Guwahati: Garbhanga Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati has yielded a newly identified ant species, highlighting that urban-adjacent forest patches can still harbour undocumented wildlife.The species has been named ‘Polyrhachis garbhangaensis’, after the forest where it was found, and belongs to the rare mucronata group of spiny ants. Its formal description was published in the international journal ‘Asian Myrmecology’ on Jan 30. The discovery was led by Ankita Sharma of the Animal Behaviour and Cognition Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, with team members Paul Antony Mangaly, Suraj Kumar Singha Deo, and Sangavi D contributing equally under the supervision of Prof. Anindya Sinha.“This ant belongs to a rare and specialised group of spiny ants called the mucronata group, and it is only the third species of this group ever recorded in India. Although India has more than 70 known species of Polyrhachis ants, Assam stands out as a major centre of diversity, with 21 species recorded so far,” Ankita said.Specimens were first collected in Aug 2023 during field surveys in Garbhanga Reserve Forest, a 117-square-kilometre green corridor linking Guwahati with the nearby Rani Reserve Forest. Ankita said the finding emerged from research examining how rapid urban growth is influencing ant and spider communities around the city. “Beyond adding a new species to science, the discovery sends a strong conservation message. Forests on the edges of cities like Guwahati are often overlooked or considered degraded, but this finding shows they can still shelter unique and unknown life forms,” Ankita said, adding that protecting these green lungs matters not only for people but also for the many species living within them.“At about 5.6 millimetres long, the Assamese Spiny Ant is visually striking. Unlike its close relatives, which are usually black, this species has a bright yellow-orange abdomen. It also has curved spines on its body that likely help protect it from predators,” she explained.Researchers also recorded an ant-mimicking spider in the same area. They said the spider closely resembles the newly discovered spiny ant, suggesting the mimicry may help it evade predators, and noted that the observation points to predator–prey relationships shaping forest ecosystems.
