Temnothorax cypridis ( Santschi, 1930 ) Salata & Demetriou & Georgiadis & Borowiec, 2024

Salata, Sebastian, Demetriou, Jakovos, Georgiadis, Christos & Borowiec, Lech, 2024, The genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Cyprus, Zootaxa 5434 (1), pp. 1-69 : 26-29

Temnothorax cypridis ( Santschi, 1930) , new status ( Figs 19–22 , 62 )

Leptothorax bulgaricus st. cypridis Santschi, 1930 : ( Cyprus, Limassol).

Material examined. Ammochostos (Famagusta), Kavo Greco, 34.96647 / 34.06698, 51 m, 25 IV 2022, 4w, leg. J. Demetriou & C. Georgiadis ( JDC) ; Famagusta , Paralimni, 35.03886 / 33.9752, 70 m, 25 IV 2022, 1w, leg. J. Demetriou & C. Georgiadis ( MNHW) ; Larnaka , Skarinou, 34.81835 / 33.35652, 156 m, 25 IV 2022, 13w, leg. J. Demetriou & C. Georgiadis ( JDC, MNHW) ; Limassol , Apollo Temple 2.5 km W of Kourion, 34.67399 / 32.86412 and 34.67404 / 32.86382, 129–131 m, 20 IV 2022, 8w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Limassol , ad Dora, 34.77257 / 32.75035, 432 m, 20 IV 2022, 19w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Diarizos riv., Kidasi, Rock of Chasampoulion, 34.79767 / 32.70502, 262 m, 6 V 2012, 2w, leg. L. Borowiec ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Evretou, Evretou Dam, 34.96165 / 32.47749, 172 m, 21 IV 2022, 1w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , ad Kalepia, 34.83728 / 32.50318, 414 m, 29 IV 2022, 37w, leg. L. Borowiec, J. Demetriou, C. Georgiadis & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Kouklia, Ranti Forest Beach 34.67337 / 32.60695, 31 m, 20 IV 2022, 5w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Kritou Tera, Kremiotis Waterfall, 34.96254 / 32.43356, 330 m, 22 IV 2022, 2w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , 2.2 km S of Lemona, 34.84254 / 32.5479, 219 m, 6w, 29 IV 2022, leg. L. Borowiec, J. Demetriou, C. Georgiadis & S. Salata ( JDC, MNHW) ; Paphos , Paphos Forest loc. 1 ad Pachiamos, 35.16617 / 32.59157, 126 m, 23 IV 2022, 32w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Peyia, sea caves, 34.8842 / 32.3335, 20 m, 18 X 2022, 1w, leg. J. Demetriou ( JDC) ; Paphos , road F612 ad Ag. Konstantinos loc. 1, 34.73358 / 32.64293, 368 m, 28 IV 2022, 1w, leg. L. Borowiec & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Tala, Agios Neofytos Monastery, 34.84485 / 32.44509, 398 m, 7 V 2022, 3w, leg. L. Borowiec ( MNHW) ; Paphos , Tala, Agios Neofytos Monastery, 34.84602 / 32.44784, 424 m, 29 IV 2022, 27w, leg. L. Borowiec, J. Demetriou, C. Georgiadis & S. Salata ( MNHW) ; Akrotiri UK SBA, Agiophyla , 0 m, 34.6006 / 32.9721, 10 X 2023, 6w, leg. J. Demetriou ( JDC) ; Paphos , Gialia, 150 m, 35.0950 / 32.5352, 03 V 2023, 1w, leg. J. Demetriou ( JDC) .

Comparative and taxonomic note. This taxon was described from Cyprus: Limassol as a trinome Leptothorax bulgaricus cypridis Santschi, 1930 and further treated as a subspecies of T. bulgaricus (Bolton 1995: 237). We have examined the syntype of Leptothorax bulgaricus cypridis preserved in the Basel Museum (AntWeb.org, CASENT0912914) and numerous specimens from Cyprus conspecific with the syntype. In our opinion, this taxon represents a distinct species, which differs well from Temnothorax bulgaricus (Forel, 1892) in a shorter setation of body. In T. bulgaricus , erect setae on the head, mesosoma, and gaster are very long, the longest setae on mesosoma are longer than the eye diameter while in T. cypridis dorsal setae of mesosoma are short, distinctly shorter than the eye diameter (mean ratio length of setae/eye diameter 0.71, in T. bulgaricus 1.06). The third member of the T. bulgaricus group known from the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, T. nadigi (Kutter, 1925) , differs in distinctly bicolored body, with a head predominantly distinctly darker colored than mesosoma, from yellowish-brown to dark brown. Other Cypriot species of Temnothorax well differ from T. cypridis in uniformly yellow antennae and usually well-marked propodeal spines. Only T. aeolius has an antennal club similarly darkened, partly brown to black, but differs in well-marked propodeal spine with mean PSL/HW 0.266 (in T. cypridis the spine is reduced to very small, triangular tubercle or spine with mean PSL/HW 0.225), shorter petiole with mean PI 1.481 (in T. cypridis 1.505), and in more globular petiolar node, without lateral carinae.

Redescription. Worker (n = 10): HL: 0.563 –0.706 (0.643); HW: 0.444 –0.589 (0.530); SL: 0.429 –0.540 (0.475); EL: 0.114 –0.151 (0.143); EW: 0.087 –0.115 (0.105); PNW: 0.294 –0.413 (0.367); WL: 0.635 –0.860 (0.763); PEL: 0.225 –0.341 (0.294); PEH: 0.160 –0.238 (0.195); PPL: 0.163 –0.238 (0.217); PPW: 0.175 –0.240 (0.211); PSL: 0.090 –0.139 (0.117); CI: 1.170 –1.268 (1.216); EI1: 1.313 –1.469 (1.368); EI2: 0.202 –0.233 (0.223); SI1: 0.868 – 0.966 (0.897); SI2: 0.693 –0.765 (0.738); MI: 2.000 –2.160 (2.081); PI: 1.406 –1.589 (1.505); PPI: 0.890 –1.074 (0.978); PSLI: 0.179 –0.262 (0.225).

