A New Ant Species, Temnothorax ansei sp.n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Arid Environments of South-eastern Spain

Chema Catarineu,Gonzalo G Barberá,Joaquín L Reyes-López

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v64i2.1274

Abstract

We describe here a new ant species in the genus Temnothorax, species grouplaurae, based on morphological evidence supported by other biologicalinformation. It has been discovered at two locations in southeast Spain:Pulpí (Almería) and Lorca (Murcia). This species is a member of the lauraespecies group based on the following characters: large eyes, long and erecthairs on alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole, rectangular head and metanotalgroove. Other characters unique to new species are: dark brown in color,decumbent pilosity, and smooth and shiny head and pronotum. In addition,this new species is distinctly nocturnal in its activity patterns. Based on themorphological measurements of the queens and the workers, as well as ourobservations in the laboratory, we predict that this species has a dependentcolony founding. An identification key to the Iberian Peninsula species ofthe laurae group is also provided.

Highlights

Temnothorax (Mayr, 1861), is a speciose genus of small and generally inconspicuous ant with a predominantly Holartic distribution
Temnothorax is divided into nine species groups (Cagniant & Espadaler, 1997)
One of those is laurae species group, whose members are characterized by large eyes relative to the length of the head capsule (OI>30), postpetiole more or less trapezoidal in dorsal view (Prebus, 2015), long and erect hairs on alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole, rectangular head, and the presence of metanotal groove (Tinaut, 1994; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1997)

Summary

Introduction

Temnothorax (Mayr, 1861), is a speciose genus of small and generally inconspicuous ant with a predominantly Holartic distribution. One of those is laurae species group, whose members are characterized by large eyes relative to the length of the head capsule (OI>30), postpetiole more or less trapezoidal in dorsal view (Prebus, 2015), long and erect hairs on alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole, rectangular head, and the presence of metanotal groove (Tinaut, 1994; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1997) They are rarely collected, probably because of their small colony size and nocturnal activity patterns; caused by hot and arid environment they inhabit (Tinaut, 1994; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1997). We were able to keep three of these colonies in the laboratory until males and queens were acquired

Material and methods

Findings

Discussion