Aenictus shilintongae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae), an Army Ant of the Aenictus laeviceps Species Group from China

Weeyawat Jaitrong; Ted Schultz

Authors

Weeyawat Jaitrong Natural History Museum, National Science Museum, Technopolis, Khlong 5, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120 Thailand
Ted Schultz Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20013-7012, U.S.A.

Keywords:

Army ants, Aenictus shilintongae, Taxonomy, China

Abstract

Aenictus shilintongae, a new army ant from Southeast China, is described based on the worker caste. The new species belongs to the A. laeviceps species group and seems to be closely related to A. rotundicollis Jaitrong et Yamane, 2011 and A. sonchaengi Jaitrong et Yamane, 2011, but is easily distinguished from the latter two in having dense pilosity on head and mesosoma. It is named in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand after her name in Chinese.

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