Temnothorax pastinifer ( Emery, 1894 ), 2021

Prebus, Matthew M., 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Temnothorax salvini clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key to the clades of New World Temnothorax, PeerJ (e 11514) 9, pp. 1-462 : 217-223

Temnothorax pastinifer ( Emery, 1894)

Distribution: Fig. 121C ; worker & gyne: Fig. 124 .

Macromischa pastinifera Emery, 1894: 164 , pl. 1, fig. 18. Syntype workers. Bahamas. One syntype worker here designated lectotype.

Macromischa lucayensis Forel, 1901b: 340 . Holotype gyne; junior synonym of Temnothorax pastinifer by Baroni Urbani, 1978: 471.

Macromischa pastinifera var. opacipes Wheeler, 1905: 96 , fig. 1. Syntype workers; junior synonym of Temnothorax pastinifer by Smith, 1954: 6.

Leptothorax pastinifer (Emery) : Baroni Urbani, 1978: 470 (in part). First combination in Leptothorax .

Leptothorax pastoris Baroni Urbani, 1978: 475 . Holotype worker; junior synonym of Temnothorax pastinifer by Fontenla Rizo, 1997: 51.

Temnothorax pastinifer (Emery) : Bolton, 2003: 271. First combination in Temnothorax .

Type material examined: Lectotype worker of Macromischa pastinifera : BAHAMAS: Bahama Isola, [no collection date], Pergande No. 40, 1 worker (images of CASENT0904718 examined on antweb.org) [ MSNG].

Macromischa lucayensis holotype alate gyne: BAHAMAS: [no locality data], [no collection date] 21, A. Forel, 1 alate gyne (images of CASENT0908986 examined on antweb.org) [ MHNG] .

Leptothorax pastoris paratype worker: CUBA: Santiago de Cuba: Siboney, [no collection date], I. Garcia #I-72, BMNH(E) 1014997, 1 worker (images of CASENT 09101798 examined on antweb.org) [ NHMUK] .

Type material not examined: Macromischa pastinifera var. opacipes syntype workers: BAHAMAS: South Andros Island: Crawl Creek, Wheeler , syntype workers of Macromischa pastinifera var. opacipes [ AMNH].

Non-type material examined: BAHAMAS: Berry Islands: Great Harbour Cay, Bamboo Cay , site 37, 29 January 2005, John Mangold, in wood, 1 alate gyne & 3 workers (CASENT0758857) [ ABS] 4 workers (CASENT0758858) [ ABS] 1 alate gyne & 3 workers (CASENT0758859) [ ABS] 1 alate gyne & 3 workers (CASENT0758860) [ ABS] 1 alate gyne & 3 workers (CASENT0758861) [ ABS] 1 alate gyne & 3 workers (CASENT0758862) [ ABS] ; Exuma: 2 km SE Georgetown , 23.4833 ° N 75.75 ° W, 14 December 2006, J. Piovia-Scott, littoral vegetation, ground forager(s), 2 workers (CASENT0732596) [ UCDC] 1 worker (CASENT0106606) [ UCDC] 2 workers (CASENT0915977) [ PSWC] ; North Andros: Fresh Creek , [no collection date], W.M. Mann, 2 workers (CASENT0869170) [ USNM] ; West Grand Bahama: Water Cay, Wickham , [no collection date], [no collector data], 40, 1 worker (CASENT0758268) [ USNM] 1 dealate gyne, postpetiole and gaster missing (CASENT0758269) [ USNM] .

Geographic range: Low elevations of the Bahamas and Cuba ( Fig. 121C ).

Worker diagnosis: Temnothorax pastinifer can be separated from all other species in the salvini clade by the following character combination: antennal scape very long, surpassing the posterior margin of the head by about a quarter of the total scape length; dorsum of head uniformly areolate; anterior margin of clypeus strongly emarginate medially; transition between anterior and dorsal faces of pronotum indistinct; in profile view, mesosoma strongly convex dorsally and moderately compact (WLI 133–143); in dorsal view, mesosoma posterior to the pronotum swollen, only slightly narrower than the pronotum; postpetiole moderately to very broad (PWI 174–227); dorsum of propodeum without setae; in dorsal view, propodeal spines broadly approximated basally, negative space between them “U” shaped; propodeal spines longer than the propodeal declivity, directed posteriorly, and downcurved; hind femora moderately to strongly incrassate (FI 269–320); petiolar node squamiform and arched anteriorly; in dorsal view, petiolar node moderately broader than the caudal cylinder (PNWI <160); setae on head, mesosoma, waist segments and gaster erect, moderately long, sparse and blunt (never long and tapering); dorsum of petiole with two erect setae; postpetiole with <6 erect setae; integument bicolored: mandibles, head capsule, mesosoma, peduncle and anterior face of petiolar node red; remainder of the body dark brown.

