2015 Vol.21 No.1 PP 37-40

ON A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS OECOPHYLLA⁴ (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE).

SHILPA KURANE, P. M. BHOJE^* AND T. V. SATHE

Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur- 416004, India
^* Department of Zoology, Y.C.Warna College, Warananagar.
E-mail: proftvsathe@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT

Ants are destructive insects of agriculture, horticulture and forest crop plants and also act as biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. Therefore, a new species Oecophylla kolhapurensis sp. nov. has been described for the first time. According to the key this species runs close to Oecophylla smaragdina by having following characters, 1. Colour pattern 2. Size 3. Clypeus strongly convex However, it differs from the above species by having following characters- 1. Eyes more large 2. Body proportion length and width 3. Legs shorter (Longer in O. smaragdina) 4. Flagellar formula : 1L/W=2.1, 3L/W=2.1, 4L/W=2.4, A=2.2

Key words :Biocontrol agent, Description, Oecophylla kolhapurensis sp. n.