Temnothorax quetzal, Prebus, 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 : 407-411

Temnothorax quetzal sp. nov.

Distribution: Fig. 153H ; worker: Fig. 162 .

Temnothorax salvini grp 1, Prebus, 2021: 12 . In phylogeny.

Type material examined: Holotype worker: GUATEMALA: Baja Verapaz: Biotopo Quetzal , 15.20885 ° N 99.21592 ° W ± 207 m, 1,925 m, 9 May 2009, LLAMA #Go-B-02-4-03 , cloud forest, beating vegetation ( CASENT0614495 ) [ CASC].

Paratype worker: same data as holotype, 1 worker (CASENT0614496) [ UCDC] .

Geographic range: high elevations of Guatemala (Baja Verapaz) ( Fig. 153H ).

Worker diagnosis: Temnothorax quetzal sp. nov. can be separated from all other species in the salvini clade by the following character combination: dorsum of mesosoma sinuate; metanotal groove not impressed; propodeum not strongly depressed below the level of the promesonotum; propodeal spines upturned and longer than the propodeal declivity; subpetiolar tooth small and triangular: shorter than the setae that arise from the peduncle directly above; petiolar node weakly squamiform: in dorsal view, petiolar node less than or equal to 1.5 times as broad as caudal cylinder; setae on head, mesosoma, legs, waist segments and gaster erect to suberect, long, abundant and tapering; integument bicolored; predominantly testaceous yellow; antennae, femora, and tibiae testaceous; gaster dark brown.

Similar species: Fellow members of the salvini group. Temnothorax quetzal sp. nov. can be separated from other members of the salvini group by the weakly squamiform petiolar node (petiolar node more than or equal to 1.6 times as broad as the caudal cylinder in T. aztecus , T. aztecoides sp. nov., T. longicaulis stat. nov., nom. nov., and T. paraztecus sp. nov.), relatively small subpetiolar tooth (longer than the setae that arises directly above it in T. longinoi sp. nov.), and long propodeal spines (as long as or shorter than the propodeal declivity in T. fortispinosus sp. nov., T. parvidentatus sp. nov., and T. salvini ).

Worker measurements & indices (n = 2): SL = 0.973 –0.978 (0.976); FRS = 0.291 –0.298 (0.295); CW = 1.000 –1.002 (1.001); CWb = 0.883 –0.905 (0.894); PoOC = 0.371 –0.381 (0.376); CL = 0.999 –1.018 (1.009); EL = 0.232 –0.255 (0.244); EW = 0.167; MD = 0.249 –0.256 (0.253); WL = 1.367 –1.375 (1.371); SPST = 0.439 –0.450 (0.445); MPST = 0.386 –0.404 (0.395); PEL = 0.520 –0.527 (0.524); NOL = 0.290 –0.303 (0.297); NOH = 0.180 –0.209 (0.195); PEH = 0.335 –0.348 (0.342); PPL = 0.256 –0.271 (0.264); PW = 0.595 –0.618 (0.607); SBPA = 0.256 –0.264 (0.260); SPTI = 0.368 –0.451 (0.410); PEW = 0.202 –0.212 (0.207); PNW = 0.295 –0.299 (0.297); PPW = 0.322 –0.332 (0.327); HFL = 1.187 –1.201 (1.194); HFWmax = 0.195 –0.202 (0.199); HFWmin = 0.075 –0.078 (0.077); CS = 1.383 –1.414 (1.398); ES = 0.316 –0.339 (0.327); SI = 108–111 (109); OI = 23–24 (23); CI = 88–89 (89); WLI = 151–156 (153); SBI = 29; PSI = 32–33 (32); PWI = 157–159 (158); PLI = 192–206 (199); NI = 145–161 (153); PNWI = 141–146 (144); NLI = 56–57 (57); FI = 259–260 (259).

Worker description: In full-face view, head subquadrate, longer than broad (CI 88–89). Mandibles finely, densely 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 convex medially. Antennal scapes moderately long: when fully retracted, surpassing the posterior margin of the head capsule by about the maximum width of the antennal scape (SI 108–111). Antennae 12-segmented; antennal club of composed of three segments, with the apical-most segment slightly longer than the preceding two in combination. Frontal carinae short, extending past the antennal toruli by about one and a half times the maximum width of the antennal scape. Compound eyes moderately protruding past the lateral margins of the head capsule. Lateral margin of head weakly convex, forming a continuous arc from the mandibular insertions to the posterior margin of the head. Posterior head margin weakly convex, rounding evenly into the lateral margins.

