Temnothorax bailu, 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 : 7-10

Temnothorax bailu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3AF6CB8E-1DA1-4AC2-B91A-6F85BD7A7A25

Fig. 3

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. angulohumerus Zhou et al., 2010 ( Fig. 4 ), but differs in the new species humeral corners of pronotum bluntly angled, pronotum weakly convex in lateral view, dorsum of petiolar node sloping down posteriorly, and body color blackish brown, head and gaster black; in T. angulohumerus humeral corners of pronotum rightly angled, pronotum strongly convex in lateral view, dorsum of petiolar node almost horizontal, and body color yellowish brown.

Etymology

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

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Tibet, Chayu County, Zhuwagen Town, Jiangtuo Village ; 28°36.771′ N, 97°18.411′ E; 2050 m a.s.l.; 30 Aug. 2010; Xia Liu leg.; canopy sample of Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A10-3265 .

Paratypes worker CHINA • 6 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A10-3265 • 1 worker; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A10-3264 • 2 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A10- 3280 • 2 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A10-3290 • 1 worker; Tibet, Motuo County, Damu Town , 80K; 29.623692° N, 95.488817° E; 1750 m a.s.l.; 15 May 2008; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; foraging on plants of monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A08-427 .

Non-type material examined

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 worker; Yulong County, Longpan Town, Xionggu Village ; 26.861139°N, 100.024366° E; 2500m a.s.l.; 21 Oct.2004; Sheng-Li Shi leg.; Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A04-1256 • 1 worker; Gengma County, Mengding Town, Jiumuqing ; 23.560221° N, 99.089156° E; 1500 m a.s.l.; 10 Mar. 2011; Hai-Bin Li leg.; foraging on the ground in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A11-69 a • 1 worker; Yongde County, Yalian Town, Tatuo Village ; 24.239012° N, 99.626429° E; 2020 m a.s.l.; 13 Mar. 2011; Hua Jiang leg.; foraging on the tree of subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A11-562 . – Sichuan Province • 2 workers; Yanbian County, Gesala Town, Huangjue Village ; 27.094289° N, 101.319847° E; 2031 m a.s.l.; 24 Jul. 2018; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; foraging on the ground in subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU C18-371 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 3.6, HL 0.76, HW 0.66, CI 88, SL 0.64, SI 97, ED 0.14, PW 0.49, WL 1.00, PL 0.42, PH 0.25, DPW 0.20.

In full-face view head subrectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin almost straight, posterior corners narrowly 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, reaching to the level of midpoint of eyes. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes almost reaching to posterior head margin, club 3-segmented. Eyes located at midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying ¼ of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum weakly convex, promesonotal suture absent. Mesonotum almost straight and gently sloping down posteriorly, metanotal groove shallowly impressed. Propodeal dorsum slightly concave; propodeal spines moderately long and acute, about ⅓ length of dorsum, back-curved and pointed posterodorsally; declivity weakly concave, about ½ length of dorsum; propodeal lobes small and rounded apically. Petiole with long anterior peduncle, about as long as petiolar node; petiolar node roughly trapezoidal, dorsal and anterior margins almost straight, posterior margin weakly convex, anterodorsal corner rightly angled, posterodorsal corner lower and narrowly rounded; ventral margin almost straight, anteroventral corner largely acutely toothed. Postpetiole as high as petiolar node, anterior margin weakly convex, dorsum strongly convex, posterior margin weakly concave; ventral margin short and weakly concave.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin moderately convex, humeral corners bluntly angled, lateral margin weakly convex, promesonotal suture absent. Mesothorax moderately constricted, lateral margins weakly concave, metanotal groove shallowly impressed. Propodeum roughly rectangular, lateral margins weakly convex; spines moderately long and pointed posterolaterally, weakly in-curved. Petiole roughly rectangular, slightly longer than broad, lateral margins slightly convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.4 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners narrowly rounded, lateral margins slightly convex. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum loosely longitudinally rugose and reticulate laterally, the longitudinal central strip smooth and shiny, posteroventral part of lateral head margin relatively smooth. Clypeus smooth, each side with two short rugae. Mesosoma finely reticulate; pronotal sides longitudinally rugose; mesonotal dorsum smooth; propodeal dorsum coarsely reticulate. Petiole densely punctate, the node micro-reticulate; postpetiole densely punctate, dorsum smooth and shiny. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect apically blunt short hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, hairs on mesosoma sparse. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Body color blackish brown; head dorsum and apical half of gaster black; mandibles, basal segments of flagella, trochanters and tarsi brownish yellow.

Measurements of paratype workers: TL 2.6–3.6, HL 0.70–0.75, HW 0.55–0.63, CI 79–83, SL 0.49–0.50, SI 80–91, ED 0.13–0.15, PW 0.40–0.50, WL 0.80–1.00, PL 0.30–0.40, PH 0.20–0.25, DPW 0.13–0.18 (12 individuals measured). As holotype worker, in some individuals mesonotum weakly punctate, metanotal groove shallowly or indistinctly impressed, lateral head margins weakly rugose.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits Pinus yunnanensis Franch. forest ( Fig. 69I ), monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 70D ), and subalpine moist evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 69C ) at an elevation of 1500– 2500 m and forages arboreally, as well as on the ground.

Distribution

China: Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan.

Figures

Fig. 3. Temnothorax bailu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A10-3265). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 4. Temnothorax angulohumerus Zhou et al., 2010, holotype worker (GXNU0407358). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view. Photos by Zhi-Lin Chen.

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.

Fig. 70. Lower elevational vegetations. A. Semi-moist evergreen broadleaf forest (2000 m, Tengchong, Yunnan). B. Dry deciduous broadleaf forest (1840 m, Luquan, Yunnan). C. Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. forest (1820 m, Anning, Yunnan). D. Monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (1500 m, Gengma, Yunnan). E. Quercus variabilis Blume forest (1350 m, Guangnan, Yunnan). F. Dry evergreen broadleaf forest (518 m, Yuanyang, Yunnan). Photos by Zheng-Hui Xu.