Temnothorax microreticulatus, Bharti & Gul & Schulz, 2012

Bharti, H., Gul, I. & Schulz, A., 2012, Three New Species Of Genus Temnothorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) From Indian Himalayas With A Revised Key To The Indian Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (4), pp. 325-336 : 331-335

Temnothorax microreticulatus sp. n.

( Figs 10–15 )

Holotype worker – India, Himachal Pradesh, Khajjiar , 32.545°N, 76.060°E, 2100 m a.s.l., 01.xii.2010 (deposited in PUPAC) ; Paratypes: 10 workers, 1 queen same data as holotype (deposited in CAS, PUPAC) ; 9 workers India, Himachal Pradesh, Manali , 32.2310°N, 77.1910°E, 1845 m a.s.l., 16.xi.2010. hand collecting (coll. Irfan Gul) (deposited in PCAS, PUPAC) .

Worker measurements – TL 2.8–3.4 (3.3); HL 0.70–0.75 (0.74); HW 0.62–0.65 (0.64); SL 0.52–0.56 (0.55); PW 0.41–0.46 (0.45); WL 0.72–0.85 (0.85); PL 0.28–0.32 (0.32); PH 0.19–0.21 (0.21); PPL 0.26–0.29 (0.28); GL 0.88–1.2 (1.10); PSL 0.08–0.12 (0.11); FCD 0.21–0.23 (0.23); EL 0.17–0.18 (0.18); PEW 0.16–0.19 (0.19) n = 20.

Head – Subrectangular [CI= 115–117 (115)]; in full face view, posterior margin of head almost straight; narrowly round occipital corners; lateral sides subparallel, head somewhat broader posteriorly; anterior clypeal margin broadly rounded; eyes large, situated about the middle on the sides of the head; mandibles triangular, the masticatory margin with 5 prominent teeth; antennae 12 segmented, falling somewhat short to reach posterior margin of head [SI1 = 73–75 (73.3), SI2 = 85–88 (86)].

Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole – In profile, mesosoma with slightly convex dorsum; metanotal groove shallow; humeri in dorsal view rounded; propodeal spines short, apices oblique, as long as 2/3 the distance between their bases [PSLI = 15–18 (17.1)]; petiole longer than high with moderately long anterior peduncle; petiolar node in profile with steep and very slightly concave anterior face and feebly rounded dorsum; postpetiole shorter than petiole with rounded dorsum and wider than petiole.

Gaster – Ovate, smooth and shiny.

Sculpture – Head longitudinally rugulose between frontal carinae, the rugulae covering the frons, extending to the occiput; longitudinal irregular rugae on genae which run up to the front of eyes; rest of the head rugoreticulate; mandibles with distinct rugosity; clypeus longitudinally rugose except for the median portion; mesosoma reticulate and rugulose all over; petiole and postpetiole finely microreticulated with a few scattered rugulae; head and mesosoma with scattered punctures; gaster smooth and shining.

Pilosity – Suberect to erect hairs covering the whole body; decumbent pubescent hairs on antennae and legs, more dense on antennal funiculus.

Colour – The whole body is light to dark yellow with a reddish tinge except for the middle tergites gaster which are brown; pilosity yellowish white.

Queen measurements – TL 3.82; HL 0.77; HW 0.69; SL 0.56; PW 0.66; WL 0.83; PL 0.38; PH 0.26; PPL 0.29; GL 1.55; PSL 0.36; PSLI 52.2; CI 111; SI1 72; SI2 81; FCD 0.24; EL 0.22; PEW 0.21 n = 1.

Resembles the worker, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: Body massive, more hairy; head medially longitudinally rugose between the frontal carinae; antennal sockets and clypeus longitudinally rugose, rest of the head rugoreticulated; eyes larger, three prominent ocelli present; mesosoma weakly longitudinally rugose on dorsum, rugulose on sides with some patches smooth; propodeal spines more or less triangular; petiole, postpetiole dull due to weak sculpture on the nodes; hairs of varying lengths cover entire body; mesosoma with scutellum at the same level as of the scutum; propodeal declivity very steep; petiolar node weakly angular, postpetiole very broad; colour darker than in workers and irregular.

Distribution and habitat – The species has been collected from two localities, Manali and Khajjiar of Himachal Pradesh. The specimens were collected from soil and under stones by hand collecting. In Manali the area was forested, beside a river with good amount of moisture in the soil. It was a dense pine forest with little undergrowth. The nest was few inches deep. The other locality was a forested area with scarce undergrowth. The collection was done on a hill slope mostly covered by grasses.

Etymology – The species is named after its microreticulate sculpture on head and mesosoma.

