Temnothorax yushui, 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 : 67-70

Temnothorax yushui sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:630E075F-0B11-4377-B977-19E70D0417EF

Fig. 43

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. dashu sp. nov. ( Fig. 12 ), but differs in the new species head dorsum densely reticulate with loose longitudinal rugae on the central area, sides of mesosoma finely reticulate, posterodorsal corner of propodeum bluntly angled, and body color light yellow; in T. dashu head dorsum coarsely reticulate on the central area, sides of mesosoma coarsely reticulate, posterodorsal corner of propodeum rightly angled, and body color reddish brown, head blackish brown. The new species is also similar to T. chushu sp. nov. ( Fig. 8 ), but differs in the new species propodeal spines bluntly angled in lateral view, anterior face of petiolar node nearly straight, metapleura longitudinally rugose; in T. chushu propodeal spines acutely angled in lateral view, anterior face of petiolar node weakly concave, metapleura reticulate.

Etymology

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

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Sichuan Province, Muli County, Liziping Town, Lizigou ; 28.055228° N, 101.183367° E; 2766 m a.s.l.; 30 Jul. 2018; Yu-Cheng He leg.; soil sample from conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU C18-1446 .

Paratype workers CHINA – Sichuan • 1 worker; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU C18-1446 • 4 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU C18-1445 • 9 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU C18-1443 • 1 worker; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU C18-1444 • 1 worker; same collection data as for holotype; foraging beneath stones in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU C18-1461 • 9 workers; Muli County, Liziping Town, Mahuanggou ; 28.087486° N, 101.172733° E; 3040 m a.s.l.; 30 Jul. 2018; Yu-Cheng He leg.; soil sample from Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU C18-1399 .

Non-type material examined

CHINA – Sichuan • 9 workers; Mianning County, Tuowu Town, Tuowuheqiao ; 28.784206° N, 102.260025° E; 2310 m a.s.l.; 27 Jul. 2019; Xin-Min Zhang leg.; soil sample from subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU C19-1136 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; foraging on the ground in subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU C19-1147 . – Yunnan Province • 2 workers; Ninglang County, Yongning Town, Luguhu Village ; 27.659264° N, 100.815072° E; 2700 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 2013; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; ground sample from conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A13-282 • 3 workers; same collection data as for preceding; foraging SWFU A13-274 • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; foraging soil sample from conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A13-280 • 3 workers; same collection data as for preceding; foraging nests in soil in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A13-281 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 2.8, HL 0.58, HW 0.50, CI 86, SL 0.50, SI 100, ED 0.13, PW 0.36, WL 0.71, PL 0.29, PH 0.16, DPW 0.13.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin moderately convex, posterior corners broadly rounded, lateral margins weakly convex. Mandibles triangular, masticatory margin with 5 teeth. Clypeal dorsum weakly convex, with median carina, anterior margin of clypeus moderately convex. Frontal lobes narrow, concealing half of antennal socket. Frontal carinae short, reaching to the midpoint level of eye. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes almost reaching posterior head margin, club 3-segmented. Eyes located slightly before midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying ¼ of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum moderately convex, promesonotal suture absent. Anterior part of mesonotum almost straight, posterior part weakly convex and sloping down posteriorly. Metanotal groove widely moderately impressed. Propodeal dorsum almost straight and gently sloping down posteriorly; propodeal spines bluntly angled; declivity weakly concave, shorter than dorsum; propodeal lobes small and bluntly angled apically. Petiole with anterior peduncle, about ⅔ length of petiolar node; petiolar node roughly triangular, anterior margin straight, posterior margin weakly convex, top corner narrowly rounded; ventral margin almost straight, weakly concave posteriorly, anteroventral corner with a tiny tooth. Postpetiole as high as petiole, anterodorsal margin roundly convex, posterior margin short and straight, ventral margin short and almost straight.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin moderately convex, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margins strongly convex. Promesotonal suture absent. Mesothorax moderately constricted and narrow, lateral margins almost straight. Metanotal groove widely impressed. Propodeum roughly rectangular, lateral margins almost straight; propodeal spines very short and acutely toothed. Petiole roughly rectangular, longer than broad, lateral margins weakly convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.5 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners bluntly angled, lateral margins nearly straight. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum and genae longitudinally rugose with interface smooth before posterior margins of eyes, gradually reticulate posteriorly and laterally with interface densely punctate. Clypeus with 4–5 rugae on each side, interface smooth. Mesosomal dorsum reticulate; pronotal sides and mesoplura reticulate; metapleura longitudinally rugose, the rugae become coarse ventrally; propodeal sides, petiole and postpetiole finely reticulate with interface densely punctate, postpetiolar dorsum smooth. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect short hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, pubescence become denser on head dorsum, hairs become denser and subdecumbent on gastral dorsum. Scapes with sparse subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence; tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence, but without standing hairs. Body color brownish yellow; mandibles, antennae and legs light yellow; dorsum of first gastral segment and eyes light black. Measurements of paratype workers: TL 2.5–2.6, HL 0.57–0.70, HW 0.48–0.55, CI 79–85, SL 0.50–0.56, SI 91–117, ED 0.10–0.12, PW 0.33–0.40, WL 0.70–0.75, PL 0.23–0.31, PH 0.17–0.20, DPW 0.10– 0.14 (15 individuals measured). As holotype worker, in some individuals metanotal groove deeply to shallowly impressed, propodeal spines bluntly angled or slightly longer and with sharp apices.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits conifer-broadleaf mixed forest ( Fig. 69D ), Pinus yunnanensis forest ( Fig. 69I ) and subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 69C ) at an elevation of 2310–3040 m, forages on the ground, beneath stones and in soil, and nests in soil.

Distribution

China: Yunnan, Sichuan.

Figures

Fig. 43. Temnothorax yushui sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU C18-1446). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 12. Temnothorax dashu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A13-479). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

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. 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.