Contributions to the taxonomy of the ant genus Echinopla Smith, 1857 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

Sixteen species of Echinopla Smith, 1857 distributed west of Weber’s Line are treated, including eight species described as new: E. madli sp. n. from southern Thailand and Borneo, E. wardi sp. n. from West Malaysia, E. fisheri sp. n., E. circulus sp. n., E. mezgeri sp. n., and E. subtilis sp. n. from Borneo, E. brevisetosa sp. n. and E. angustata sp. n. from the Philippines. Lectotypes are designated for E. lineata Mayr, 1862 and E. senilis Mayr, 1862, stat. rev., and differences between the two species are pointed out. New records are presented for E. melanarctos Smith, 1857 (West Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo), E. pallipes Smith, 1857 (Borneo), E. tritschleri Forel, 1901 (West Malaysia, Borneo), E. cherapunjiensis Bharti & Gul, 2012 (Laos, West Malaysia), E. lineata Mayr, 1862 (Singapore, Borneo), E. cf. pseudostriata Donisthorpe, 1943 (Philippines), and E. cf. vermiculata Emery, 1898 (Philippines).