Temnothorax liqiu, 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 : 40-42

Temnothorax liqiu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:881EBF56-A5A6-463C-88A0-7A3426F19DAE

Fig. 27

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to T. xiaoshu sp. nov. ( Fig. 38 ), but differs in the new species head dorsum and mesosoma finely reticulate, in lateral view petiolar node roughly trapezoidal with broadly rounded dorsum, and body color reddish brown, head blackish brown; in T. xiaoshu head dorsum and mesosoma coarsely reticulate, in lateral view petiolar node roughly conical with narrowly rounded dorsum, and body color orange, gaster blackish brown. The new species is also similar to T. dashu sp. nov. ( Fig. 12 ), but differs in the new species propodeal spines shortly toothed and weakly longer than their basal width in lateral view, metanotal groove obviously impressed, head dorsum weakly reticulate posteriorly; in T. dashu propodeal spines acutely angled and shorter than their basal width in lateral view, metanotal groove slightly impressed, head dorsum strongly reticulate posteriorly. This new species is also similar to T. xiaohan sp. nov. ( Fig. 36 ), but differs in the new species metanotal groove obviously impressed in lateral view, petiolar node symmetrical and nearly trapezoidal, pronotal sides reticulate, head dorsum weakly reticulate posteriorly; in T. xiaohan metanotal groove absent in lateral view, petiolar node asymmetrical and nearly triangular, pronotal sides longitudinally rugose, head dorsum strongly reticulate posteriorly.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to ‘liqiu’, one of the 24 Solar Terms of China.

Material examined

Holotype worker CHINA • Sichuan Province, Muli County, Xiamaidi Town, Mianbu Pass ; 27.687339° N, 101.221072° E; 3280 m a.s.l.; 26 Jul. 2018; Zhao Huang leg.; soil sample from alpine conifer forest; SWFU C18-795 .

Paratype workers CHINA – Sichuan Province • 3 workers; same collection data as for holotype; SWFU C18-795 • 1 worker; Muli County, Xiamaidi Town, Mianbu Pass ; 27.687339° N, 101.221072° E; 3280 m a.s.l.; 26 Jul. 2018; Zhao Huang leg.; soil sample from alpine conifer forest; SWFU C18-794 • 9 workers; Muli County, Liziping Town, Mahuanggou ; 28.087486° N, 101.172733° E; 3040 m a.s.l.; 30 Jul. 2018; Yu-Cheng He leg.; soil sample from Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU C18-1407 .

Non-type material examined

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 worker; Huaping County, Xinzhuang Town, Yangtianwo Village ; 26.675709° N, 101.141686° E; 2240 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2013; Shun-Rong Pu leg.; ground sample from conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A13-208 • 3 workers; Deqin County, Xiaruo Town, Shiba Village ; 27.776289° N, 99.264253° E; 2770 m a.s.l.; 14 Oct. 2004; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; soil sample from warm conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A04-755 • 9 workers; Yulong County, Baisha Town, Yulongxueshan ; 27.140138° N, 100.210479° E; 3000 m a.s.l.; 20 Oct. 2004; Zheng-Hui Xu leg.; nests in soil in Pinus yunnanensis forest; SWFU A04-1209 • 6 workers; Yulong County, Shitou Town, Jinsishan ; 26.886519° N, 99.620016° E; 3250 m a.s.l.; 19 Oct. 2004; Xiao Guo leg.; nests in soil in conifer-broadleaf mixed forest; SWFU A04-1132 .

Description

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 3.0, HL 0.66, HW 0.55, CI 83, SL 0.62, SI 113, ED 0.15, PW 0.41, WL 0.83, PL 0.29, PH 0.20, DPW 0.16.

In full-face view head roughly rectangular, longer than broad, posterior and lateral margins weakly convex, posterior corners broadly rounded. 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 surpassing posterior head margin by 1/7 of its length, club 3-segmented. Eyes located at midpoint of lateral head margin, occupying ¼ of lateral margin.

In lateral view pronotum moderately convex, promesonotal suture absent. Mesonotum almost straight anteriorly and weakly convex posteriorly. Metanotal groove widely moderately impressed and distinct. Dorsum of propodeum straight and sloping down posteriorly; propodeal spines short and roughly triangular, about as long as their basal width, pointed posterodorsally; declivity weakly concave, shorter than dorsum; propodeal lobes small and rounded apically. Petiole with long anterior peduncle, about as long as petiolar node; petiolar node roughly trapezoidal and narrowed dorsally, anterior margin straight, dorsal margin weakly convex and gently sloping down posteriorly, posterior margin short and weakly convex, anterodorsal corner narrowly rounded, posterodorsal corner broadly rounded; ventral margin almost straight and weakly concave posteriorly, anteroventral corner shortly toothed. Postpetiole about as high as petiole, weakly inclined anteriorly, anterodorsal margin roundly convex, posterior margin straight, ventral margin almost straight.

In dorsal view pronotum broadest, anterior margin weakly convex, humeral corners broadly rounded, lateral margin strongly convex. Promesotonal suture absent. Mesothorax moderately constricted, lateral margins moderately concave. Metanotal groove widely impressed. Propodeum roughly square and weakly widening posteriorly, lateral margins almost straight; spines short, pointed posterolaterally. 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 narrowly rounded, lateral margins nearly straight. Gaster elongate oval.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Head dorsum longitudinally rugose anteriorly with rugae divergent posteriorly, and gradually reticulate posteriorly and laterally, interface densely punctate. Clypeus with three rugae on each side. Mesosomal dorsum reticulate; pronotal sides and mesopleura reticulate, metapleura longitudinally rugose; sides of propodeum, petiole and postpetiole finely reticulate. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body dorsum with abundant erect to suberect apically blunt short hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence, pubescence on head dorsum relatively denser; scapes and tibiae with dense subdecumbent to decumbent pubescence. Body color yellowish brown; head dorsum and first gastral segment blackish brown.

Measurements of paratype workers: TL 2.3–3.2, HL 0.6–0.70, HW 0.45–0.60, CI 75–86, SL 0.50–0.55, SI 92–111, ED 0.10–0.11, PW 0.33–0.35, WL 0.60–0.80, PL 0.24–0.25, PH 0.15–0.18, DPW 0.10–0.13 (13 individuals measured). As holotype worker, in some individuals’ propodeal spines slightly longer than in holotype, body color lighter, metanotal groove deeply to shallowly impressed.

Ecological notes

This new species inhabits alpine conifer forest ( Fig. 68E ), Pinus yunnanensis forest ( Fig. 69I ) and conifer-broadleaf mixed forest ( Fig. 69D ) at an elevation of 2240–3280 m, forages on the ground and in soil, and nests in soil.

Distribution

China: Yunnan, Sichuan.

Figures

Fig. 27. Temnothorax liqiu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU C18-795). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 38. Temnothorax xiaoshu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A99-24). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 12. Temnothorax dashu sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A13-479). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

Fig. 36. Temnothorax xiaohan sp. nov., holotype worker (SWFU A07-543). A. Head in full-face view. B. Body in lateral view. C. Body in dorsal view.

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.

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.