Temnothorax, Mayr, 1861

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 : 25-33

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.7717/peerj.11514

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F8C827C6-7475-4AF0-B67E-E50786131273

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/054FDB70-FFDF-FFFA-B49C-1EC27F372134

treatment provided by

Diego

scientific name

Temnothorax
status

 

Key to the clades of New World Temnothorax based on the worker caste

This key is based on the clades of Temnothorax recovered in Prebus, 2017, which was based on phylogenetic analysis of ultraconserved element data. To augment this key, please refer to the list of all described Temnothorax species in the Americas and their clade memberships in Supplemental File 2.

1. Antennae with 11 segments........................................................................................... 2

- Antennae with 12 segments ............................................................................................ 7

2. Postpetiole broad and campaniform in dorsal view; mesosoma strongly arched and bearing long propodeal spines; Cuba............. T. cuyaguateje (Fontenla) (incertae sedis)

- Not matching the above description; broadly distributed .............................................. 3

3. Antennal scrobes present ( Fig. 18A View Figure 18 ); masticatory margin of mandible with four teeth; eastern North America ................ T. americanus (Emery) (Palearctic clade, part)

- Antennal scrobes absent ( Fig. 18B View Figure 18 ); masticatory margin of mandible with five teeth; broadly distributed............................................................................................................. 4

4. Propodeal spines reduced to small, rounded angles ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 ); petiole acutely cuneiform in profile; arboreal species known only from west central California ............... T. oxynodis (Mackay) ( andrei clade, part)

- Propodeal spines variable; petiole in profile shaped otherwise; broadly distributed...... 5

5. Petiole compact and node evenly rounded in profile ( Figs. 20A –20E View Figure 20 ) and laterodorsal surfaces of head directly behind compound eyes smooth and shining ( Figs. 20K–20O View Figure 20 ); postpetiole often with an anterior bulge in profile view (except T. mmp 15 from Puerto Rico; see Prebus (2017) and antweb.org) ( Figs. 20A–20E View Figure 20 ); arboreal species of the American Southwest through Central America and Greater Antilles .............. obturator clade, part

- If petiole is rounded (some species in the rugatulus clade, Figs. 20G & 20H View Figure 20 ) then laterodorsal surfaces of head directly behind compound eyes sculptured ( Figs. 20P–20T View Figure 20 ) (sculpture light in T. schaumii (Roger) , Fig. 20R View Figure 20 ); postpetiole often without an anterior bulge in profile view (except some specimens of T. schaumii ) ( Figs. 20F–20J View Figure 20 ); broadly distributed .......................................................................................................................... 6

6. Antennal scapes long, separated from the posterior margin of head by about 1x maximum width of the antennal scape or less when fully retracted: SI> 80 (see Fig. 21A View Figure 21 for diagram, Figs. 21B –21D View Figure 21 for examples); if unclear (some specimens of T. ambiguus (Emery)) then head sculpture areolate-rugulose, without overlying strong costae (but may be costulate) ( Fig. 21B View Figure 21 ); North America, east of the continental divide...... longispinosus group (Palearctic clade, part)

- Antennal scapes short, separated from the posterior margin of head by>1x maximum width of the antennal scape when fully retracted: SI <80 (see Fig. 21E View Figure 21 for diagram, Figs. 21F–21H View Figure 21 for examples); if unclear (some specimens of T. rugatulus (Emery)) then head sculpture rugulose, with overlying strong costae ( Fig. 21E View Figure 21 ); widespread .... rugatulus clade

7. Matching the following description: head, mesosoma, and waist segments areolate and propodeal spines reduced to small teeth or angles and petiolar peduncle short ( Figs. 22A–22D View Figure 22 ) and postpetiole moderately broad: PWI 140–160; southern United States and Northern Mexico ........................................................................................... andersoni clade

- Not matching the above description; if head, mesosoma, and waist segments areolate, then propodeal spines more developed and petiolar peduncle longer ( Figs. 22E–22H View Figure 22 ) and postpetiole broader; widespread ......................................................................................................8

