Temnothorax parnonensis, Salata & Borowiec, 2022

Salata, Sebastian & Borowiec, Lech, 2022, A review of the Temnothorax anodontoides species-group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Greece, ZooKeys 1091, pp. 139-159 : 139

Temnothorax parnonensis sp. nov.

Figs 9-10 , 11 , 15 , 19

Type material.

Holotype: worker (CASENT4015024, pin), label: "Greece, Peloponnes | Prov. Arkadia | A. Schulz & K. Vock lgt. || Parnon, | 4 km WSW Kastanitsa | 37°17'N, 22°40'E | 22.4.2000 1200-1400 m || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02712" (MNHW-DBET). Paratypes: 3 workers (CASENT4015025-CASENT4015027): the same data as holotype; 6 workers (CASENT4015028-CASENT4015033): the same data as holotype + "Sample Nr. | AS7"; 5 paratype workers (CASENT4015034-CASENT4015038): "Greece, Peloponnes | Prov. Arkadia | A. Schulz & K. Vock lgt. || Parnon, | 3 km W Sitena| 37°18'N, 22°36'E | 25.4.2000 1700 m || Sample Nr. | AS8"; 2 workers (CASENT4015039-CASENT4015040): "Greece, Peloponnes | Prov. Arkadia | A. Schulz & K. Vock lgt. || Oros Melanon, |10 km S Levidi| 37°38'N, 22°17'E | 27.4.2000 1700 m || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02713"; 6 workers (CASENT4015041-CASENT4015046): the same data except LBC label but + "Sample Nr. | AS5"; 6 workers (CASENT4015047-CASENT4015052): the same data except LBC label but + "Sample Nr. | AS6"; 5 workers (CASENT4015053-CASENT4015057): "Greece, Peloponnes | Prov. Lakonia | A. Schulz & K. Vock lgt. || Oros Taigetos, | 20 km SW Sparti| 36°58'N, 22°21'E | 29.4.2000 1800-2100 m || Sample Nr. | AS4" (MHNG, MNHW-DBET, PW).

Type locality.

Greece, Peloponnes Province: Arcadia, Parnon, 4 km WSW Kastanitsa, 37.28333 /22.66666, 550-600 m a.s.l (please see note below for altitude estimations).

Differential diagnosis.

Temnothorax parnonensis well differs from other species of the T. anodontoides group in the reduced head sculpture, with presence of smooth or indistinctly microreticulate patch on the central part of frons, and brighter yellowish brown to brown body coloration (remaining members of the group have frons entirely sculptured and darker body coloration).

Description.

Worker (N = 20): HL: 0.67 ± 0.04 (0.59-0.75); HW: 0.57 ± 0.04 (0.48-0.66); SL: 0.5 ± 0.04 (0.4-0.58); EL: 0.15 ± 0.02 (0.12-0.18); EW: 0.11 ± 0.01 (0.08-0.13); WL: 0.79 ± 0.07 (0.65-0.92); PSL: 0.12 ± 0.01 (0.09-0.15); SDL: 0.1 ± 0.01 (0.08-0.12); PEL: 0.3 ± 0.03 (0.25-0.37); PPL: 0.18 ± 0.02 (0.15-0.2); PEH: 0.22 ± 0.02 (0.19-0.26); PPH: 0.2 ± 0.02 (0.17-0.24); PNW: 0.41 ± 0.03 (0.33-0.46); PEW: 0.18 ± 0.02 (0.13-0.24); PPW: 0.24 ± 0.02 (0.2-0.28); CI: 1.17 ± 0.03 (1.11-1.23); SI1: 0.74 ± 0.03 (0.68-0.78); SI2: 0.86 ± 0.03 (0.81-0.93); MI: 0.52 ± 0.02 (0.5-0.56); EI1: 0.72 ± 0.06 (0.62-0.86); EI2: 0.16 ± 0.01 (0.14-0.18); PI: 1.37 ± 0.05 (1.27-1.48); PPI: 0.89 ± 0.08 (0.75-1.06); PSI: 1.19 ± 0.14 (1.08-1.67).