Remarks – The species is well distinguished by the distinct sculpture of head and mesosoma compared to the rest of the Indian species. However, the species is somewhat similar to T. nordmeyeri SCHULZ, 1997 ; but it can be easily separated from it by the length of propodeal spines as in case of T. nordmeyeri propodeal spines are very long (PSL = 0.20–0.23 mm) while the propodeal spines are much shorter in Temnothorax microreticulatus sp. n. (spine length PSL = 0.09–0.11 mm). In case of T. nordmeyeri the scape reaches beyond the posterior margin of head by 1/6 of its length, the colour of body is uniformly pale yellow but in T. microreticulatus sp. n. the scape falls somewhat short to reach posterior margin of head and the middle tergites of gaster are brown.

lateral view, 15 = body, dorsal view

KEY TO THE KNOWN SPECIES OF TEMNOTHORAX FROM INDIA BASED ON WORKER CASTE

1 Propodeum without any teeth or spines; pilosity very sparse; head and mesosoma shiny, very slightly longitudinally rugose, rest of the body smooth and shiny. T. inermis (FOREL)

– Propodeum with variously developed teeth or spines; pilosity more dense; head and mesosoma smooth or with different surface sculpture but never with only slightly longitudinally rugose sculpture. 2

2 Dorsal outline of mesosoma in profile without any impression, mesometanotal groove absent. 3

– Dorsal outline of mesosoma in profile more or less impressed at the mesometanotal groove or behind. 4

3 Mesosoma, the base of the first gastral segment, petiole, postpetiole, legs and antennae testaceous yellow to yellowish brown; head and rest of gaster brown;

CI = 122–124; SI1 = 75–78.6; (length 2.2–2.9 mm).

T. desioi (MENOZZI)

– The colour is uniformly brown; CI = 127–128; SI1 = 73–75; (length 2.4–3.0 mm). T. desioi melanicus (MENOZZI)

4 Either head and mesosoma distinctly sculptured or the head is smooth and mesosoma distinctly sculptured. 5

– Head and mesosoma smooth and shining with a few rugulae. 10

5 Head smooth, mesosoma distinctly sculptured; the species is bicoloured, with light to dark brown head and gaster and yellowish to reddish yellow mesosoma (length 2.5–3.3 mm). T. kashmirensis sp. n.

– Head and thorax distinctly sculptured; colour combination different but never as in above. 6

6 Whole body black; head distinctly longitudinally rugose; PSLI = 18–23; CI = 117–123; SI1 = 72–73; SI2 = 85–90 (length 2.8–3.2 mm). T. schurri (FOREL)

– Whole body light yellow to dark brown, never black; head distinctly rugulose and microreticulated. 7

7 The colour of head distinctly brown. 8 – The colour of head distinctly yellow. 9

8 Propodeal spines as long as is the interval between their bases; PSLI = 11–20; (length 2.5–3.9 mm). T. rothneyi (FOREL)

– Propodeal spines small, triangular, more or less dentate; PSLI = 9–10; (length 2.8–3.1 mm). T. rothneyi simlensis (FOREL)

9. Scape reaches beyond the posterior margin of head by 1/6 of its total length; the colour of body is uniformly pale yellow; propodeal spines very long (Spine length PSL = 0.20–0.23 mm). T. nordmeyeri (SCHULZ)

– Scape somewhat short not reaching the posterior margin of head; gaster with a brown patch in the middle; propodeal spines short (Spine length PSL = 0.09–0.11 mm); (length 2.8–3.4 mm). T. microreticulatus sp. n.

10 Propodeal spines very short, appearing as two small blunt denticles (tubercles) in dorsal view; node of petiole rounded in profile. T. wroughtonii (FOREL)

– Propodeal spines much longer, as long as 2/3 the range of their bases; node of petiole more or less angular in profile. 11

11 Head more or less chestnut brown; mesosoma, legs, antennae, petiole and postpetiole more or less yellowish brown; gaster dark brown; CI = 120–139; SI1 =

77–79; SI2 = 94–108; (length 2.4–3.1 mm).

T. fultonii (FOREL)

– Head light yellow to dark yellow with a brownish tinge; mesosoma light to dark yellow; gaster light yellow to dark yellow most often with a brownish patch dorsally in the middle; CI = 113–122; SI1 = 70–76; SI2 = 81–95; (length 2.35–2.79 mm). T. himachalensis sp. n.

*

Acknowledgements – Financial assistance rendered by Department of Science and Technology (Grant No. SR/SO/AS-65/2007), Government of India, New Delhi is gratefully acknowledged.

Figures

Figs 6–10. Temnothorax species. 6 = T. kashmirensis sp. n., worker, body, dorsal view; 7–9 = T. kashmirensis sp. n., queen: 7 = head, full face view, 8 = body, lateral view, 9 = body, dorsal view; 10 = T. microreticulatus sp. n., worker, head, full face view

Figs 11–15. Temnothorax species. 11–12 = T. microreticulatus sp. n., worker: 11 = body, lateral view, 12 = body, dorsal view.13–15 = T.microreticulatus sp.n., queen: 13 = head, full face view, 14 = body,