Paratrechina yaeyamensis

Japanese Name

Yaeyama-ameiro-ari

Terayama, M. (1999) Taxonomic studies of the Japanese Formicidae, part 5. Genus Paratrechina Motschoulsky. Memoirs of the Myrmecological Society of Japan 1: 49-64.

Total length of workers around 2 mm. Head and mesosoma yellowish brown; 1st gastral tergite yellowish brown; anterior half of 2nd tergite and anterior 1/3 of 3rd gastral tergite yellowish brown, the rest of gaster dark brown; antennae and legs yellowish. Antennal scapes with sparse subdecumbent pubescence and erect hairs; the erect hairs longer than the width of a scape. Pronotal dorsum with two pairs of erect hairs; mesonotal dorsum with two pairs; no hairs on propodeal dorsum. Females with head and mesosoma reddish brown; anterior halves of 1st to 3rd gastral tergites yellowish brown; the posterior halves dark brown; 4th and 5th terga dark brown.

This species is distinguished from its Japanese congeners by the coloration of the gaster in workers and females. It nests in leaf litter, rotting wood and the soil, in forested sites.

Yaeyama Is, Taiwan.