4.4.3. Lasius himalayanus Bingham 1903

Lasius himalayanus Bingham 1903 [first available use of Lasius niger r. brunneus var. himalayanus Forel 1894; type investigation]

Type material: 2 syntype workers labelled ” L. brunneus v. himalayana Forel, Himalaya LX /9) (Smythies)“, ”Typus“, ”ANTWEB CASENT 0911043“; 8 syntype workers labelled ” L. brunneus v. himalayana Forel, Himalaya 9000‘ (Smythies), XXX/22“, ”Cotypus“; all these syntypes stored in MHN Genève.

All material examined. A total of 11 nest samples with 37 workers were subject to NUMOBAT investigation. These originated from NE Pakistan (7 samples) and NW India (4). For details see supplementary information SI1.

Geographic range. Known so far only from the SW flank of the Himalayas at elevations between 2300 and 2800 m, along a line delimited by 35.7°N, 71.6°E and 32.2°N, 77.2°E.

Diagnosis (Tab. 1, Figs. 5 –6; key; images in www. antWeb.org with specimen identifiers CASENT0911043):

Showing all diagnostic characters of the L. brunneus species complex. L. himalayanus is most similar to L. brunneus but differs by narrower head (CL/CW 900 1.072), longer scape (SL/CS 900 0.921) and denser clypeal pubescence (sqPDCL 900 4.66). Coloration is on average darker than in L. brunneus or L. silvaticus sp. nov., with head, mesosoma and coxae usually dark brown and gaster blackish brown.

Biology. Unknown.

Comments. For separation from the western sister species L. silvaticus sp. nov. and L. brunneus see above.