New Ant Species Polyrhachis garbhangaensis Discovered in Assam

Key facts

• Scientists have identified a new ant species named Polyrhachis garbhangaensis in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam.
• The species belongs to the rare mucronata group of spiny ants and represents only the third species of this group ever recorded in India.
• The discovery was led by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, and the formal description was published in the journal Asian Myrmecology on 30 January.
• The ant measures approximately 5.6 millimetres in length and is distinguished by a bright yellow-orange abdomen and curved spines on its body.
• Assam is a major centre of diversity for this genus, accounting for 21 of the more than 70 known Polyrhachis species recorded in India.
• The research team also recorded an ant-mimicking spider in the same area, suggesting complex predator-prey relationships within the urban-adjacent forest ecosystem.