Lasius wittmeri Seifert 1992

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 : 74-75

4.4.46 Lasius wittmeri Seifert 1992

Lasius wittmeri Seifert 1992 [type investigation]

Type material: Holotype and 5 paratype workers labelled ”Kashmir, 1976, W. Wittmer“ and ”Pahalgam 7. 7. 2200-3100 m “; 6 paratype workers labelled ”Pakistan 1974, C. Baroni Urbani“ and ”Naran 7900‘ Kagan Valley 25.V“; both samples deposited in NHM Basel.

All material examined. A total of 2 nest samples with 12 workers were subject to NUMOBAT investigation. These originated from Pakistan and India. For details see supplementary information SI1.

Geographic range. The two known sites are situated at the southwestern flank of the Himalayas at 34.90°N, 73.75°E, 2400 m and 34.04°N, 75.33°E, 2650 m.

Diagnosis ( Tab. 9 , Figs. 89 –90, key, images in www. antWeb.org with specimen identifiers CASENT0912298): The most similar Himalayan species is L. lawarai from which it differs by larger eyes (EYE/CS 900 0.240), smaller postocular index (PoOc/CL 900 0.241), longer scape (SL/ CS 900 0.979) and smaller torulo-clypeal distance (dClAn/ CS 900 3.60%). The Tibetan L. schaeferi differs by a much shorter frontal pubescence (PLF 900 29.6 vs. 38.8 µm) and the presence of very distinct standing setae on hind tibia, the morphology of which differs clearly from neighboring pubescence hairs. Seta counts in L. wittmeri are not clearly reproducible because of unclear thickness differences between elongated semierect pubescence hairs and semierect setae. Yet, this missing differentiation may be used as accessory character to distinguish L. lawarai also from East Tibetan populations of L. obscuratus . Coloration: all body parts dark brown, mandibles and tarsae slightly lighter with a yellowish tinge.

Biology. Unknown.

Comments. 96% of 25 workers of L. lawarai and L. wittmeri for which data of the full character set were available were correctly classified in a LOOCV-LDA using the first three components of a PCA as input data.

Figures

Figs. 89 and 90: Lasius wittmeri; holotype