Temnothorax xia, 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 : 54-57

Temnothorax xia sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F577F05A-315A-493E-9C4F-CC2066A46E26

Fig. 35

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. chun sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 ), but differs in the new species head dorsum densely longitudinally rugose on the central area, mesonotal dorsum coarsely reticulate, and body color reddish brown, gaster black; in T. chun , head dorsum loosely longitudinally rugose on the central area, mesonotal dorsum smooth, and body color almost black. The new species is also similar to T. lixia sp. nov. ( Fig. 28 ), but differs in the new species propodeal spines longer than half length of declivity in lateral view, petiolar node symmetrical with broadly rounded dorsum, head dorsum loosely longitudinally rugose; in T. lixia propodeal spines shorter than half length of declivity in lateral view, petiolar node asymmetrical with higher anterodorsal corner, head dorsum densely longitudinally rugose. This new species is also similar to T. qiufen sp. nov. ( Fig. 33 ), but differs in the new species propodeal spines longer than half length of declivity in lateral view, petiolar node symmetrical with broadly rounded dorsum, head dorsum wholly longitudinally rugose; in T. qiufen propodeal spines about half length of declivity in lateral view, petiolar node asymmetrical with rightly angled anterodorsal corner, head dorsum smooth on the central longitudinal narrow strip, longitudinally rugose laterally.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to ‘Xia’, one of the four seasons.

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Yunnan Province, Anning County, Yiliujie Town, Monande Village ; 24.543797° N, 102.336396° E; 2000 m a.s.l.; 17 Jul. 1991; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; foraging on the ground in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A91-353 .

Paratype workers CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 worker; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU A91-353 • 1 workers; Chuxiong City, Xishelu Town, Chahe Village ; 24.613659° N, 101.058721° E; 2000 m a.s.l.; 9 Mar. 2003; Wen-Chuan Xu leg.; ground sample from semi-moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A2440 • 2 workers; Xinping County, Zhelong Town, Dazhuqing Village ; 24.312610° N, 101.374036° E; 1750 m a.s.l.; 14 Mar. 2003; Zong-Hui He leg.; ground sample from semi-moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A2786 • 1 worker; Xinping County, Zhelong Town, Dazhuqing Village ; 24.312610° N, 101.374036° E; 1750 m a.s.l.; 14 Mar. 2003; Zong-Hui He leg.; ground sample from semi-moist evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A2780 .

Non-type material examined

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 worker; Guangnan County, Nanping Town, Longmao Village ; 23.741343° N, 105.265284° E; 1350 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 2010; Juan He leg.; foraging on the ground in Quercus variabilis forest; SWFU A10-1544 • 1 worker; Maguan County, Dalishu Town, Zhongzhai ; 23.020219° N, 104.197705° E; 1490 m a.s.l.; 4 Apr. 2010; Hui-Qin Zhu leg.; foraging on the ground in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest; SWFU A10-2367 • 1 worker; Maguan County, Dalishu Town, Xiangchang ; 23.069188° N, 104.212891° E; 1750 m a.s.l.; 4 Apr. 2010; Hui-Qin Zhu leg.; foraging on the ground in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A10-2416 . – Tibet • 9 workers; Bomi County, Yupu Town, Daba Village ; 29.655976° N, 96.207386° E; 3250 m a.s.l.; 4 Sep. 2010; Xue-Yun Ma leg.; nests under stones in Quercus semecarpifolia forest; SWFU A10-4052 • 9 workers; Bomi County, Yupu Town, Zhongba Village ; 29.620511° N, 96.363603° E; 3550 m a.s.l.; 4 Sep. 2010; Xue-Yun Ma leg.; nests under stones in Pinus wallichiana forest; SWFU A10-4020 • 9 workers; Chayu County, Zhuwagen Town, Cibagou ; 28.665801° N, 97.470460° E; 1620 m a.s.l.; 5 Oct. 2007; Long-Guan Chen leg.; nests in soil in Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A07-935 • 1 worker; Chayu County, Zhuwagen Town, Gaba ; 28.632480° N, 97.425153° E; 2345 m a.s.l.; 1 Oct. 2007; Long-Guan Chen leg.; nests in soil in Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A07-579 • 4 workers; Chayu County, Zhuwagen Town, Gaba ; 28.632480° N, 97.425153° E; 2330 m a.s.l.; 1 Oct. 2007; Long-Guan Chen leg.; foraging on the ground in Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A07-585 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 2.9, HL 0.66, HW 0.55, CI 83, SL 0.58, SI 106, ED 0.12, PW 0.41, WL 0.79, PL 0.37, PH 0.19, DPW 0.17.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior margin 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 narrow, concealing half of antennal socket. Frontal carinae short, reaching to the level of anterior eye margin. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes reaching to posterior head margin, club 3-segmented. Eyes located at midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying 1/5 of lateral margin.

