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| Paraparatrechina neela Sahanashree, Punnath & Priyadarsanan, 2024 |
Abstract
A new ant species, Paraparatrechina neela sp. nov., with a captivating metallic-blue color is described based on the worker caste from the East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. This discovery signifies the first new species of Paraparatrechina in 121 years, since the description of the sole previously known species, P. aseta (Forel, 1902), in the Indian subcontinent.
Key words: Abor Expedition, Arunachal Pradesh, aspirator, East Siang, taxonomy
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| Paraparatrechina neela sp. nov., holotype worker AIMB/Hy/Fr 25006 A clypeus and mandibles B mesosoma in profile view C mesosoma in dorsal view D gaster in dorsal view. |
Paraparatrechina neela sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Paraparatrechina neela sp. nov. has the following unique combination of characters: 1) body opaque and largely metallic blue, except antennae, mandibles, and legs; 2) total length < 2 mm; 3), eyes large relative to head length (REL > 22); 3) scape with appressed pubescence and scape surpasses posterior margin of head by approximately length of first 4 funicular segments; 4) propodeal dorsal face short and angular, with a long declivitous face.
Etymology: The specific epithet neela is a noun in apposition, signifying the color blue in most Indian languages. It is used to describe the unique blue or sapphire color of this species.
Ramakrishnaiah Sahanashree, Aswaj Punnath, Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan. 2024. A Remarkable New Species of Paraparatrechina Donisthorpe (1947) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae) from the Eastern Himalayas, India. ZooKeys. 1203: 159-172. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1203.114168