| Ants is typical social insect and belong to Formicidae, Hymenoptera. According to the statistics, 9538 species, 296 genera of 16 subfamilies are recorded in the world. Ants, with some 20,000 estimated species in the whole world, form a large group of animals that are dominant in most terrestrial ecosystems. And the high expression of their social behavior is very important for the study of evolutionary biology.Because of rich varieties, large population and widely distributed, ants is closely relative to the production and life of human being, and of extremely vital economic significance to human. Ants not only play an important role in soil improvement, seed dispersal and pest control, but also apply to study, food and medicine manufacturing. Most ants are beneficial to people, but a small number of ants also do harm to human.To take full advantage of beneficial species, eradicate and control harmful species, we must first accurately identify the ant species, make the system classification, understanding of their biological characteristics, and thus the scientific conservation of biological resources, maintain ecological balance and achieve harmonious development between man and nature. So it is very important to study the taxonomy of ants.The ant genus Dolichoderus Lunder is the largest one in Dolichoderinae, distributed in almost all zoogeographic region. According to Bolton(1995), 171 species were recorded in the world. As our late starter in Formicidae research, the taxonomy study on Dolichoderus in China is inadequate. Owing to the variable sculpture, pilosity, colour and shape of propodeal dorsum, the species and varieties of Dolichoderus are abundant, and more and more new species have been found. Under the guidance of Prof. Shanyi Zhou, the author investigated the species of Dolichoderus from the more representative areas in China, to study the ant genus Dolichoderus Lunder taxonomy.In this paper, the history of China and the world's ants taxonomy is introduced, the morphology of ants specimens are described, and the biology of ants is summarized. 16 species of Dolichoderus(Hymenoptera:Formicidae:Dolichoderinae) are collected and reported in China, of which 4 new species is described. A key to 16 known species belong to Dolichoderus from China is provided. 32 colour pictures are shown in this study.The 4 new species as follows:1. Dolichoderus flavus, sp. nov. (Figs 9-11) Holotype worker. TL 3.4,HL 0.92,HW 0.96,CI 104,SL 0.82,SI 85,PW 0.62,AL 1.30,ED 1.24.Head as broad as long, sides evenly convex, occipital margin shallowly concave in the middle, occipital corners rounded. Mandible triangular, with a row of denticles on their masticatory margin, the apical and subapical teeth much larger. Anterior clypeal margin slightly concave, convex in the middle. Eyes large, located in midlength of the sides of the head. In profile view, pronotum wide and flat, anterior border marginate; pro-mesonotal suture distinct. Mesonotum oblique, almost as high as pronotum. In profile view, pronotum and mesonotum weakly arch; meso-propodeal groove emarginate deeply. Propodeum gradually elevated and formed a horizontal plane from middle to the rear, slightly longitudinally depressed in the rear, posterior margin slightly concave. Declivity weakly concave and almost as long as dorsum, their junction nearly vertical. Petiolar node relatively thin, both anterior face and posterior face nearly parallel, in front view upper margin weakly convex. Gaster broadly oval and flat, the first dorsum longitudinally depressed.Mandibles with micro-punctures, relatively shining. Head and thorax shagreened, relatively dark. Head sparsely foveolate, interface densely reticulate-punctulate. Clypeus densely longitudinally striate. Thorax irregularly foveolate and densely micro-punctate. Mesopleurae and sides of propodeum longitudinally striate-punctate, interface densely micro-punctate. Declivity, petiolar node and gaster densely micro-puncture, relatively shining. Hairs pale, abundant, the whole body with erect or suberect hairs. The upper margin of petiolar node with rich hairs. Pubescence spread all over the body, hairs on head and gaster relatively dense, thorax sparse.Head and gaster blackish brown, thorax yellowish brown. Petiolar node brown. Clypeus, scapes and fore legs (except tarsi) brown, slightly stained yellow. Mandibles,flagellaes and the rest of tarsis yellowish brown. Middle and the last femurs, tibiaes brownish yellow, slightly stained brown. All tarsis yellow, trochanters yellowish brown.Holotype worker, No. 18-7, Huping Mountain National Nature Reserve, Shimen County, Hunan Province, 8 Sep. 2003, collected by Mr. Huang Jian-hua.This new species is close to D. flatidorsus Zhou et Zheng, but anterior clypeal margin slightly concave, occipital margin shallowly concave and occipital corners rounded. Mesonotum relatively convex. Basal face and upper margin are not flat. Head and thorax with foveolate. Petiolar node with dense hairs. Pubescence sparse. The color is also different.2. Dolichoderus breviscapus, sp. nov. (Figs 12-14)Holotype worker. TL 3.5,HL 0.84,HW 0.90,CI 107,SL 0.66,SI 73,PW 0.41,AL 1.01,ED 0.24. Head broader than long, distinctly narrowed forward, triangular. Lateral sides evenly convex, occipital margin almost flat, occipital corners convex. Mandible triangular, with a row of denticles on their masticatory margin, the apical and subapical teeth much larger. Clypeus flat, convex in the middle, anterior margin slightly concave. Frontal carinae apart widely, slightly diverging posteriorly. