The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Sri Lanka: a taxonomic research summary and updated checklist

Abstract

An updated checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Sri Lanka is presented. These include representatives of eleven of the 17 known extant subfamilies with 341 valid ant species in 79 genera. Lioponera longitarsus Mayr, 1879 is reported as a new species country record for Sri Lanka. Notes about type localities, depositories, and relevant references to each species record are given. Accounts of the dubious and some undetermined species from Sri Lanka are also provided. 82 species (24%) are endemic whereas 18 species that are non-native to Sri Lanka are recorded. The list provides a synthesis of the regional taxonomical work carried out to date and will serve as a baseline for future studies on the ant fauna of this biodiversity hotspot.

Keywords: Formicidae; Ants; Sri Lanka; checklist; endemism.

Figure 1.

A Rate of species recording in Sri Lanka per decade from 1886 to 2020, and B number of species recorded in Sri Lanka per period in function of the origins of the authors contributing to these discoveries. The last two decades are shown separately as they present a change in species discovery (two species are not included as time of discovery is unknown).

Figure 2.

Map of Sri Lanka with ant sampling localities in different zones.