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Temnothorax punctithorax
| Temnothorax punctithorax | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Temnothorax |
| Species group: | sallei |
| Species: | T. punctithorax |
| Binomial name | |
| Temnothorax punctithorax (Mackay, W.P., 2000)
| |
Known only from three type specimens.
Identification
Prebus (2017) - A member of the sallei clade.
Mackay (2000) - This species is easily recognized as the mesosoma (side of pronotum with striae mixed with punctae) is completely punctate with large punctures, which are nearly foveolate. The head is predominantly smooth and shining. The antenna has 12 segments and the medial clypeal carina is moderatelywell developed. The propodeal spines are small, but acute, and the node of the petiole is blunt.
The nearly foveolate punctures on the dorsum of the mesosoma would separate this species from nearly all others in North America. This species differs from Temnothorax mexicanus as the dorsum of the postpetiole is punctate (smooth and shining in Temnothorax mexicanus) and from Temnothorax cokendolpheri in that the postpetiole is not noticeably broadened and it is dark brown in color (Temnothorax cokendolpheri is pale yellow). The propodeal spines are also developed and acute, whereas the armature of Temnothorax cokendolpheri are simple, blunt angles. The distributions (central Mexico vs. New Mexico and Texas for Temnothorax cokendolpheri) will help in the confirmation of the identification. This species can be distinguished from Temnothorax manni and Temnothorax bristoli by the presence of a moderately well developed medial clypeal carina (absent or not more developed than the surrounding carinae in Temnothorax manni and Temnothorax bristoli). Additionally the side of the pronotum is covered with punctae and striae in Temnothorax punctithorax; the sides of the pronoti of Temnothorax manni and Temnothorax bristoli are predominantly smooth and shining, with fine striae.
Keys including this Species
- Key to Temnothorax andrei species group workers
- Key to Temnothorax tricarinatus species group workers
- Key to the New World Temnothorax
Distribution
Mexico: Toluca.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 31.91667° to 18.3°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
| Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Abundance
Only known from types.
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- punctithorax. Leptothorax (Myrafant) punctithorax Mackay, W.P., 2000: 392, figs. 31, 151, 152 (w.) MEXICO. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Mandibles with 5 teeth, only 2 or 3 well defined; anterior border of clypeus straight, clypeus concave, but with well formed medial carina and a few carinae near lateral edges, remainder of clypeus polished and shining; vertex slightly concave; none of the sutures break sculpture of mesosoma; propodeal spines short (> 0.04mm), but toothlike; petiole with well developed, subpeduncular flange, anterior petiolar face concave, posterior face convex, petiolar node rounded and blunt as seen in profile.
Hairs erect on most surfaces, except antennal scape and legs, where they are suberect or decumbent.
Sculpture characteristic of this species, consisting of costulae mixed with punctures on head, with strongly shining background, entire mesosoma densely covered with large punctures, nearly the size of foveolate punctures, especially on top of mesosoma, bottoms strongly shining, making them reflect like jewels, petiole and post-petiole strongly and densely punctate, gaster smooth and shining.
Color: medium brown.
Worker measurement (mm): HL 0.62-0.70, HW 0.52-0.54, SL 0.49-0.54, EL 0.14-0.17, WL 0.65-0.77, PW 0.13-0.18, PL 0.20-0.23, PPW 0.23-0.25, PPL 0.16-0.17. Indices: CI 77-84, SI 77-79, PI 65-78, PPI 144-147.
Type Material
MEXICO, 19 mi. E. Toluca, 9600', 6-viii-1961, L. B. Carney #41. Holotype worker Museum of Comparative Zoology and 2 paratype workers (William and Emma Mackay Collection, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico).
Etymology
Morphological, for the heavily punctate mesosoma of the worker.
References
- Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 272, Combination in Temnothorax)
- MacKay, W. P. 2000. A review of the New World ants of the subgenus Myrafant, (genus Leptothorax) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 36: 265-444 (page 392, figs. 31, 151, 152 worker described)
- Prebus, M. 2017. Insights into the evolution, biogeography and natural history of the acorn ants, genus Temnothorax Mayr (hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bmc Evolutionary Biology. 17:250. doi:10.1186/s12862-017-1095-8 (The doi link to the publication's journal webpage provides access to the 24 files that accompany this article).
- Prebus, M.M. 2021. Taxonomic revision of the Temnothorax salvini clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key to the clades of New World Temnothorax. PeerJ 9, e11514 (doi:10.7717/peerj.11514).
- Varela-Hernández, F., Medel-Zosayas, B., Martínez-Luque, E.O., Jones, R.W., De la Mora, A. 2020. Biodiversity in central Mexico: Assessment of ants in a convergent region. Southwestern Entomologist 454: 673-686.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
- Fernandes, P.R. XXXX. Los hormigas del suelo en Mexico: Diversidad, distribucion e importancia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
- Mackay W. P. 2000. A review of the New World ants of the subgenus Myrafant, (genus Leptothorax) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 36: 265-444.
- Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133