldi var. bipartita (Smith) ; Karavaiev 1911: 44. Male described.

Lepisiota frauenfeldi subsp. bipartita (Smith) ; Baroni Urbani et al. 1992: 303. Combination in Lepisiota .

Lepisiota bipartita (Smith) , Collingwood & Agosti 1996: 365. Status as species.

Material examined

INDIA: Madhya Pradesh: Gwalior ( Tapovan ), 26°10 ʹ 20”N 78°10 ʹ 16”E, 236 m, 5 workers, 7.VIII.2020, Coll. A. Harshana ; Gwalior ( C.P. Colony ), 26°14 ʹ 06”N 78°13 ʹ 17”E, 196 m, 2& 4 workers, 14.IV.2019 & 20.VII.2020, Coll. A. Harshana ; Jabalpur ( JNKVV ), 23°12 ʹ 46”N 79°57 ʹ 33”E, 394 m, 2 workers, 12.IX.2020, Coll. A. Harshana ; Gwalior ( Ramaua village ), 26° 09 ʹ 17”N 78°13 ʹ 34”E, 219 m, 4 workers, 08.VI.2019, Coll. A. Harshana ; Narsinghpur ( Kalyanpur ), 22°51 ʹ 07”N 78°54 ʹ 55”E, 352 m, 5 workers, V.2020, Coll. M. Patel ; Pachmarhi, 22°28 ʹ 50”N 78°26 ʹ 29”E, 1050 m, 5 workers, 07.IX.2020, Coll. A. Harshana . Delhi: IARI, 28°37 ʹ 51”N 77°09 ʹ 55”E, 7 workers, 4 ♂ & 2 ♀, VII.2019, Coll. A. Harshana ; Delhi, 5 workers, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, 25.V.1938, Coll. K.B. Lal, NPC .

Measurements and indices

Workers (N = 6). EL: 0.22–0.24; HL: 0.71–0.77; HW: 0.56–0.62; MML: 0.42– 0.46; PH: 0.33–0.37; PRW: 0.44–0.49; SL: 1.04–1.12; TL: 3.48–3.60; WL: 1.21–1.27, CI: 77–80; OI: 38–42; REL: 31–33; SI: 180–194. Males (N = 2). EL: 0.28–0.30; HL: 0.57–0.58; HW: 0.53; SL: 0.66–0.72; CI: 91–93; OI: 52–56; REL: 49–51; SI: 124–134. Female (N = 1). EL: 0.38; HL: 1.042; HW: 0.976; SL: 1.324; CI: 94; OI: 39; REL: 36; SI: 136.

Description (Worker): Head

Head longer than broad, sides slightly convex, posterior margin almost straight, posterolateral corners rounded ( Fig. 5F ) and head covered with sparse appressed pubescence; palp formula 6,4 and third maxillary segment from base longest of all segments, fifth maxillary segment distinctly smaller than sixth segment; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin, third tooth from apex is smallest while second tooth smaller than fourth tooth, mandibular surface having fine setae; antennae 11 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head about half its length, antennal insertions touching the posterior margin of clypeus; a pair of erect setae present little behind the antennal insertions, and a pair at about mid-length of head; clypeus dorsally convex, subcarinate medially, anterior clypeal margin convex, clypeus with appressed pubescence, posterior margin of clypeus with a pair of long erect setae while anterior margin with two pair of long erect setae along with a downwardly directed median seta; compound eyes broadly oval, convex and placed little behind mid-length of head; three ocelli present with a pair of erect setae in between lateral ocelli.

Mesosoma

Pronotum and about half of the mesonotum forming an arch in profile view ( Fig. 5D ); pronotum with 2–4 standing setae; mesometanotum strongly constricted ( Fig. 5E ) and lower than rest of mesosoma; propodeum armed with a pair of short spines and propodeal declivity slanting.

Metasoma

Petiole upright, dorsally emarginated, and apical corners with very short teeth, sides angular; gastral segments with erect setae on their distal margin and basal part of the first gastral sternum with 2–4 erect setae; acidopore well-developed with the fringe of hairs.

Sculpture and colour

The body is not smooth, with effaced sculpture and subopaque. Body bicoloured; head and gaster dark brown to black, mesosoma reddishbrown; antennae, mandible, distal segments of legs brownish.

