Temnothorax villarensis

Temnothorax villarensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Temnothorax
Species group:	sallei
Species:	T. villarensis
Binomial name
Temnothorax villarensis (Aguayo, 1931)
Synonyms
Macromischa manni Wheeler, W.M., 1931 Leptothorax williami Baroni Urbani, 1978

Dr. Creighton took several colonies of this ant nesting in crevices of limestone. Their entrances consisted of carton composed of silk and vegetable detritus. He describes the foraging workers as walking with the long-peduncled abdomen elevated above the thorax, giving them “a curious appearance somewhat reminiscent of a person carrying a parasol.” (Wheeler 1931)

Identification

Prebus (2017) - A member of the sallei clade.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 23.133° to 20.466667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Cuba (type locality), Greater Antilles.

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.

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.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• manni. Macromischa manni Wheeler, W.M. 1931b: 19 (w.) CUBA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1960b: 24 (l.). [Junior secondary homonym of Leptothorax manni Wheeler, above.] Replacement name: villarensis Aguayo, 1931: 177 (junior synonym and hence first available replacement name): Snelling, R.R. 1986: 155.
• villarensis. Macromischa manni var. villarensis Aguayo, 1931: 177 (w.) CUBA. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272. Raised to species, first available replacement name for manni Wheeler, W.M. 1931b: 19 [Junior secondary homonym of manni Wheeler, W.M. 1914b: 53.] and senior synonym of williami: Snelling, R.R. 1986: 155.
• williami. Leptothorax williami Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 530. [Unnecessary replacement name for manni Wheeler, 1931b: 19.] Junior synonym of villarensis: Snelling, R.R. 1986: 155.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Length 5-5.5 mm.

Similar to Temnothorax porphyritis but averaging somewhat larger. Head subrectangular, only slightly longer than broad, distinctly broader behind the eyes than in front, with well developed posterior corners, straight posterior border and very feebly convex cheeks. Mandibles 5-toothed, with distinctly convex external borders. Thorax shaped much as in porphyritis, but more robust and the dorsum of the mesoepinotum very feebly convex; epinotal spines also very similar but slightly shorter, with more slender bases and less pronounced sigmoidal flexure. Petiolar peduncle distinctly stouter, the node higher, more broadly rounded in profile and with more sloping anterior declivity. Postpetiole broader than long and more rounded anteriorly than in porphyritis. Femora distinctly more thickened in the middle. Sculpture of the head and thorax resembling that of porphyritis but the rugae decidedly stronger and the punctuation between them looser and less distinct, so that the surface is not opaque but distinctly shining. Femora more sharply tuberculate.

Pilosity as abundant as in porphyritis but more yellowish and on the scapes shorter and more appressed.

Head and thorax ferruginous red, with faint violet reflections; mandibles, clypeus and cheeks paler and more yellowish; petiole reddish yellow, with the node, postpetiole, legs and antennae yellowish brown, with very faint bluish reflections. Gaster black; bases of femora paler and more reddish.

Type Material

A series of workers and a single dealated female taken by Dr. W. S. Creighton at Soledad, near Cienfuegos, Cuba. The female has been described by Mann as that of porphyritis.

References

• Aguayo, C. G. 1931. New ants of the genus Macromischa. Psyche (Camb.) 38: 175-183 (page 177, worker described)
• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 272, Combination in Temnothorax)
• 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).
• Snelling, R. R. 1986. New synonymy in Caribbean ants of the genus Leptothorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 88: 154-156 (page 155, Senior synonym of williani)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1931b. New and little-known ants of the genera Macromischa, Creosomyrmex and Antillaemyrmex. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 72: 1-34 (page 19, Raised to species, first available replacement name for manni)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Aguayo C. G. 1931. New ants of the genus Macromischa. Psyche (Cambridge) 38: 175-183.
• Alayo D. P. 1974. Introduccion al estudio de los Himenopteros de Cuba. Superfamilia Formicoidea. Academia de Ciencias de Cuba. Instituto de Zoologia. Serie Biologica no.53: 58 pp. La Habana.
• Baroni Urbani C. 1978. Materiali per una revisione dei Leptothorax neotropicali appartenenti al sottogenere Macromischa Roger, n. comb. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Basil. 3: 395-618.
• Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
• Fontanla Rizo J.L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba. Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
• Fontenla J. L. 2001. Claves para las especies cubanas del taxon Macromischa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptothorax). Cocuyo (Havana) 11: 15-17.
• Fontenla J. L., and J. Alfonso-Simonetti. 2018. Classification of Cuban ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) into functional groups. Poeyana Revista Cubana de Zoologia 506: 21-30.
• Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Kusnezov N. 1963. Zoogeografia de las hormigas en sudamerica. Acta Zoologica Lilloana 19: 25-186
• Wheeler W. M. 1931. New and little-known ants of the genera Macromischa, Creosomyrmex and Antillaemyrmex. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 72: 1-34.
• Wheeler W. M. 1937. Ants mostly from the mountains of Cuba. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 81: 439-465.