Color. Almost whole body yellow, gena usually more or less infuscate, yellowish-brown to brown, antennal club predominantly brown to almost black, first gastral tergite in basal ⅔ length yellow and in posterior ⅓ length with brown band, only posterior margin yellow. Legs uniformly yellow, femora never infuscate in the middle ( Figs 19, 20 ). In the palest specimens band on first gastral tergite very narrow, occupying only ⅕–¼ length of the tergite, in the darkest specimens almost whole posterior half of first gastral tergite is darkened. Head. Slightly elongate, approximately 1.2 × as long as wide, subparallel or gena softly converging anterad and sides behind eyes slightly converging posterad, occipital corners broadly rounded, occipital margin of head straight ( Fig. 22 ). Anterior margin of clypeus softly convex, without central angulation, with 4–6 short setae, medial notch absent. Eyes moderate, elongate, 1.3–1.5 × as long as wide, 0.22 × as long as head length. Antennal scape long, in lateral view slightly curved, approximately 0.9 × as long as width of the head, in apex gradually widened with softly marked preapical constriction, its base with obtuse dorsal and ventral angle. Funiculus distinctly longer than scape, first segment 2.3 × as long as wide at apex, 4.5 × as long as second segment, segments 2–6 transverse, segment 7 only slightly wider than long, club large, 1.2 × as long as segments 1–8 combined, last segment of club elongate, 1.4 × as long as segments 8 and 9 combined ( Fig. 22 ). Surface of scape with smooth and shiny, covered with thin, moderate dense, appressed hairs. Mandibles with thick sparse, longitudinal striae, shiny, covered with short appressed hairs. Clypeus with median keel and one or two keels on each side, interspaces smooth and shiny. Frons narrow, approximately 0.35 × as wide as head width. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa deep, margined with sharp circular striae with smooth interspaces. Frontal lobes moderately broad, placed slightly upwards ( Fig. 22 ). Gena, malar area and frons laterally with sharp longitudinal rugae gradually diffused posterad, postocular area and occipital corners predominantly smooth or with fine striation, central part of frons, vertex and occipitum smooth and shiny, sides of vertex often with diffused microreticulation, frons centrally without setose punctation. The smooth and shiny area varies from narrow stripe along middle to broad stripe which occupies central ⅓ width of head. Surface of head without appressed pubescence, frons, vertex and occipital area with erect, pale, moderately long setae, the longest on occipitum 0.57 × as long as eye width ( Fig. 22 ). Mesosoma. Elongate, approximately 2.1 × as long as wide, slightly arched in anterior third, flat in posterior ⅔ length, without metanotal groove or impression. Pronotum convex on sides. Anterior slope of pronotum partly microgranulate, partly with longitudinal rugae, dorsum with fine longitudinal rugae and diffusely microreticulate interspaces, appears shiny. Sides of pronotum with longitudinal rugae and smooth and shiny interspaces. Dorsum of mesonotum microreticulate, without or with rudiments of rugae, sometimes along middle with smooth and shiny stripe, on sides with longitudinal rugae and microreticulate interspaces, sides of mesonotum with longitudinal rugae and microreticulate interspaces, appears slightly irregulare. Dorsum of propodeum centrally microreticulate, on sides with longitudinal rugae, posterior face microreticulate with few transverse rugae, sides of propodeum from predominantly microgranulate with few rugae to predominantly with sharp longitudinal rugae, especially on metapleural lobe, surface appears irregular but shiny. Propodeal spines very short, sometimes almost reduced, usually in form of triangular tubercle, mean PSL/HW 0.22. Entire mesosoma bearing erect, yellow, moderately long setae, the longest on pronotum 0.6–0.71 × as long as eye diameter ( Figs 20 , 21 ). Petiole. Elongate, mean PEL/PEH 1.51, anterior face straight or very shallowly concave, ventral margin anteriorly with sharp spine, node in lateral view obtusely angulate with sharp lateral carinae, on top microgranulate or with few short rugae, on sides with distinct rugae, interspaces microreticulate, shiny. Postpetiole. In dorsal view almost as long as wide, approximately 1.3 × as wide as petiole, surface microreticulate or with short longitudinal striation, appears irregular but shiny. Dorsal surface of petiole and postpetiole with long erect setae, as long as setae on pronotum ( Figs 20 , 21 ). Gaster. Smooth and shiny, bearing erect, thin, pale setae, usually twice shorter than setae on mesosoma ( Figs 20 , 21 ). Legs. Moderately elongate, femora swollen in the middle, tibiae widened from base to ¾ length, surface of legs covered with extremely sparse, appressed hairs, surface smooth and shiny.

Biological note. Less thermophilous. Most workers were shaken off into the entomological umbrella from Mediterranean bush, predominantly Pistacia and Rubus , inside pine forests or nearby streams, or growing around dams or shadow roadsides. A few specimens were shaken off into the entomological umbrella from herbs on a sowed field next to the road. Nests could not be found.

Figures

FIGURE 62. Distribution in Cyprus Temnothorax nikoklesi n. sp. (upper map) and T. cypridis (Santschi) (bottom map)

FIGURES 19, 20. Worker of Temnothorax cypridis (Santschi) (specimen from Evretou Dam) 19 dorsal 20 lateral (scale bar = 1 mm).

FIGURES 21, 22. Worker of Temnothorax cypridis (Santschi) 21 microworker lateral (scale bar = 1 mm) 22 head (scale bar = 0.5 mm).