Temnothorax elmenshawyi Sharaf, Wachkoo, Hita Garcia, 2019

Sharaf, Mostafa R., Aldawood, Abdulrahman S., Economo, Evan P., Wachkoo, Aijaz Ahmad & Garcia, Francisco Hita, 2019, taxonomy of Arabian Temnothorax Mayr (formicidae: Myrmicinae) with description of a new species enhanced by x-ray microtomography, Scientific Reports 9, pp. 1-7 : 2

Temnothorax elmenshawyi Sharaf, Wachkoo, Hita Garcia sp. n. Holotypeworker. SaudiArabia: Asir Province, Abha, Raydah , 18.201583°N, 42.408933°E, 2578 m., 31.vii.2015, Al Dhafer et al., deposited in the King Saud University Museum of Arthropods ( CASENT0922350 ), College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA. Paratype worker. One worker with same data as the holotype, also deposited in the King Saud University Museum of Arthropods ( CASENT0790240 ) ( Figs 1A–C, 2A–H ).

Holotype measurements (paratype in brackets). EL 0.20 (0.17); FRS 0.15 (0.12); HL 0.75 (0.75); HW 0.62 (0.57); IOD 0.52 (0.52); MD 0.25 (0.20); PPH 0.20 (0.17); PPL 0.15 (0.17); PPW 0.20 (0.22); PTH 0.22 (0.22); PTL 0.27 (0.22); PTW; 0.15 (0.12) PW 0.45 (0.40); SL 0.55 (0.45); SPST 0.22 (0.15); WL 0.92 (0.87). Indices. CI 83 (76); DPeI 56 (55); DPpI 133 (129); LPpI 75 (100); OI 32 (30); PeNI 33 (30); PPI 133 (100); PpNI 44 (55); PSLI 29 (20); SI 73 (60).

Cybertype. Volumetric raw data (in DICOM format), 3D rotation video (in.mp4 format, T. elmenshawyi _ CASENT0790240_video.mp4, see Suppl. material XXX), still images of surface volume rendering, and 3D surface (in PLY format) of the physical paratype (CASENT0790240) in addition to montage photos illustrating head in full-face view, profile anddorsal views of the body. The datais depositedat Dryad 23 (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4gg39k6) and can be freely accessed as virtual representation of the type. In addition to the cybertype data at Dryad, we also provide a freely accessible 3D surface model of the holotype at Sketchfab (https://skOE.ly/6HYRz).

Diagnosis. Temnothorax elmenshawyi can be distinguished from other members of the species group by the impressed metanotal groove, the short, acute and broadly based propodeal spines, the finely punctate posterior half of cephalic surface, and the absence of median clypeal carina.

Description. Head. Infull-faceviewdistinctlylongerthanbroadwithnearlystraightposteriormargin, rounded corners and feebly convex sides; anterior clypeal margin entire and convex; frontal carinae short and distinctly failing to reach anterior margin of eyes in full-face view; mandibles armed with five teeth decreasing in size from apex to base; antennae 12-segmented; scape relatively short (SI 60–73) clearly not reaching posterior margin of head by about length of second funicular segment in full-face view; eyes moderately large (EL 0.29– 0.32 × HW, OI 30–32) with about 16 ommatidia in the longest row. Mesosoma. Promesonotal suture indistinct; promesonotum flat in profile; metanotal grove distinct; propodeal spines short, acute and broadly based (PSLI 20–29). Petiole. In profile without a peduncle; the anterior face forms a shallow concavity anteriorly; anterior face of petiolar node forms a right angle with posterior face; subpetiolar process reduced to a small denticle.

Postpetiole. In profile globular (LPpI 75–100) and relatively lower than the height of the petiole; in dorsal view trapezoidal broadest anteriorly, 1.2–1.3 broader than long (DPpI 129–133). Sculpture. Mandibles longitudinally rugulose; clypeus and cephalic surface behind posterior levels of eyes to posterior margin of head mostly unsculptured medially and shiny, laterally with sparse punctate ground sculpture; cephalic surface starting from posterior margins of clypeus to posterior level of eyes faintly longitudinally irregularly rugulose; dorsal surface of mesosoma densely and finely punctate; lateral sides of mesosoma densely punctate; area between mesopleura and metapleura with distinct longitudinal rugae; promesonotum and mesonotum smooth in dorsal view; propodeum irregularly rugulose; petiole and postpetiole densely and finely punctate; gaster smooth and shining. Pilosity. Anterior clypeal margin with six protrusive setae, two short lateral and four central longer ones; clypeus and cephalic surface with appressed scattered pubescence; posterior margin of head with four pairs of erect setae; antennae with abundant appressed pubescence; promesonotum with seven pairs of blunt stiff, short erect setae; mesonotum and propodeum each with two pairs of setae; propodeal spines with one pair of setae; petiole with three pairs of longer setae directed posteriad; postpetiole with five pairs of setae; gaster with scattered blunt setae.

Colour. Uniformly black, tibiae and tarsi pale brown.

Queens and Males: Unknown.

Etymology. This new species is named in the honor of the late Egyptian Qur’an reader Mohamed Siddiq El-Menshawy (1920–1969).

Habitat. The type locality (Raydah) ( Fig. 3 ) is located in the Asir Mountains, 10 km west of the city of Abha andwith an estimatedarea of 9 km 2 16. Thisarea includesoneof thelast remnantsof dense juniperforests (African pencil cedar, Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. (Cupressaceae) remaining on the Arabian Peninsula.

Biology and Ecology. Nothing is known of the biology and ecology of the new species.

Figures

Figure 1. (A–C) Temnothorax elmenshawyi sp. n. holotype worker (CASENT0922350 - photographer: Michele Esposito, AntWeb). (A) Body in profile; (B) Body in dorsal view; (C) Head in full-face view.

Figure 3. Type locality, Raydah, the Asir Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (photographer:Ahmed Shams Al ‘Ola).