Paratrechina otome

Japanese Name

Hiyowa-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 1.5-2 mm. Head and lateral surfaces of mesosoma pale brown; antennae, dorsum of mesosoma, petiole and legs brownish white; gaster brown.
Mandibles with 6 teeth. Antennal scapes exceeding posterior margin of head by half their length; without erect hairs. Eyes small; maximum eye length less than the 1/4 head length. Ocelli distinct. Mesosoma relatively long. Metanotal groove incised. Erect hairs on head and gaster shorter and more spaced than in P. longicornis. Mesonotal dorsum with a pair of erect hairs. Propodeum, hind femora and tibiae without erect hairs. Body cuticle thin, easily collapsed.

This species resembles P. longicornis and P. yambaru. It is easily distinguished from P. longicornis by its shorter antennal scapes and the 3 pairs of setae on its mesosomal dorsum, and from P. yambaru by its distinctive coloration. P. otome is found in grasslands and at forest margins.

Nansei Is (Ishigaki I., Iriomote I.).