Vitsika

Vitsika
Vitsika crebra alate specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Vitsika Bolton & Fisher, 2014
Type species
Vitsika crebra Bolton & Fisher, 2014
Diversity [1]
16 species

Vitsika is a Malagasy genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Described in 2014, the genus contains 14 species. ^[2] The genus Myrmisaraka described in the same publication was synonymized with this genus by Fisher & Bolton in 2016 after molecular data placed its two species, M. brevis and M. producta, nested inside Vitsika. ^[3]

Description

Queens are known for all species except V. obscura. The queens may be alate or ergatoid, or both forms may occur within a single species. It is possible that all species will be found to produce both ergatoids and alates when the species are better represented in collections. Two species (V. manifesta, V. suspicax) exhibit morphological intermediates between alate and ergatoid forms, and two species (V. acclivitas and V. crebra) appear to be polygynous. ^[2]

Worker-associated males are known for V. crebra, V. breviscapa and V. labes. In addition, the males of three other species, collected in isolation (in Malaise traps), are present in collections. Similar in size to the conspecific worker or slightly smaller. ^[2]

Species

• Vitsika acclivitas Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika astuta Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika brevis (Bolton & Fisher, 2014)
• Vitsika breviscapa Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika crebra Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika disjuncta Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika incisura Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika labes Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika manifesta Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika miranda Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika obscura Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika procera Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika producta (Bolton & Fisher, 2014)
• Vitsika suspicax Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika tenuis Bolton & Fisher, 2014
• Vitsika venustas Bolton & Fisher, 2014

References

1. Bolton, B. (2014). "Vitsika". AntCat. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
2. Bolton, Barry; Fisher, Brian L. (2014), "The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n.", Zootaxa , 3791 (1): 1–99, doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3791.1.1 , PMID   24869996, S2CID   45319794
3. Fisher, Brian L.; Bolton, Barry (26 July 2016). Ants of the world. Ants of Africa and Madagascar. A guide to the genera. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 1–503. ISBN   9780520290891 . Retrieved 12 January 2026.

• This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Bolton, Barry; Fisher, Brian L. (2014), "The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n.", Zootaxa , 3791 (1): 1–99, doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3791.1.1 , PMID   24869996, S2CID   45319794 Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.