A new spineless Myrmica species from China, with the reinstatement of M. zhengi Ma & Xu (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

A new species of the pachei-group, M. inermis sp. nov., from Sichuan, China, which is unique in the Chinese fauna due to its short-spined character. The new species is similar to M. huaii Chen et al., 2016, M. phalacra Radchenko & Elmes, 2009, M. schulzi Radchenko & Elmes, 2009 and M. sculptiventris Radchenko & Elmes, 2009 resulted from clustering analysis, and the main morphological differences and diagnostic characters between this species and all species of the pachei-group are listed in this study. Considering the morphological differences between M. zhengi Ma & Xu, 2011 and M. luteola Kupyanskaya, 1990, especially in the cephalic posterior marginal hairs of the workers and the propodeal spines of the queens, we propose that M. zhengi be reinstated.