In profile view, compound eyes ovular and moderately large (OI 23–24), with 18 ommatidia in longest row. Pronotal declivity indistinct, neck and anterior face of pronotum forming a ~120 ° angle. Anterior face of pronotum evenly rounding into dorsal face. Promesonotum very weakly convex to the weakly impressed metanotal groove. Propodeum flat and slightly depressed below the level of the promesonotum. Promesonotal suture extending from the posterior margin of the procoxal insertion to the mesothoracic spiracle, which is moderately well developed; continuing dorsally as a faint disruption in the ground sculpture. 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 moderately well developed, directed posterolaterally, and separated from the propodeal declivity by about five spiracle diameters. Propodeal spines well developed and long (PSI 32–33), slightly longer than the propodeal declivity, tapering evenly from the base, upturned, and acute. Propodeal declivity weakly concave, forming a rounded ~120 ° angle with the base of the propodeal spines. Propodeal lobes rounded and weakly developed. Metapleural gland bulla small, extending from the metacoxal insertion halfway to the propodeal spiracle. Petiole long (PLI 192–206), without tubercles anterodorsally. Subpetiolar process in the form of a small, triangular, acute tooth, which grades into the ventral margin of the petiole posteriorly; ventral margin of petiole weakly bulging posterior to it. Petiolar peduncle moderately long: comprising about half of the total petiole length. Petiolar node cuneiform-squamiform: transition between peduncle and node marked by a rounded angle of ~120 °; anterior face forming a rounded ~80 ° angle with the posterior face, which forms a ~120 ° angle with the caudal cylinder. Postpetiole evenly rounded anterodorsally, strongly bulging before flattening posterodorsally; concave ventrally.

In dorsal view, humeri developed and distinct: evenly rounded and about one and a quarter times wider than the rest of the mesosoma; 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 ground sculpture. Metanotal groove moderately well impressed. Propodeal spines broadly approximated basally and strongly diverging apically, their apices separated from each other by about their length, the negative space between them “V” shaped. Petiolar peduncle with spiracles slightly protruding past the lateral margins, but not noticeably constricted anterior to them. Petiolar node, when viewed posterodorsally, trapezoidal: broader apically than basally; apical margin weakly emarginate; node broader than the peduncle and the caudal cylinder. Postpetiole narrow (PWI 157–159) and trapezoidal. Anterior margin of the postpetiole weakly convex, transitioning into the lateral margins through a rounded angle; lateral margins bulging slightly anteriorly before converging to the angulate posterior corners; posterior margin flat. Metafemur moderately incrassate (FI 259–260).

Sculpture: median clypeal carina present, extending posteriorly to the level of the antennal insertions, and flanked on either side by multiple slightly weaker carinae. Lateral clypeal lobes with additional, weaker carinae; ground sculpture weakly areolate. Antennal scapes weakly areolate. Cephalic dorsum areolate, with rugose sculpture overlying the ground sculpture; fine concentric costulae surrounding the antennal insertions; rugae becoming costate from the antennal insertions to the posterior quarter of the head, cross reticulations becoming stronger beyond this point. Lateral surface of head sculptured similarly to the dorsum, with cross reticulations becoming stronger posterior to the compound eye. Ventral surface of head smooth and shining, with weak costulae. Pronotal neck areolate. Lateral surfaces of the mesosoma sculptured similarly to the head, but with areolae very weak on the lateral face of the pronotum, shining between rugae; area between propodeal spiracle and propodeal spine very weakly sculptured and shining. Propodeal declivity shining, with weak strigulae. Dorsal surface of mesosoma areolate, with rugose-costate sculpture. Femora shining through weak areolate sculpture. Petiole finely areolate on all surfaces but the node, which is smooth and shining. Postpetiole smooth and shining dorsally, weakly areolate laterally. First gastral tergite and sternite smooth and shining, without spectral iridescence.

Setae: antennal scapes and funiculi with moderately long, suberect pilosity. Dorsum of the head, pronotum, waist segments, and gaster with abundant, suberect, tapering, flexuous setae, the longest of which are about the length of the compound eye and are directed toward the midline of the body. The head bears ~50, mesosoma ~36, petiole 10, postpetiole ~16, and first gastral tergite ~84 setae. Pubescence present over the entire body, which is nearly as long as the setae.

Color: bicolored. Predominantly testaceous yellow; antennae, femora, and tibiae testaceous; gaster dark brown.

Gyne: Unknown.

Male: Unknown.

Etymology: Geographical, based on the type locality of Biotopo Quetzal, in Baja Verapaz, Guatemala.

Comments: Temnothorax quetzal sp. nov. is known only from the type specimens, collected via beating vegetation in cloud forest. The closest relative of T. quetzal sp. nov., T. fortispinosus sp. nov., is also known only from a single locality in the Central American Nucleus, but at mid elevations (1,520 –1,740 m; Figs. 153C & 153H ). These two morphologically distinctive species shared a common ancestor around 8 Ma, and together are sister to the remainder of the salvini group ( Prebus, 2021). Like other members of the salvini species group, T. quetzal sp. nov. is likely arboreally nesting.

Figures

Figure 153 Geographical and elevational distribution of the salvini group. (A) Temnothorax aztecoides sp. nov. (B) T. aztecus (C) T. fortispinosus sp. nov. (D) T. longicaulis stat. nov., nom. nov. (E) T. longinoi sp. nov. (F) T. paraztecus sp. nov. (G) T. parvidentatus sp. nov. (H) T. quetzal sp. nov. (I) T. salvini (J) T. terraztecus sp. nov. 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-153

Figure 162 Temnothorax quetzal sp. nov. holotype worker (CASENT0614495). (A) Profile view. (B) Full-face view. (C) Dorsal view. Scale bars 0.2 mm. Full-size DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11514/fig-162