Myrmecina Curtis

Myrmecina Curtis, 1892 Taxonomy. The genus Myrmecina is assigned to the tribe Myrmecinini together with Acanthomyrmex, Pristomyrmex and Perissomyrmex (Bolton 2003). Workers of Vietnamese species have the following features. Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view rectangular, with rounded posterior corners; preoccipital carina extending to ventral surface of head and then forming a longitudinal carina which runs anteriad; frontal carina inconspicuous; antennal scrobe absent; frontal lobe large, covering antennal insertion; median margin of clypeus raised above dorsal surface of mandibular bases, with truncate anterior margin, laterally with a submedian carina from anterior end of frontal lobe to anterior margin of clypeus; carina often forming a submedian tooth; median clypeal tooth often present but not accompanied by an isolated median seta; posteromedian portion of clypeus very broadly inserted between frontal lobes; lateral portion of clypeus often (but not always) modified into a narrow and low ridge or wall in front of antennal insertion; mandible triangular; masticatory margin with 2 distinct apical teeth followed by several teeth or denticles; antennae 11- or 12-segmented, with 3-segmented club; eye small to medium in size; mesosoma short, stout with slightly convex promesonotal dome; promesonotal suture absent dorsally; humeral angle distinct; anterior part of mesopleuron with a well developed flange projecting over base of fore coxa; metanotal groove weak or absent; propodeal spine more or less developed; an additional process or tooth sometimes present in front of each propodeal spine; propodeal lobe present only as a low carina; petiole sessile and lacking distinct node, in lateral view usually (but not always) dorsally with a triangular point or angles at or behind midlength of petiole; postpetiole in dorsal view rectangular; gastral shoulder distinct. The worker of Myrmecina is easily separated from those of other Vietnamese myrmicine genera by the presence of longitudinal carina on the ventrolateral side of head and a sessile petiole. Vietnamese species. Five species have been recognized by us from Vietnam: sp. eg-1 (Ba Be, Tay Yen Tu, Van Ban); sp. eg-2 (Ba Be); sp. eg-3 [= sp. 48 of HO: Eguchi et al., 2005] (Cuc Phuong, Pu Mat, Tay Yen Tu); sp. eg-4 (Nam Cat Tien); sp. eg-5 (Van Ban). Bionomics. Colonies of Myrmecina species are found in litter and soil.Published as part of Eguchi, K., Viet, B. T. & Yamane, S., 2011, Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), Part I - Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmicinae., pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 2878 on pages 20-2