Similar species: Temnothorax misomoschus sp. nov., T. subditivus , and other members of the pastinifer group. Temnothorax pastinifer can be distinguished from T. subditivus by the narrower petiolar node in dorsal view (PNWI <160 vs.> 160 in T. subditivus ) and the sculpture of the head dorsum (uniformly areolate in T. pastinifer vs. variable in T. subditivus , but never uniformly areolate). In contrast to T. pastinifer , T. misomoschus sp. nov. is devoid of erect setae on most surfaces of the body, has a depressed propodeum, and a posteriorly leaning, subquadrate petiolar node. Temnothorax pastinifer can be separated from other members of the pastinifer group by the areolate head (smooth and shining in T. schwarzi ), and the strongly emarginate anterior margin of the clypeus, which is entire to weakly impressed in all other members of the pastinifer group, except for T. schwarzi .

Worker measurements & indices (n = 10): SL = 0.828 –0.923 (0.878); FRS = 0.224 –0.322 (0.274); CW = 0.617 –0.826 (0.776); CWb = 0.554 –0.772 (0.716); PoOC = 0.282 –0.366 (0.339); CL = 0.661 –0.864 (0.823); EL = 0.142 –0.180 (0.169); EW = 0.108 –0.141 (0.126); MD = 0.165 –0.239 (0.211); WL = 0.773 –1.058 (0.985); SPST = 0.293 –0.496 (0.413); MPST = 0.234 –0.305 (0.285); PEL = 0.250 –0.418 (0.360); NOL = 0.159 –0.248 (0.221); NOH = 0.141 –0.233 (0.204); PEH = 0.217 –0.340 (0.303); PPL = 0.145 –0.188 (0.167); PPH = 0.150 –0.252 (0.221); PW = 0.438 –0.582 (0.548); SBPA = 0.166 –0.258 (0.230); SPTI = 0.229 –0.359 (0.324); PEW = 0.125 –0.183 (0.168); PNW = 0.176 –0.294 (0.244); PPW = 0.217 –0.413 (0.359); HFL = 0.784 –1.035 (0.961); HFWmax = 0.172 –0.225 (0.206); HFWmin = 0.060 –0.082 (0.071); CS = 0.885 –1.204 (1.128); ES = 0.196 –0.245 (0.232); SI = 116–127 (120); OI = 20–22 (21); CI = 84–89 (87); WLI = 133–143 (137); SBI = 30–34 (32); PSI = 38–50 (42); PWI = 174–227 (215); PLI = 172–235 (212); NI = 91–121 (109); PNWI = 138–161 (145); NLI = 55–68 (61); FI = 269–320 (288).

Worker description: In full-face view, head subquadrate, longer than broad (CI 84–89). Mandibles densely, finely striate, but shining and armed with five teeth: the apical-most well developed and acute, followed by a less developed preapical tooth and three equally developed smaller teeth. Anterior clypeal margin strongly emarginated medially. Antennal scapes very long: when fully retracted, surpassing the posterior margin of the head capsule by about a quarter of their total length (SI 116–127). Antennae 12-segmented; antennal club of composed of three segments, with the apical-most segment as long as the preceding two in combination. Torular laminae strongly developed and triangular, roughly as wide as the distance that separates them. Frontal carinae short, extending past the torular laminae by less than the maximum width of the antennal scape. Compound eyes moderately protruding past the lateral margins of the head capsule. Lateral margin of head very weakly convex, forming a continuous arc from the mandibular insertions to the posterior margin of the head. Posterior head margin flat but rounding evenly into the lateral margins.