8. Postpetiole narrow, less than 1.5 times the maximum width of the petiolar caudal cylinder (PEW) in dorsal view: PWI <150 ( Figs. 23A–23F View Figure 23 ); if PWI is 150–155, then antennal scapes short, when fully retracted, failing to reach the posterior margin of the head by about two times the maximum width of the antennal scape: SI <80 ( Figs. 24A–24C View Figure 24 ); NOTE: PWI is not always obvious at first glance: careful measurements should be taken; PEW in this article is measured across the caudal cylinder of the petiole........................... 9

- Postpetiole broad, greater than 1.5 times the maximum width of the petiolar caudal cylinder in dorsal view: PWI> 150 ( Figs. 23G–23L View Figure 23 ); if PWI is 150–155, then antennal scapes longer: SI> 80 ...................................................................................................... 14

9. Antennal scapes short: when fully retracted, failing to reach the posterior margin of the head by about two times the maximum width of the antennal scape: SI <80 ( Figs. 24A–24C View Figure 24 ); petiolar node evenly rounded in profile; caudal cylinder of petiole generally elongate ( Figs. 24D–24F View Figure 24 ); arboreal species from the American southwest through Central America and Greater Antilles.............................................. obturator clade, part

- Petiolar node shaped otherwise; if petiolar node is rounded, then antennal scapes long: SI> 80; arboreal or not; broadly distributed................................................................... 10

10. Propodeum without erect setae dorsally, but a single pair may arise from the metanotal groove ( Figs. 25A & 25B View Figure 25 ); Chiapas, Mexico.......................................... salvini clade, part

- Propodeum with at least one pair of erect setae dorsally ( Figs. 25C & 25D View Figure 25 ); North America, west of the Great Plains ................................................................................... 11

11. Petiolar node not cuneiform ( Figs. 26A–26D View Figure 26 )................................ andrei clade, part

- Petiolar node cuneiform ( Figs. 26E–26H View Figure 26 ) .................................................................... 12

12. Anterior face of petiolar node straight, not concave in profile view ( Figs. 27A & 27B View Figure 27 ); if unclear, posterior margin of head with ten or more erect setae and medial lobe clypeus with three distinct carinae ( Fig. 27C View Figure 27 )...................................................... sallei clade, part

- Anterior of petiolar node concave in profile view ( Figs. 27D & 27E View Figure 27 ); if unclear, posterior of head with 8 or fewer erect setae and medial lobe of clypeus without three distinct carinae ( Fig. 27F View Figure 27 ) ................................................................................................ 13

13. Medial lobe of clypeus convex anteriorly and bearing three distinct carinae ( Fig. 28A View Figure 28 ); North America, Rocky Mountains ....... T. furunculus (Wheeler) (Palearctic clade, part)

- Medial lobe of clypeus flat to emarginate anteriorly and not bearing three distinct carinae (several to many indistinct, but median carina not distinct along the majority of the median clypeal lobe; Figs. 28B & 28C View Figure 28 ); North America, west of the Great Plains ............ ................................................................................................................ andrei clade, part

14. Petiole without tubercles united by a distinct carina anterodorsally: profile of dorsal surface of petiole, when viewed from a ventrolateral angle, not interrupted by a tubercle anteriorly ( Fig. 29A View Figure 29 ); or, if present, postpetiole is broadly attached to anterior margin of gaster ( Fig. 29B View Figure 29 ) .......................................................................................................................... 15

- Petiole with tubercles united by a distinct carina anterodorsally: profile of dorsal surface of petiole, when viewed from a ventrolateral angle, interrupted by a tubercle anteriorly ( Fig. 29C View Figure 29 ); postpetiole not broadly attached to anterior margin of gaster ( Fig. 29D View Figure 29 ) .... 19

