Temnothorax jingzhe, 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 : 33-35

Temnothorax jingzhe sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:043D60A5-F460-4534-9164-B3C5CAC50952

Fig. 22

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. mangzhong sp. nov. ( Fig. 29 ), but differs in the new species head dorsum without punctate sculpturing between the longitudinal rugae on the central area, posterodorsal corner of propodeum more acutely angled, petiolar node relatively shorter with narrowly rounded dorsum, and body color black; in T. mangzhong head dorsum densely punctate between the longitudinal rugae on the central area, posterodorsal corner of propodeum rightly angled, petiolar node relatively longer with broadly rounded dorsum, and body color reddish brown, head and gaster black. The new species is also similar to T. congruus (Smith, 1874) ( Fig. 7 ), but differs in the new species dorsum of mesonotum and propodeum straight in lateral view, petiolar node nearly symmetrical and erect, head dorsum finely longitudinally rugose, body color black; in T. congruus dorsum of mesonotum and propodeum weakly convex in lateral view, petiolar node asymmetrical and inclined anteriorly, head dorsum coarsely longitudinally rugose, body color blackish brown.

Etymology

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

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Yunnan Province, Cangyuan County, Menglai Town, Wokan Mountain ; 23.332309° N, 99.19831° E; 2450 m a.s.l.; 19 Apr. 2012, Chun-Liang Li leg.; foraging arboreally in moss evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A12-1144 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 3.1, HL 0.72, HW 0.63, CI 87, SL 0.60, SI 95, ED 0.15, PW 0.42, WL 0.85, PL 0.32, PH 0.20, DPW 0.15.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior and lateral margins weakly convex, posterior corner broadly rounded. Mandibles triangular, masticatory margin with 5 teeth. Clypeal dorsum weakly convex, median carina indistinct, anterior margin moderately convex. Frontal lobes narrow, concealing half of antennal sockets. Frontal carinae short, reaching to the level of anterior eye margin. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes almost reaching to posterior margin, club 3-segmented. Eyes located slightly before midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying 1/5 of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum weakly convex, dorsa of mesonotum and propodeum straight and gently sloping down posteriorly, promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent. Propodeal spines very short and stout, roughly triangular, about as long as their basal width; declivity almost straight; propodeal lobes short and rounded apically. Petiole with long anterior peduncle, about as long as petiolar node; petiolar node roughly triangular, anterior and posterior margins weakly convex, top corner narrowly rounded; ventral margin almost straight, anteroventral corner minutely toothed. Postpetiole as high as petiolar node, anterodorsal corner rounded, posterior margin almost straight, ventral margin weakly concave.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin moderately convex, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margin strongly convex, promesonotal suture absent. Mesothorax moderately constricted, lateral margins weakly concave. Propodeum roughly rectangular, lateral margins almost straight; spines short and stout, roughly triangular, pointed posterolaterally. Petiole roughly trapezoidal and widening posteriorly, longer than broad, lateral margins weakly convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.4 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners broadly rounded. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum densely longitudinally rugose, with interface densely punctate posteriorly and laterally, posteroventral part of lateral head margins smooth and shiny. Clypeus densely longitudinally rugose. Mesosoma reticulate; propodeal dorsum coarsely reticulate, metapleura longitudinally rugose. Propodeal sides, petiole and postpetiole finely reticulate, postpetiolar dorsum relatively smooth. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundant suberect to subdecumbent short hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, hair on mesosoma subdecumbent. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Body color blackish brown, head and gaster black; mandibles, apices and bases of scapes, basal segments of flagella, trochanters, bases and apices of femora, apices of tibiae, and tarsi brownish yellow.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits moss evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 69E ) at an elevation of 2450 m, and forages arboreally.

Distribution

China: Yunnan.

Figures

Fig. 22. Temnothorax jingzhe sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A12-1144). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 29. Temnothorax mangzhong sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A99-100). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 7. Temnothorax congruus (Smith, 1874), holotype worker (BMNH 1014987). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view. Images cited from www.antweb.org, CASENT 0901786, photos by Ryan Perry.

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.