In profile view, compound eyes ovular and moderately large (OI 20–22), with 15 ommatidia in the longest row. Pronotal declivity indistinct, neck and anterior face of pronotum forming a ~130 ° angle. Mesosoma evenly convex from where it joins the pronotal neck to the propodeal spines, but pronotum is slightly planar. Promesonotal suture extending from the posterior margin of the procoxal insertion only to the mesothoracic spiracle, which is well developed. Metanotal groove visible as a disruption of the sculpture laterally from where it arises between the mid- and hind coxae to where it ends in the poorly developed metathoracic spiracle, which is nearly indistinguishable against the ground sculpture. Propodeal spiracle well developed, directed posteriorly, and separated from the propodeal declivity by about three and a half spiracle diameters. Propodeal spines well developed and long (PSI 38–50), longer than the propodeal declivity, tapering evenly from the base, strongly downcurved, and acute. In some specimens, the spines are abruptly bent at the basal third, and the apical two thirds are straight. Propodeal declivity straight, forming a rounded ~110 ° angle with the base of the propodeal spines. Propodeal lobes rounded and weakly developed, but with a slightly angulate dorsal flange. Metapleural gland bulla moderately large, extending from the metacoxal insertion two thirds of the way to the propodeal spiracle. Petiole long (PLI 172–235), without tubercles anterodorsally. Subpetiolar process in the form of a small, acute tooth; ventral margin of petiole bulging slightly posterior to it. Petiolar peduncle long: petiolar node comprising only about a quarter of the petiolar dorsum. Petiolar node strongly squamiform: transition between peduncle and node abrupt: marked by a rounded angle of ~90 °; anterior face of the node is strongly concave and overhangs the peduncle; anterior face forming a ~90 ° angle with the very short dorsal face, which rounds evenly into the convex posterior face. Postpetiole evenly rounded and slightly bulging anteriorly, flattened dorsally, and weakly lobed ventrally. Sting very well developed, slightly longer than the first gastral sternite.

In dorsal view, humeri strongly developed and distinct: when viewed at an oblique angle, the dorsal face of the pronotum transitions to the lateral face through an angle; mesothoracic spiracles weakly protruding past the lateral margins of the mesosoma, visible as slight angles where the pronotum meets the mesonotum. Promesonotal suture visible as a slight disruption in the surface sculpture. Metanotal groove absent: mesonotum and propodeum completely fused and lateral margins converging evenly to the bases of the propodeal spines. Propodeal spines broadly approximated basally and diverging apically, but slightly in-curved at the tips in some specimens. Spine apices separated from each other by about two thirds of their length, the negative space between them an elongated “U”. Petiolar peduncle with spiracles strongly protruding past the lateral margins, but not noticeably constricted anterior to them. Petiolar node, when viewed posterodorsally, spade-shaped: dorsal margin flat, meeting the lateral margins at an angle; lateral margins evenly convex and widest medially. Petiolar node wider than the peduncle, and evenly grading into the caudal cylinder, which is narrower than the node. Postpetiole moderately to very broad (PWI 174–227) and campaniform, articulating with the nearly the entire anterior margin of the gaster, but leaving angulate corners of the gaster exposed on each side. Anterior margin of the postpetiole broadly convex and evenly rounds into the lateral margins, which diverge to the angulate posterior corners; posterior margin broadly concave. Metafemur moderately to strongly incrassate (FI 269–).

Sculpture: median clypeal carina present, extending posteriorly to the level of the antennal toruli, and flanked on either side by two weaker carinae. Lateral clypeal lobes with additional, weaker carinae; ground sculpture areolate. Antennal scapes densely areolate. All surfaces of the head densely areolate, but sculpture becomes weaker ventrally. Nearly all surfaces of the mesosoma densely areolate, with very fine, predominantly costulate sculpture overlying the ground sculpture; propodeal declivity shallowly areolate. Femora densely areolate. Petiole shining through weak areolate sculpture on most surfaces, but in some specimens the posterior face and base of the petiolar node opaque, with denser areolae. Postpetiole sculpture matching that of the posterior face of the petiolar node. Gaster with traces of shallow areolate sculpture on the basal quarter of the first gastral tergite, which is otherwise smooth and shining, with weak to moderate spectral iridescence; first gastral sternite smooth and shining, with weak to moderate spectral iridescence.

Setae: antennal scapes and funiculi with short, decumbent pilosity, with several longer setae apically. Dorsum of the head, pronotum, waist segments, and gaster with sparse, erect, blunt-tipped setae, the longest of which are about the width of the compound eye. The head bears ~20, mesosoma ~6 restricted to the pronotum, petiole 2, postpetiole ~6, and first gastral tergite ~12 setae. Short, sparse pubescence present over the entire body, but difficult to detect against the ground sculpture.

Color: mandibles, head capsule, mesosoma, peduncle and anterior face of petiolar node red; remainder of the body dark brown.

