Temnothorax euboeae, 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 euboeae sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5-6 , 8 , 19

Type material.

Holotype: worker (CASENT4015023, pin), label: "GREECE, Sterea Ellas | Euboea, Mt. Dirfi, 1030 m | 14 V 2017 | C. Lebas || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02765" (MNHW-DBET).

Type locality.

Greece, Sterea Ellas Province, Euboea, Mt. Dirfi, 38.61666/23.83333, 1030 m a.s.l.

Differential diagnosis.

Temnothorax euboeae differs from T. parnonensis and T. anodontoides in very dark body coloration, with head and mesosoma predominantly dark brown to black (pale brown to yellowish brown in both relatives), more elongated head (1.25-1.28 times as long as wide vs 1.22 in both relatives), and costate frons with microreticulate interspaces (interspecies smooth in both relatives); from T. saxatilis it differs in very dark body coloration, with head and mesosoma predominantly dark brown to black, more coarse sculpture of mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, and costate frons with microreticulate interspaces; from T. anodontoides it differs additionally in presence of propodeal spines; from T. parnonensis it differs additionally in shorter petiolar node; from T. arkasi it differs in presence of small, short, and needle shaped propodeal spines (in T. arkasi propodeal spines are in form of small angulation or very short triangular spines), and shorter petiole and pedicel; from T. ikarosi it differs in more elongated head, short petiolar peduncle, more rounded and sculptured petiole and postpetiole, lobes and short, needle shaped propodeal spines.

Description.

Worker (N = 1): HL: 0.7; HW: 0.57; SL: 0.44; EL: 0.14; EW: 0.09; WL: 0.87; PSL: 0.15; SDL: 0.13; PEL: 0.3; PPL: 0.17; PEH: 0.2; PPH: 0.2; PNW: 0.41; PW: 0.17; PPW: 0.25; CI: 1.23; SI1: 0.63; SI2: 0.77; MI: 0.47; EI1: 0.64; EI2: 0.13; PI: 1.5; PPI: 0.85; PSI: 1.15.

Colour. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole black, sides of pronotum with indistinct brownish-black areas, gaster mostly dark brown only base of first segment slightly brighter, scape brown, funicle segments 1-8 yellowish brown, antennal club dark brown, legs mostly dark brown with yellowish-brown coxae and knee, and yellowish-brown tarsi (Figs 5 , 6 ). Head. Slightly elongate, 1.25 times as long as wide, sides below and above eyes gently convex, occipital corners regularly rounded, occipital margin of head straight (Figs 4 , 8 ). Anterior margin of clypeus distinctly convex, medial notch absent. Eyes moderate, short oval, 1.2 times as long as wide. Antennal scape short, in lateral view slightly curved, 0.74 times as long as length of the head, in apex gradually widened, its base without tooth, funiculus long, club 3-segmented (Fig. 4 ). Surface of scape finely 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 with sharp median longitudinal keel and two keels laterally, area between keels microreticulate but shiny. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa deep, with thin circular striae and dense microreticulation. Frontal lobes narrow, microreticulate with costulae (Fig. 8 ). Frons, gena, malar region, vertex and temples densely reticulate with dull interspaces; frons and vertex medially, gena, and area behind eyes with additional costulae, sides of frons and malar area with additional interrupted costulae, on vertex costulae fading but reticulation tends to be more longitudinal, occipital area partly with additional costulae. Whole surface of head appears slightly dull. 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 4 , 8 ). Mesosoma. Elongated, approximately twice as long as wide, slightly arched in profile. Metanotal groove absent. Pronotum convex on sides. Propodeal spines short, needle shaped, directed distinctly upward, base narrow, tips sharp (Fig. 6 ). Whole surface of mesosoma densely rugulate with shiny interspaces. Promesonotal dorsum regulate but rugocostulate on lateral sides are more longitudinal, propodeum rugocostulate and only area between spines microreticulate. Entire mesosoma with erect, pale, moderately long and thick setae (Figs 5 , 6 ). Petiole. In lateral view, with short peduncle, low node, with anterior face shallowly concave and dorsum regularly rounded, whole surface rugoreticulate. Dorsal surface with sparse, short, erect setae. Postpetiole. In lateral view regularly convex, sides rounded, on the whole surface reticulate, on sides with short costulae, surface appears less rugose than surface of petiole. Dorsal surface with sparse, moderately long, erect setae (Figs 5 , 6 ). Gaster. Smooth and shiny, with erect, thin, pale setae (Figs 5 , 6 ). 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 name is a noun in genitive case, dedicated to Euboea, a mythical Naiad nymph whose name was given to the island of Euboea, terra typica for Temnothorax euboeae .

Biology.

Little known. The type locality is located in a mountainous area of Mt. Dirfi overgrown with Mediterranean oak forest.

Note.

We decided to describe this species based on a single specimen because of a compilation of morphological characters that make it unique among all known Greek and eastern Mediterranean Temnothorax species. A morphologically similar species outside eastern Mediterranean is T. saxatilis , known from the alpine zone in the L’Aquila province in Italy. However, T. euboeae differs morphologically from T. saxatilis based on the set of characters mentioned above in the differential diagnosis.

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 3, 4. Head and antennae of holotype workers 3 Temnothorax arkasi sp. nov. 4 Temnothorax euboeae sp. nov. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

Figures 5, 6. Holotype worker of Temnothorax euboeae sp. nov. 5 dorsal 6 lateral. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 7, 8. Head sculpture of holotype workers 7 Temnothorax arkasi sp. nov. 8 Temnothorax euboeae sp. nov.