Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Vollenhovia Mayr, 1865 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Five New Species from India

Abstract

Five new species Vollenhovia pfeifferi sp. nov., V. mawrapensis sp. nov. , V. karimalaensis sp. nov., V. taylori sp. nov. and V. terrayami sp. nov. are described from India. An identification key supplemented with digital images of the known species of the genus based on theworker caste from India is also provided.

Overview of the ant genus Vollenhovia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in India and Sri Lanka, with an illustrated key and the description of a new species

“…Due to its dentiform propodeal spines, Vollenhovia pfeifferi appears unique among its congeners in the region and thus is easily recognizable (Dhadwal et al 2023). We report a second locality for this recently described taxon of the Western Ghats, based on samples collected in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.…”

“…All morphometric data produced in this study are provided in the Supp. File 1: Table S1 together with those produced in the recent revision by Dhadwal et al (2023).…”

“…Vollenhovia karimalaensis is a recently described taxon that appears most similar to V. keralensis, the two species being both known from the Western Ghats and having similar features including the convex anterior clypeal margin with a median tooth. According to Dhadwal et al (2023), its distinction from V. keralensis can be based on the head distinctly longer than broad (shorter in V. keralensis), the mandibles having seven teeth instead of eight, the different shape of the subpetiolar process, and the whole body being finely punctate instead of foveate.…”

“…This species is the only one so far known from the Meghalaya region of Eastern India. According to Dhadwal et al (2023), it is most similar to the Eastern Indian V. taylori, which is also similarly very small; however, it can be distinguished by having a shorter head (CL/CW: 1.09-1.12), mandibles with seven teeth instead of six, an elongate and rectangular subpetiolar process, mesopleuron and metapleuron transversely striate instead of coarsely punctate, petiole and postpetiole reticulate rugose instead of finely punctate, the dorsal surface of first gastral tergite more densely punctate and remaining gastral tergites with piligerous punctures instead of smooth and shiny, and the body less pilose, covered with fewer erect and suberect short hairs.…”

“…1). Four species (V. karimalaensis Dhadwal et al, 2023, V. keralensis Kripakaran & Sadasivan, 2022, V. pfeifferi Bharti et al, 2023 are known from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in the southern state of Kerala, three were recently described near the border with Bangladesh in the East (V. mawrapensis Dhadwal et al, 2023, V. taylori Rilta et al, 2023, V. terayamai Rilta et al, 2023, while V. gastropunctata Bharti & Kumar, 2013 is the only species known from the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Furthermore, two species, V. oblonga laevithorax Emery, 1889 and V. penetrans (Smith, 1857), are recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and one, V. escherichi Forel, 1911, is endemic to Sri Lanka.…”