Gyne measurements & indices (n = 2): SL = 0.856 –0.895 (0.876); FRS = 0.323 –0.332 (0.328); CW = 0.897 –0.906 (0.902); CWb = 0.815 –0.839 (0.827); PoOC = 0.359 –0.362 (0.361); CL = 0.897 –0.900 (0.899); EL = 0.216 –0.237 (0.227); EW = 0.168 –0.180 (0.174); MD = 0.214 –0.219 (0.217); WL = 1.443 –1.465 (1.454); SPST = 0.301 –0.394 (0.348); MPST = 0.362 –0.386 (0.374); PEL = 0.480 –0.510 (0.495); NOL = 0.239 –0.260 (0.250); NOH = 0.235 –0.239 (0.237); PEH = 0.380 –0.389 (0.385); PPL = 0.207; PPH = 0.323; PW = 0.822 –0.934 (0.878); SBPA = 0.410 –0.422 (0.416); SPTI = 0.361 –0.423 (0.392); PEW = 0.224 –0.247 (0.236); PNW = 0.273 –0.312 (0.293); PPW = 0.524; HFL = 0.935 –1.026 (0.981); HFWmax = 0.168 –0.211 (0.190); HFWmin = 0.083 –0.084 (0.084); CS = 1.265 –1.288 (1.276); ES = 0.300 –0.327 (0.314); SI = 105–107 (106); OI = 24–25 (25); CI = 91–94 (92); WLI = 172–180 (176); SBI = 49–52 (50); PSI = 21–27 (24); PWI = 234; PLI = 232; NI = 100–111 (105); PNWI = 122–126 (124); NLI = 50–51 (50); FI = 200–254 (227).

Gyne description: In full-face view, head subquadrate, about as long as broad (CI 91–94). Mandibles densely, finely striate, but shining and armed with five teeth: the apical-most well developed and acute, followed by a less developed preapical tooth and three equally developed smaller teeth. Anterior clypeal margin weakly strongly emarginated medially. Antennal scapes very long: when fully retracted, surpassing the posterior margin of the head capsule by about a quarter of their total length (SI 105–107). Antennae 12-segmented; antennal club composed of three segments, with the apical-most segment as long as the preceding two in combination. Torular laminae strongly developed and triangular, roughly as wide as the distance that separates them. Frontal carinae short, extending past the torular laminae by about the maximum width of the antennal scape. Compound eyes moderately protruding past the lateral margins of the head capsule. Lateral margin of head evenly convex, converging from below the compound eyes to the mandibular insertions. Posterior head margin flat, rounding evenly into the lateral margins.

In profile view, compound eyes ovular and moderately large (OI 24–25), with 25 ommatidia in longest row. Mesoscutum rounded evenly anteriorly, covering the dorsal surface of the pronotum, and weakly convex dorsally. Mesoscutellum slightly depressed below the level of the mesoscutum. Posterior margin of metanotum extending slightly past the posterior margin of the mesoscutum. Propodeal spiracle well developed, directed posterolaterally, and separated from the propodeal declivity by about three and a half spiracle diameters. Propodeal spines stout and moderately well developed, but short (PSI 21–27), about a third as long as the propodeal declivity, tapering evenly from the base, directed posteriorly, slightly downcurved, and acute. Propodeal declivity straight and flat, forming a rounded ~100 ° angle with the base of the propodeal spines. Propodeal lobes rounded and very weakly developed. Metapleural gland bulla moderately large, extending from the metacoxal insertion two thirds of the way to the propodeal spiracle. Petiole long (PLI 232), without tubercles anterodorsally. Subpetiolar process in the form of a small, very acute tooth; ventral margin of petiole bulging slightly posterior to it. Petiolar peduncle long: petiolar node comprising only about a quarter of the petiolar dorsum. Petiolar node strongly squamiform: transition between peduncle and node abrupt: marked by a rounded angle of ~90 °; anterior face of the node is strongly concave and overhangs the peduncle; anterior face forming a ~90 ° angle with the very short dorsal face, which rounds evenly into the convex posterior face. Postpetiole evenly rounded and slightly bulging anteriorly, flattened dorsally, and weakly lobed ventrally.

In dorsal view, mesoscutum covering pronotum anteriorly, but humeri visible laterally as rounded sclerites. Propodeal spines short and weakly diverging apically, their apices separated from each other by about one and a half times their length, the negative space between them a truncated “U”. Petiolar peduncle with spiracles strongly protruding past the lateral margins, but not noticeably constricted anterior to them. Petiolar node, when viewed posterodorsally, spade-shaped: dorsal margin flat, meeting the lateral margins at an angle; lateral margins evenly convex and widest medially. Petiolar node wider than the peduncle, and evenly grading into the caudal cylinder, which is narrower than the node. Postpetiole very broad (PWI 234) and campaniform, articulating with the nearly the entire anterior margin of the gaster, but leaving angulate corners of the gaster exposed on each side. Anterior margin of postpetiole broadly convex and evenly rounding into the lateral margins, which diverge to the angulate posterior corners; posterior margin broadly concave. Metafemur weakly to moderately incrassate (FI 200–254).