Colour. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole yellowish brown to brown, head usually slightly darker than mesosoma, gaster mostly yellowish brown only base of first segment slightly brighter, yellowish to rusty yellow; scape and funicle segments 1-8 yellow, antennal club darkened, yellowish brown to dark, legs mostly yellowish, femora medially darkened, yellowish brown (Figs 9 , 10 ). Head. Slightly elongate, 1.22 times as long as wide, sides below and above eyes gently convex, occipital corners regularly rounded, occipital margin of head straight (Figs 11 , 15 ). Anterior margin of clypeus distinctly convex, medial notch absent. Eyes moderate, short oval, 1.3 times as long as wide. Antennal scape short, in lateral view slightly curved, 0.69-0.72 times as long as length of the head, in apex gradually widened, its base without tooth, funiculus long, club 3-segmented (Fig. 11 ). Surface of scape microreticulate, shiny, covered with thin, dense, decumbent to suberect setae. Funicle longer than scape, first segment 2.2 times as long as wide at apex, segments 2-7 short, rectangular. Mandibles rounded with thick and sparse striae, shiny. Clypeus without or with rudiment of median keel but with two keels laterally, area between keels smooth and shiny. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa deep, with thin circular striae and diffused microreticulation. Frontal lobes narrow, indistinctly microreticulate with costulae (Fig. 11 ). Frons, gena, malar region, vertex and temples reticulate with shiny interspaces, frons medially smooth or with diffused sculpture, sometimes smooth patch reduced to a shiny line, rest of frons costulate; gena costulate, malar area rugulate, area behind eyes costulate, central part of vertex with less distinct rugulosocostulae, occipital area partially costulate. Whole surface of head appears shiny. Sides of head with very short and sparse adpressed pubescence, sides of frons, vertex and occipital area with erect, pale, short and thick setae (Figs 10 , 11 ). Mesosoma. Elongate, approximately twice as long as wide, slightly arched in profile. Metanotal groove absent. Pronotum convex on sides. Propodeal spines very short, in form of triangular spines with sharp tip (Fig. 10 ). Whole surface of mesosoma densely reticulate with shiny interspaces, sometimes in the middle of mesonotum sculpture diffused and microreticulate. Pronotal dorsum rugulate, lateral sides of pronotum rugocostulate; mesonotal dorsum rugoreticulate, lateral sides rugocostulate; propodeum rugocostulate, area below spines rugomicroreticulate. Entire mesosoma with erect, pale, moderately long and thick setae (Figs 9 , 10 ). Petiole. In lateral view, with moderately long peduncle, node low, regularly rounded, with anterior face distinctly concave, whole surface rugoreticulate. Dorsal surface with sparse, short, erect setae. Postpetiole. In lateral view regularly convex, sides rounded, on the whole surface rugoreticulate, surface appears less rugose than surface of petiole. Dorsal surface with sparse, moderately long, erect setae (Figs 1 , 2 ). Gaster. Smooth and shiny, with erect, thin, pale setae (Figs 9 , 10 ). Legs. Legs moderately elongate, femora swollen in the middle, tibiae widened from base to ¾ length, surface of legs covered with sparse, adpressed to decumbent hairs.

Etymology.

The species name Temnothorax parnonensis is masculine and is a Latin singular adjective in the nominative case. The name refers to Parnon Massif, a terra typica for T. parnonensis .

Biology.

Most of the collecting sites are located in mountainous areas overgrown by Mediterranean oak forest (the eastern slopes of Mt. Parnon), and young and sparse fir forest (rocky northern slopes of Mt. Parnon and Mt. Menalon). The site in Taygetos Mts is located in alpine area above the upper border of the forest zone.

Note.

Based on the geographical coordinates given on the labels, latitudes for some of the collecting sites were overestimated. It applies to (label data vs altitude based on coordinates): Mt. Parnon (1200-1400 m vs 550-600 m), Mt Parnos (1700 m vs 1375 m), and Mt Menalon (1700 m vs 1450 m).

Figures

Figure 19. Distribution of members of the Temnothorax anodontoides species-group in Europe: Temnothorax arkasi (red circle), T. euboeae (violet circle), T. ikarosi (orange circle), T. parnonensis (green circles) and T. saxatilis (blue circle).

Figures 9, 10. Holotype worker of Temnothorax parnonensis sp. nov. 9 dorsal 10 lateral. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 11, 12. Head and antennae of workers 11 Temnothorax parnonensis sp. nov., holotype 12 Temnothorax anodontoides Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985, paratype. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

Figures 15, 16. Head sculpture of workers 15 Temnothorax parnonensis sp. nov., holotype 16 Temnothorax anodontoides Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985, paratype.

Figures 1, 2. Holotype worker of Temnothorax arkasi sp. nov. 1 dorsal 2 lateral. Scale bar: 1 mm.