China is one of the largest countries in the world and offers an incredible diversity of ecosystems and species. Howeverthe distribution of many insect species in China is still poorly known. Here, through a bibliographical review, we synthe-size a species list of native and exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for 23 provinces of the People’s Republic of Chinaand eight surrounding regions. To date, no fewer than 939 valid named species and subspecies within 103 genera are listedfrom China. However, comparisons with other regions suggest that this list is still incomplete at both provincial and na-tional scales based on the diversity of surrounding regions and the number of undescribed species reported in the literature.Although the species list generated here is not and cannot be exhaustive, we hope that it will facilitate future discovery, revision and conservation of Chinese ants.

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A checklist of the ants of China

A revision of the ant genus Tetraponera in the Orientaland Australian regions reveals 33 species (18 new), belonging to four informalspecies-groups: allaborans-group(T. allaborans (Walker),T. apiculata, sp. nov., T. avia,sp. nov., T. bita, sp. nov.,T. brevis, sp. nov., T. conica,sp. nov., T. connectens, sp. nov.,T. crassiuscula (Emery) stat. nov.,T. extenuata, sp. nov.,T. microcarpa Wu & Wang, andT. modesta (F. Smith));nigra-group (T. aitkenii (Forel),T. atra Donisthorpe, T. attenuataF. Smith, T. binghami (Forel),T. buops, sp. nov., T. difficilis(Emery), T. inversinodis, sp. nov.,T. laeviceps (F. Smith),T. mimula, sp. nov., T. nigra(Jerdon), T. nitida (F. Smith),T. nixa, sp. nov., T. nodosa, sp.nov., T. notabilis, sp. nov.,T. polita, sp. nov., T. punctulataF. Smith, T. rotula, sp. nov.,T. tucurua, sp. nov., T. vivax,sp. nov., and T. volucris, sp. nov.);pilosa-group (T. pilosa (F.Smith)), and rufonigra-group(T. rufonigra (Jerdon)). Keys are provided foridentification of workers, queens and males, although the sexual forms remainunknown in some species. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the fourspecies-groups represent independent lineages, each with its nearest extantrelatives in the Afrotropical region. There have been multiple invasions ofAsia from Africa, and at least four west-to-east transgressions ofWallace’s line into the Australian region. Plate tectonic eventspostulated to have been important in facilitating such dispersal include thecollision of India with Asia in the Eocene and the approach of the Australianplate to Laurasia in the mid-Miocene.

Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Ant Genus Tetraponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Oriental and Australian Regions.

The taxonomic status of 10 species of the Palaearctic Tetramorium chefketi species complex is discussed, and several nomenclatural problems are clarified. Three new species, Tetramorium exile Cs_sz & Radchenko n. sp. , T. sanetrai Schulz & Cs_sz n. sp. , and T. anatolicum Cs_sz & Schulz n. sp. are described. Tetramorium caespitum var . sarkissiani Forel, 1911 n. syn., Tetramorium turcomanicum Santschi, 1921 n. syn., Tetramorium taurocaucasicum Arnoldi, 1968 n. syn. a re synonymized with Tetramorium chefketi Forel 1911; T. biskrensis kahenae Menozzi, 1934, n. syn. is synonymized with T. alternans Santschi, 1929; T. karakalense Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985, n. syn. is synonymized with Tetramorium sulcinode Santschi, 1927. Three taxa, T. sulcinode Santschi, 1927, T. rhodium Emery, 1922 and T. annectens Pisarski, 1969 are revived from synonymy. Lectotypes of T. chefketi Forel, 1911 and its junior synonym T. caespitum var. sarkissiani Forel, 1911, T. sulcinode Santschi, 1927, T. alternans Santschi, 1929 and its junior synonym T. biskrensis kahenae Menozzi, 1934 are designated. Gynes and males of T. sulcinode , T. annectens and T. alternans are described for the first time. An identification key to the workers and gynes of the Palaearctic species of the chefketi species complex is given. Seventy-one SEM photos and two tables with metric characters are provided for workers and gynes of all discussed species.

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Taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic Tetramorium chefketi species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The presently 247 known ant species were recorded to occur in Thailand and distributing among 55 genera in 9 subfamilies. Six of them were origi- nally described directly from Thai territory, i.e. Aenictus artipus, Leptanilla thai, Lophomyrmex striatulus, Tetramorium ciliatum, Tetramorium flavipes, and Tetraponera notabilis. Information provided for each nameinclude the valid scientific name and its author and year, reference to the original designation, the type locality and known distribution of each particular species in Thailand.

A List of Known Ant Species of Thailand (Formicidae: Hymenoptera)

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

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Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

/pdf/second-revisionary-studies-on-genus-camponotus-mayr-of-china-8udofgvgsf.pdf

Second revisionary studies on genus Camponotus Mayr of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

/pdf/taxonomic-studies-on-the-genus-tetramorium-mayr-in-china-28ack2k77k.pdf

Taxonomic studies on the genus Tetramorium Mayr in China.

/pdf/ants-of-the-jianfengling-forest-region-in-hainan-province-4bpp1yxnsm.pdf

Ants of the Jianfengling forest region in Hainan Province (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

/pdf/taxonomic-studies-on-the-genus-formica-of-china-hymenoptera-38rt5alik7.pdf

[Taxonomic studies on the genus Formica of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).]

/pdf/a-new-genus-of-ants-from-yunnan-china-hymenoptera-formicidae-2d71mn8gw9.pdf

J. Wu

Papers

Second revisionary studies on genus Camponotus Mayr of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Taxonomic studies on the genus Tetramorium Mayr in China.

Ants of the Jianfengling forest region in Hainan Province (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

[Taxonomic studies on the genus Formica of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).]

A new genus of ants from Yunnan, China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae).