Temnothorax chunfen, 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 : 11-13

Temnothorax chunfen sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96705DBF-4EF1-42ED-A1B0-2EB0204ADC0E

Fig. 6

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. congruus (Smith, 1874) ( Fig. 7 ), but in differs the new species head dorsum wholly smooth, petiolar node relatively shorter with narrower summit, and body color brownish black, gaster black; in T. congruus head dorsum coarsely longitudinally rugose on the central area, petiolar node relatively longer with broader summit, and body color reddish brown, gaster black. The new species is also similar to T. qingming sp. nov. ( Fig. 30 ), but differs in the new species pronotum and mesonotal dorsum smooth, in lateral view propodeal spines shorter tan their basal width, petiolar node relatively higher, about 0.8 times as high as petiole length; in T. qingming pronotum and mesonotal dorsum finely reticulate, in lateral view propodeal spines longer than their basal width, petiolar node relatively lower, about 0.6 times as high as petiole length.

Etymology

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

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Yunnan Province, Deqin County, Benzilan Town, Benzilan Village ; 28.242147° N, 99.281039° E; 2260 m a.s.l.; 12 Oct. 2004; Jun-Wu Yang leg.; canopy sample from dry-warm valley shrubland; SWFU A04-713 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 2.4, HL 0.58, HW 0.48, CI 82, SL 0.46, SI 96, ED 0.13, PW 0.33, WL 0.74, PL 0.25, PH 0.20, DPW 0.15.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin slightly convex, 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 broad, concealing antennal sockets. Frontal carinae short, about as long as frontal lobes. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes just reaching to posterior head margin, antennal clubs 3-segmented. Eyes located at midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying ¼ of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum weakly convex, anterodorsal corner narrowly rounded. Promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent. Mesonotum almost straight and gently sloping down posteriorly. Propodeal dorsum slightly convex and gently sloping down posteriorly; propodeal spines short and triangular, blunt apically, shorter than their basal width; declivity slightly concave; propodeal lobes broad, truncated apically. Petiole with relatively short anterior peduncle, about ⅔ length of petiolar node; petiolar node roughly conical, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin weakly convex, dorsum narrowly rounded; ventral margin slightly concave, anteroventral corner bluntly toothed. Postpetiole as high as petiolar node, anterodorsal margin rounded, posterior margin slightly concave, ventral margin almost straight.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin weakly convex, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margin moderately convex. Promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent. Mesothorax weakly constricted, lateral margins weakly concave. Propodeum roughly rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly, lateral margins almost straight; spines short and triangular, pointed posterolaterally. Petiole roughly trapezoidal and widening posteriorly, longer than broad, lateral margins weakly convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.5 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners narrowly rounded, lateral margins weakly convex. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum smooth and shiny, each side with 3 oblique rugae above frontal carinae. Clypeus smooth, each side with 1 short longitudinal ruga. Pronotum smooth and shiny, the rest of mesosoma finely reticulate, mesonotal dorsum smooth. Petiole and postpetiole densely finely punctate, postpetiolar dorsum smooth. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundent erect to suberect apically blunt short hairs and abundent decumbent pubescence. Scapes with dense subdecumbent hairs and dense decumbent pubescence, tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Body brownish black; gaster black; mandibles, antennae, trochanters, tibiae and tarsi brownish yellow.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits dry-warm valley shrubland ( Fig. 69G ) at an elevation of 2260 m and forages on plants.

Distribution

China: Yunnan.

Figures

Fig. 6. Temnothorax chunfen sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A04-713). 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. 30. Temnothorax qingming sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A07-56). 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.