In lateral view promesonotum relatively higher and weakly convex. Dorsa of posterior part of mesonotum and propodeum almost straight and gently sloping down posteriorly. Promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent. Propodeal spines short and weakly down-curved, about 1.5 times as long as their basal width; declivity almost straight; propodeal lobes triangular, with apex bluntly angled. Petiole with moderately long anterior peduncle, about ⅔ length of petiolar node; petiolar node roughly semicircular, dorsal margin rounded, anterior and posterior margins sloping down; ventral margin straight for most of its length, concave posteriorly, anteroventral corner acutely toothed. Postpetiole as high as petiole, dorsum roundly convex, ventral margin short and almost straight.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin moderately convex, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margins strongly convex. Promesotonal suture and metanotal groove absent. Mesothorax moderately constricted and narrowing posteriorly, lateral margins moderately concave. Propodeum roughly rectangular, lateral margins almost straight; spines relatively short, pointed posterolaterally and weakly in-curved. Petiole roughly trapezoidal and widening posteriorly, longer than broad, lateral margins weakly convex. Postpetiole roughly trapezoidal and narrowing posteriorly, about 1.4 times as broad as petiole, anterolateral corners strongly convex. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum longitudinally rugose, gradually reticulate laterally, with interface densely punctate. Clypeus with several short rugae on each side. Mesosomal dorsum coarsely reticulate; sides of pronotum obliquely costulate; mesopleura and metapleura coarsely reticulate; propodeal sides densely punctate. Petiole and postpetiole finely rugulose, dorsum of petiolar peduncle densely punctate. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with sparse erect to suberect apically blunt short hairs and sparse depressed pubescence. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Body color blackish brown; gastral dorsum black, mandibles, antennae and legs yellowish brown.

Measurements of paratype workers: TL 2.4–2.8, HL 0.63–0.70, HW 0.50–0.55, CI 79–80, SL 0.50–0.51, SI 91–100, ED 0.10–0.15, PW 0.33–0.35, WL 0.65–0.70, PL 0.25–0.26, PH 0.15–0.20, DPW 0.10–0.15 (5 individuals measured). As holotype worker, in some individuals promesonotum weakly rugose, sides of pronotum obliquely indistinctly costulate, mesopleura and metapleura coarsely weakly reticulate.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 70D ), conifer-broadleaf mixed forest ( Fig. 69D ), semi-moist evergreen broadleaf forest ( Fig. 70A ), Quercus variabilis Blume forest ( Fig. 70E ), Q. semecarpifolia forest ( Fig. 68D ), Pinus yunnanensis forest ( Fig. 69I ) and P. wallichiana A.B.Jacks. forest ( Fig.68B ) at an elevation of 1350–3350 m, forages on the ground, and nests under stones and in soil.

Distribution

China: Yunnan, Tibet.

Figures

Fig. 35. Temnothorax xia sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A91-353). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 5. Temnothorax chun sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A13-38). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 28. Temnothorax lixia sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A05-869). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 33. Temnothorax qiufen sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A18-972). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

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.

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. 68. Higher elevational vegetations. A. Alpine shrubland (3815 m, Yushu, Qinghai). B. Pinus wallichiana A.B.Jacks. forest (3550 m, Bomi, Tibet). C. Betula albosinensis Burkill forest (3480 m, Ganzi, Sichuan). D. Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. forest (3250 m, Bomi, Tibet). E. Alpine conifer forest (3250 m, Yanyuan, Sichuan). F. Alpine Rhododendron L. forest (3250 m, Luquan, Yunnan). Photos by Zheng-Hui Xu.