– NET Web Desk

A team of scientists from Bengaluru’s Ashoka Trust For Research In Ecology And The Environment (ATREE) has discovered two species of rare ants at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh.

Led by Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, the team identified two species of rare ants, named – Parasyscia ganeshaiahi and Syscia indica.

The team identified ant species 1,400 m above sea level.

One of these species, Parasyscia ganeshaiahi is named after eminent ecologist K N Ganeshaiah.

This ant species is a small, cryptic ant usually nest in decaying logs or under rocks.

It has a yellowish-brown coloured body and 11-segmented antennae making it different from other ant species found in India.

All other Parasyscia species in India have 12-segmented antennae.

Meanwhile, Syscia indica species are found in 4 Asian countries – China, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

“This is the first time, the genus has been recorded in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India,” – informs the press release, issued by researchers.

The press release further adds, “Syscia are rare ants usually encountered in leaf litter, rotting wood, and soil habitats.”