Ant Genus Tetraponera SMITH, 1852 In Nepal, with Two New Records and Keys to Workers (Formicidae: Psueudomyrmecinae)

Abstract

Tetraponera Smith, 1852 is one of the least studied ant genera in Nepal, with only four known species. A taxonomic study was carried out on Nepalese Tetraponera collected mostly from forested habitats ranging in elevation from 98 to 1400 m above sea level using pitfall trapping, baiting, beating low vegetation and hand collecting. The study reports four species – Tetraponera aitkenii (Forel, 1902) and T. difficilis (Emery, 1900) of nigra group as the first record, and T. allaborans (Walker, 1859) of allaborans group, and T. rufonigra (Jerdon, 1851) of rufonigra group as new distribution records for Nepal bringing the total number of known species to six. Taxonomic as well as distribution notes for all four species recorded in this study, and a distribution map of all Nepalese species, are provided. An identification key for Nepalese Tetraponera workers is also presented.