Temnothorax chushu, Qian & Xu, 2024

Qian, Yu-Han & Xu, Zheng-Hui, 2024, Taxonomy of the ant genera Leptothorax Mayr, 1855 and Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of China with descriptions of twenty-eight new species and a key to the known Chinese species, European Journal of Taxonomy 936, pp. 1-97 : 14-16

Temnothorax chushu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:124D3462-820D-4323-97CE-0566DEF5CAC7

Fig. 8

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. maoerensis Zhou et al., 2010 ( Fig. 9 ), but differs in the new species head dorsum densely reticulate on the central longitudinal strip, mesopleura densely punctate, petiolar node relatively longer, and body color brownish yellow; in T. maoerensis head dorsum almost smooth on the central longitudinal strip, mesopleura reticulate, petiolar node relatively shorter, and body color blackish brown. The new species is also similar to T. liqiu sp. nov. ( Fig. 27 ), but differs in the new species scapes with suberect hairs, mesosoma finely reticulate, in lateral view propodeal spines shorter than their basal width, petiolar node weakly reticulate, body color yellow; in T. liqiu scapes with decumbent hairs, mesosoma coarsely reticulate, in lateral view propodeal spines longer than their basal width, petiolar node strongly reticulate, body color yellowish brown.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to ‘chushu’, one of the 24 Solar Terms of China.

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Yunnan Province, Lushui City, Pianma Town, Pianma ; 25.993789° N, 98.660772° E; 2500 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 1999; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; nests inside dead branch in subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A99-29 .

Paratype workers CHINA – Yunnan Province • 8 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A99-29 • 1 worker; Zhenyuan County, Heping Town, Baishiyan ; 23.932472° N, 101.432475° E; 2500 m a.s.l.; 18 Apr. 2002 ;

Zheng-Qun Chai leg.; soil sample from subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A1557 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; SWFU A1558 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; foraging on the ground; SWFU A1560 • 1 worker; Jingdong County, Taizhong Town, Xujiaba ; 24.543966° N, 101.024948° E; 2250 m a.s.l.; 8 Apr. 2002; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; soil sample from subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A00848 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; SWFU A00849 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; SWFU A00850 .

Non-type material examined

CHINA – Sichuan Province • 8 workers; Huili County, Baiguowan Town, Baiguowan ; 26.953150° N, 102.271897° E; 1810 m a.s.l.; 25 Jul. 2019; Chao Chen leg.; nests inside dead wood in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU C19-657 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 2.9, HL 0.67, HW 0.55, CI 82, SL 0.63, SI 115, ED 0.15, PW 0.41, WL 0.83, PL 0.32, PH 0.18, DPW 0.16.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin moderately convex and slightly concave in the middle, posterior corner broadly rounded, lateral margins weakly convex. Mandibles triangular, masticatory margin with 5 teeth. Clypeal dorsum weakly convex, with median carina, anterior margin moderately convex. Frontal lobes narrow, concealed half of antennal socket. Frontal carinae short, reaching to midpoint level of eyes. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes surpassing posterior margin by 1/12 of its length, club 3-segmented. Eyes slightly before midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying ¼ of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum moderately convex, promesonotal suture slightly impressed. Mesonotum slightly convex and gently sloping down posteriorly. Metanotal groove widely moderately impressed and distinct. Propodeal dorsum nearly straight and gently sloping down posteriorly; propodeal spines very short and acutely toothed, shorter than their basal width; declivity moderately concave, about ½ length of dorsum; propodeal lobes large, narrowly rounded apically. Petiole with anterior peduncle, about ⅔ length of petiolar node; petiolar node roughly trapezoidal, anterior margin straight, dorsal margin roundly convex, posterior margin weakly convex; ventral margin weakly convex in the middle, moderately concave posteriorly, anteroventral corner sharply toothed. Postpetiole about as high as petiole, anterodorsal margin roundly convex, posterior margin slightly concave, ventral margin weakly concave.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin moderately convex and weakly marginated, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margins strongly convex. Promesotonal suture very shallowly impressed. Mesothorax moderately constricted and narrow, lateral margins strongly concave. Metanotal groove widely impressed. Propodeum roughly rectangular, lateral margins weakly convex; propodeal spines very short and bluntly toothed. Petiole longer than broad, widening posteriorly; petiolar node roughly trapezoidal and widening posteriorly, lateral margins moderately convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.3 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners narrowly rounded, lateral margins slightly convex. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum longitudinally rugose before midline of eyes, gradually reticulate posteriorly and laterally with interface densely punctate, genae longitudinally rugose. Clypeus with 3–4 rugae on each side with interface smooth. Mesosoma densely punctate with interface appearing finely reticulate; pronotal sides longitudinally rugose with rugae interweaved; lower part of metapleuron with two strong costulae. Petiole and postpetiole densely weakly punctate. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect apically blunt hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, hairs and pubescence on the head relatively denser. Scapes and tibiae with dense subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence. Body color brownish yellow, gaster blackish brown, legs light yellow.

Measurements of paratype workers: TL 2.4–3.1, HL 0.55–0.75, HW 0.45–0.60, CI 80–82, SL 0.50–0.60, SI 100–111, ED 0.12–0.13, PW 0.30–0.35, WL 0.55–0.83, PL 0.29–0.30, PH 0.15–0.20, DPW 0.10– 0.15 (14 individuals measured). As holotype worker, in some individuals propodeal spines slightly shorter or longer than in holotype, body color brown to blackish brown.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 69C ) and conifer-broadleaf mixed forest ( Fig. 69D ) at an elevation of 1810–2500 m, forages in soil and on the ground, and nests inside dead branch and dead wood.

Distribution

China: Yunnan, Sichuan.

Figures

Fig. 8. Temnothorax chushu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A99-29). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 9. Temnothorax maoerensis Zhou et al., 2010, holotype worker (GXNU). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view. Photos by Zhi-Lin Chen.

Fig. 27. Temnothorax liqiu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU C18-795). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 69. Middle elevational vegetations. A. Pinus densata Masters forest (2750 m, Bomi, Tibet). B. Pinus armandi Franch. forest (2557 m, Qiaojia, Yunnan). C. Subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest (2500 m, Lushui, Yunnan). D. Conifer-broadleaf mixed forest (2500 m, Huaping, Yunnan). E. Moss evergreen broadleaf forest (2450 m. Cangyuan, Yunnan). F. Warm conifer forest (2230 m, Huili, Sichuan). G. Dry-warm valley shrubland (2230 m, Muli, Sichuan). H. Semi-evergreen broadleaf forest (2050 m, Danba, Sichuan). I. Pinus yunnanensis forest (2030 m, Huaping, Yunnan). Photos by Zheng-Hui Xu.