Sculpture: median clypeal carina present, extending from the anterior margin of the clypeus to the level of the antennal toruli, and flanked two by weaker carinae. Lateral clypeal lobes with additional weaker carinae; ground sculpture areolate. Antennal scapes densely areolate. All surfaces of the head densely areolate and costulate, but sculpture becomes weaker ventrally. Nearly all surfaces of the mesosoma densely areolate, with fine, predominantly costulate sculpture overlying the ground sculpture; mesopleurae and propodeal declivity shallowly areolate. Femora appearing dull and shallowly areolate. Petiole shining through weak areolate sculpture on most surfaces, but in some specimens the posterior face and base of the petiolar node dull, with denser areolae. Postpetiole sculpture matching that of the posterior face of the petiolar node. Gaster with traces of shallow areolate sculpture on the basal eighth of the first gastral tergite, which is otherwise smooth and shining, with weak to moderate spectral iridescence; first gastral sternite smooth and shining, with weak to moderate spectral iridescence.

Setae: antennal scapes and funiculi with short, decumbent pilosity, with several longer setae apically. Dorsum of the head, pronotum, waist segments, and gaster with sparse, erect, blunt-tipped setae, the longest of which are about half the width of the compound eye. Short, sparse pubescence present over the entire body, but difficult to detect against the ground sculpture.

Color: mandibles, head capsule, mesosoma, peduncle and anterior face of petiolar node red; mesopleurae dark brown, mesoscutum with dark brown patches anteromedially and posterolaterally, and mesoscutellum dark brown medially; remainder of the body dark brown.

Male: Unknown. Mann, 1929 misidentified and described a male of T. rutabulafer sp. nov. as T. pastinifer .

Etymology: Morphological, from the Latin ‘pastinum’, a two-pronged digging instrument used for digging + ‘-fer’ (= bearing); presumably a reference to the long propodeal spines.

Comments: This species is found in the Bahamas and mainland Cuba, known primarily from collections made in littoral habitats. Baroni Urbani (1978) mistakenly states that the type locality of Temnothorax pastinifer is Bermuda. As for the presence of T. pastinifer on Cuba, I have only been able to confirm this by inspection of the type of T. pastoris (Baroni Urbani) , from the coastal village of Siboney, Santiago de Cuba province. Beginning with Mann (1929), this species has a long history of being conflated with T. rutabulafer sp. nov., which is broadly sympatric with T. pastinifer . Most of the Cuban specimens and many of the Bahamian specimens that I have examined have proven to be T. rutabulafer sp. nov. When examining the collections at the United States National Museum collection at the Smithsonian, the source of this confusion became clear: Mann had collected both species in the same sample from North Andros and subsequently mounted one specimen of T. rutabulafer sp. nov. on the same pin with two specimens of T. pastinifer (CASENT0758267 & CASENT0869170, specimens on pin separated in this study). When Mann was describing the gyne and male of T. pastinifer (which are, in fact, T. rutabulafer sp. nov.) in his 1929 article from collections made from Cuba by Creighton, he apparently mistook this mixed pin for a representation of variation within the species. This mistake was replicated by Baroni Urbani (1978), who attempted to reconcile what he interpreted as morphological variation in a redescription of what is apparently a chimaera of the two species. The illustration of T. pastinifer in the article is apparently an attempt to blend the two species as well, showing a specimen with an emarginate anterior margin of the clypeus in dorsal view (anterior margin is described as weakly convex in the main article) and with a narrow petiolar node: characters that are consistent with T. pastinifer . However, the illustration in profile is apparently T. rutabulafer sp. nov., with abundant erect setae on the petiole ( T. pastinifer only has two setae); the illustration also appears to misrepresent the propodeal spines, which are either strongly downcurved along their entire length, or abruptly bent at the basal third in T. pastinifer (more or less straight and posteriorly directed in T. rutabulafer sp. nov.).

Figures

Figure 121 Geographical and elevational distribution of the pastinifer group. (A) Temnothorax androsanus (B) T. nigricans (C) T. pastinifer (D) T. rutabulafer sp. nov. (E) T. schwarzi. Colored scale to the left of each map represents elevation in meters. Points in black represent the species named in each subfigure, while points in red represent other members of the species group. Type localities are represented by triangles; if present, types of synonyms are named; non-type localities are represented by circles. Bounding box in inset map shows location of main map. Full-size DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11514/fig-121

Figure 124 Temnothorax pastinifer. (A–C) Worker (CASENT0758861). (A) Full-face. (B) Profile view. (C) Dorsal view. (D–G) Gyne (CASENT0758861). (D) Full-face. (E) Profile view. (F) Dorsal view. (G) Wings. Scale bars 0.2 mm. Full-size DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11514/fig-124