Description (Male): Head

Head little longer than broad, sides mostly covered by compound eyes, posterior margin about straight, posterolateral corners rounded ( Fig. 6A ); palp formula 6,4 and third maxillary segment from base longest of all segments, fifth maxillary segment distinctly smaller than fourth and sixth segment; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin, third tooth from apex is than fourth tooth, mandible with a pit at its base; antennae 12 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head about half its length, third antennal segment is about same length of second and fourth segment; antennal insertions touching the posterior margin of clypeus; clypeus dorsally convex, anterior clypeal margin weakly convex, posterior margin of clypeus with a pair of long erect setae while anterior margin with two pairs of long erect setae along with a downwardly directed median seta; compound eyes large, broadly oval, convex and covering more than half of sides of head; three large ocelli present with a pair of erect setae in between lateral ocelli.

Mesosoma

Pronotum strap-like, anteroventral, and hidden by mesoscutum dorsally; mesoscutum well developed, dorsally flat, and anterior margin rounded; mesoscutellum subtriangular in dorsal view and about the same height as mesoscutum; metanotum strip-like; propodeum lower, slightly convex in profile view; propodeal spiracles well developed, anterolateral in position, and its diameter about equal to the length of metanotum; fore tibiae with a pectinate spur at the distal end and basitarsus with a notch at the proximal end.

Metasoma

The petiole is short, without teeth, dorsally emarginated, and apical corners seemingly rounded; gastral segments with erect setae on their distal margin.

Sculpture and colour

Overall body microreticulate and shiny. Body colour brown to dark brown.

Description of the male genitalia ( Fig. 6C–H )

Abdominal sternum nine wider than long, outline somewhat bat-shaped dorsally, spiculum (anterior apophysis of the sternum nine) long, anterior margins meeting basal to the spiculum at an obtuse angle, lateral margins sloping inwardly, posterior margin concave with weakly bulging medially, anterolateral corners well-produced and posterolateral corners with long setae ( Fig. 6C ). Genital capsule is longer than broad, cupula broader than long, and dorsally anterior margin of cupula concave ( Fig. 6D ). Basimere broad with outer surface convex; telomere attached ventrally and the inner side of basimere. In the lateral view, the telomere is a little longer than broad and posterior part with long setae ( Fig. 6E ). Volsella with setae on the ventral ridge. Digitus is broad and hooked ventrally in the lateral view ( Fig. 6F ). The lateral view shows penisvalva having more than 15 denticles on the ventral margin, posterior apex hooked ventrally, and foveae sparsely present on the surface ( Fig. 6G ). Valvura directed dorsoanterolaterally.

Description (Female)

Head little longer than broad, sides weakly convex, posterior margin about straight, and posterolateral corners rounded ( Fig. 6B ); palp formula 6,4; the third maxillary segment from base longest of all segments, and fifth maxillary segment distinctly smaller than the sixth segment; mandible with five teeth on masticatory margin; antennae 11 segmented, scape extending to posterior margin of head about half its length; antennal insertions touching the posterior margin of clypeus; clypeus dorsally convex, anterior clypeal margin weakly convex, posterior margin of clypeus with a pair of long erect setae while anterior margin with two pairs of long erect setae along with a downwardly directed median seta; compound eyes large, broadly oval, convex and covering more than 1/3 rd of sides of the head; three large ocelli present with a pair of erect setae in between lateral ocelli.

Mesosoma

Pronotum strap-like, anteroventral in position; mesoscutum well developed, dorsally flat, and anterior margin rounded; mesoscutellum subtriangular in dorsal view and about the same height as mesoscutum; metanotum striplike; propodeum lower, slightly convex in profile view; propodeal spiracles well developed, anterolateral in position; fore tibiae with a pectinate spur at the distal end and basitarsus with a notch at the proximal end.

Metasoma

Petiole upright, squamiform, with teeth on the apical corners; gastral segments with erect setae on the posterior margin except for first gastral sternum which has erect setae on the middle part; acidopore well developed and fringed with hairs.

Sculpture and colour

Body sculpture is rough and subopaque. Body colour brown.

Comments

This species is widely distributed in India and adapted well in urban localities. It is frequently encountered and therefore collected easily.

Distribution in India: Andhra Pradesh, Delhi*, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.

Figures

Figure 5A–F. Workers of Lepisiota annandalei (A–C), Lepisiota bipartita (D–F). A, D, body in profile view; B, E, body in dorsal view; C, F, head in full-face view.

Figure 6A–H. Lepisiota bipartita. A, male (Voucher male specimen after detaching apical part of gaster for genitalia study); B, female (Profile view in 70% alcohol); C–H: male genitalia; C, abdominal sternum IX, ventral view; D, genital capsule, dorsal view; E, paramere and volsella, right side, inner view; F, volsella separated from paramere, left side, inner view; G, penisvalva, left side, outer view; H, pair of penisvalvae, dorsal view. Bm basimere; Cu cupula; Dg digitus; Pv penisvalva; Pvm penisvalva membrane; Sp speculum; Tm telomere; Va valvura.