15. Dorsum of mesosoma evenly convex in profile; dorsum of propodeum rounding evenly into the propodeal declivity; propodeum either entirely without teeth or spines ( Figs. 30A–30C View Figure 30 ) or with small teeth, in which case the teeth do not mark an angulate transition between the dorsum and declivity of the propodeum ( Fig. 30D View Figure 30 ); Central America, Cuba, and Puerto Rico............................................................. sallei clade, part

- Dorsum of mesosoma in profile variable: evenly convex or not; propodeum bearing teeth or spines or, if uncertain, transition from dorsum to declivity of propodeum is marked by an angle, not rounded as above; broadly distributed ................................................. 16

16. Matching the following description: propodeal teeth reduced, or transition from dorsum to declivity of propodeum is marked by an angle ( Figs. 31A & 31B View Figure 31 ); legs moderately incrassate (FI <300), and without abundant erect to suberect setae ( Figs. 31C & View Figure 31 31D); petiolar node evenly rounded in profile ( Figs. 31A & 31B View Figure 31 ); mid to high elevations, from central Mexico to the Nicaraguan depression ................................... sallei clade, part

- Not matching the above description; broadly distributed ............................................ 17

17. Matching the following description: clypeus forming wall between antennal insertions and mandibles ( Figs. 32A–32C View Figure 32 ); anterior margin of clypeus flat; posterior margin of head rounding evenly into lateral margins; legs not incrassate ( Figs. 32G–32I View Figure 32 ); southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico........................................................ sallei clade, part

- Not matching the above description. If specimen is from southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico and the clypeal character is unclear, then the anterior margin of clypeus emarginated, posterior margin of head transitions to lateral margins through a rounded angle ( Figs. 32D–32F View Figure 32 ), and legs strongly incrassate ( Figs. 32J–32L View Figure 32 ); broadly distributed.......................................................................................................................................... 18

18. Postpetiole campaniform in dorsal view ( Fig. 33A View Figure 33 ); legs with abundant suberect to erect setae ( Fig. 33B View Figure 33 ); if petiole squamiform and increasing in width toward the apex ( Fig. 33A View Figure 33 ), medial lobe of clypeus with 3 or fewer distinct carinae ( Figs. 33C & 33D View Figure 33 ); southern Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola ........................................ sallei clade, part

- Postpetiole variable; legs usually without abundant suberect to erect setae; if present ( Fig. 33F View Figure 33 ) and petiolar node squamiform and increasing in width toward the apex ( Fig. 33E View Figure 33 ) then medial lobe of clypeus with many fine carinae ( Fig. 33G View Figure 33 ) or propodeum is strongly depressed ( Fig. 33H View Figure 33 ); broadly distributed ............................... salvini clade, part

19. Postpetiole with a distinctive trapezoidal shape in dorsal view: anteriorly broad, with angulate anterolateral corners ( Fig. 34A View Figure 34 ); southwestern North America .... T. quasimodo Snelling et al. ( andrei clade, part)

- Postpetiole in dorsal view not as above ( Figs. 34B–34D View Figure 34 ); broadly distributed ............ 20

20. Medial lobe of clypeus smooth medially or bearing three distinct carinae, although these may be accompanied by additional weaker, incomplete carinae ( Figs. 35A–35C View Figure 35 ) ..... ....................................................................................................................... sallei clade, part

- Medial lobe of clypeus bearing many fine carinae ( Figs. 35D–35F View Figure 35 ), although these may be in addition to the three strong carinae ( Fig. 35F View Figure 35 )..................................................... 21

21. Metafemora incrassate: FI> 325 ( Fig. 36A View Figure 36 ); or, if not incrassate, erect setae absent from the propodeal dorsum ( Figs. 25A & 25B View Figure 25 ) ............................................. salvini clade, part

- Metafemora not incrassate FI <325 ( Fig. 36B View Figure 36 ); erect setae always present on the propodeal dorsum ( Figs. 25C & 25D View Figure 25 ) ..................................................... sallei clade, part

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

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