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes of antenna just reaching to occipital corners of the head. Eyes large and somewhat convex, located in front of the midlength of the sides of the head. Pronotum wide and flat, both anterior and posterior border marginate, in dorsal view pronotum oblong. Pro-mesonotal suture distinct. Mesonotum oblique deeply, lower than pronotum, meso-propodeal groove emarginate deeply. Propodeum elevated by about 1/3 of its length, and 2/3 formed a horizontal plane, posterior margin slightly convex. Declivity weakly concave and much longer than dorsum, their junction acutely angulate. Petiolar node erect, relatively thin, both anterior and posterior faces weakly convex. Gaster ovate-oblong.Mandibles and head densely micro-punctate, relatively shining. Clypeus densely longitudinally striate. Thorax densely foveolated, interface densely moderately punctate. Pronotum foveolate and coarsely longitudinally rugose, sides of pronotum thickly finely punctate. Sides of mesonotum and metanotum densely micro-punctate. Declivity and petiole densely finely punctate, relatively shining. Hairs pale, stout and long, the most abundant on the thorax. Pubescence sparse, not cover punctures. The whole body smooth, more or less shining. Thorax black, base of gaster slightly stained brown. Mandibles and antennae yellowish brown. Clypeus and fore coxae yellowish brown, slightly stained brown. Remaining of the fore legs, middle and hind legs yellow. Petiole brown.Holotype worker, No. 72, Wuzhi Mountain National Nature Reserve, Hainan Province, 11 Aug. 2006, collected by Ms. Qian Fang.This new species is close to D. squamanodus Xu, but humeri of pronotum not convex; sides of mesonotum and metanotum not shining. The new species is also close to D. brunnus sp. nov.,but scapes much shorter, just reaching occipital corner of the head, head densely micro-punctate, relatively shining, thorax coarsely puncate.3. Dolichoderus brunnus, sp. nov. (Figs 15-17)Holotype worker. TL 3.5,HL 0.86,HW 0.85,CI 98,SL 0.80,SI 94,PW 0.67,AL 1.23,ED 0.27.Head as broad as long, narrowed forward. Lateral sides convex, occipital margin nearly straight, occipital corners rounded. Mandible triangular. Clypeal flat, convex in the middle, anterior margin slightly concave. Frontal carinae apart widely. Eyes weakly convex, located in the midlength of the sides of the head. Pronotum flat, anterior border marginate protuberantly. Pro-mesonotal suture distinct. Anterior half of mesonotum as high as pronotum, convex, slightly longitudinally depressed in the middle, oblique posteriorly. Meso-propodeal groove emarginate deeply, nearly notched. Propodeum elevated and formed a horizontal plane, almost as high as pronotum. Declivity weakly concave, almost as long as dorsum, their junction acutely angular. In dorsal view, the posterior margin of propodeum straight. Both anterior face and posterior face of the petiolar node weakly convex, upper margin straight. Gaster broadly ovate.Mandibles shining. Head with sparse rugose and densely moderate-coarsely punctate. Thorax irregularly foveolate, coarsely rugose and densely moderate-coarsely punctate. Mesopleurae longitudinally striate and densely punctate. Sides of propodeum with rugose and densely punctate. Petiolar node and gaster densely micro-puncture, relatively shining. Hairs soft and slender on whole body, much longer and more densely on thorax. Pubescence sparse. Head, thorax, petiole and gaster reddish brown to blackish brown. Fore coxae blackish brown. Mandibles, antennae and all legs yellowish brown except fore coxae.Paratype 2 workers. TL 3.4～3.6,HL 0.86～0.88,HW 0.66～0.86,CI 77～98,SL 0.74～0.80,SI 93～112,PW 0.48～0.52,AL 1.06～1.08,ED 0.22～0.24.Holotype worker, No. 31, Wuzhi Mountain National Nature Reserve, Hainan Province, 9 Aug. 2006, collected by Ms. Qian Fang. Paratype 2 workers, data as holotype.This new species is close to D. squamanodus Xu, but clypeus not longitudinally striate, humeri of pronotum not convex, anterior half of mesonotum convex and the posterior half oblique, much steeper than that of D. squamanodus Xu, posterior margin of propodeum straight, not roundly convex. The colour also different. This new species is also close to D. pilosus Zhou et Zheng,but pro-mesonotal suture much shallow. The colour of gaster is the same as head and thorax, reddish brown to blackish brown.4. Dolichoderus roticepus, sp. nov. (Figs 27-29)Holotype worker. TL 3.6,HL 0.86,HW 0.84,CI 98,SL 0.80,SI 95,PW 0.54,AL 1.04,ED 0.22.Head as broad as long, narrowed forward, sides convex, occipital margin and occipital corners rounded. Mandible triangular. Clypeus flat, convex in the middle, anterior margin straight. Frontal carinae apart widely, nearly parallel. Antennal scapes slightly surpassed occipital corners. Eyes located in the midlength of the sides of head. Pronotum flat, anterior border weakly marginate. Anterior portion of mesonotum weakly convex, the posterior portion oblique. Pro-mesonotal suture distinct, meso-propodeal groove emarginate deeply. Basal face of propodeum flat and elevated, almost as long as declivity. Declivity vertically. The junction is in right angle, in dorsal view the posterior margin straight. Petiolar erect, both anterior face and posterior face flat, upper margin straight. Dorsum of the first gaster longitudinally depressed.Mandibles shining. Head and thorax with densely micro-punctates, dark. Thorax shagreened. Mesopleurae and metanotal groove with longitudinally rugose. punctates on petiole and gaster are fine, relatively shining. Hairs fine and short, sparse, on pronotum much longer and densely. Pubescence sparse. Head and thorax yellowish brown, gaster blackish brown. Legs, mandibles and antennae paler.Paratype 1 worker. TL 3.4,HL 0.82,HW 0.80,CI 98,SL 0.80, SI 100,PW 0.50,AL 0.94,ED 0.20.Holotype worker, No. 12, Jiemuxi Mountain National Nature Reserve, Yuanling County, Hunan Province, 2 Sep. 2004, collected by Mr. Huang Jian-hua. Paratype 1 worker, data as holotype.This new species is close to D. pilosus Zhou et Zheng, but pro-mesonotal suture not wide and deep, posterior portion of mesonotum not steep, dorsum of propodeum not convex, declivity not concave, punctures on head and thorax not coarse, hairs sparse.
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