Temnothorax ocarinae

One of the two known specimens of this species, the holotype worker, was found in a quarantined orchid.

Identification
Prebus (2021) – A member of the fuscatus group of the Temnothorax salvini clade. Temnothorax ocarinae can be separated from all other species in the salvini clade by the following character combination: antennal scapes short: failing to reach the posterior margin of the head by about the maximum width of the antennal scape (SI 89-103); body elongate (WLI > 50); metanotal groove not strongly impressed; propodeal spines directed posterodorsally, never directly upward; propodeal spines short, much shorter than the length of the propodeal declivity (PSI 16-18); hind femora strongly incrassate (FI > 350); petiolar node low, elongate and rounded dorsally (NI 186-203); postpetiole moderately broad: greater than twice wide as the petiole in dorsal view, but less than 2.2 times as wide (PWI 208-209); setae on head, mesosoma, waist segments and gaster erect, moderately long, moderately dense and blunt (never long and tapering); integument bicolored: mesosoma and waist segments testaceous, otherwise medium brown.

Similar species: Temnothorax acutispinosus, Temnothorax huehuetenangoi, Temnothorax subditivus, Temnothorax tenuisculptus, and Temnothorax tuxtlanus, species of the annexus, augusti, fuscatus, and salvini groups. Temnothorax ocarinae can be distinguished from T. tuxtlanus by the incrassate femora (FI < 280 in T. tuxtlanus). The low, elongate petiolar node (NI > 80) will separate T. ocarinae from all species listed above, aside from the salvini group and most other members of the fuscatus group. The moderately long, blunt-tipped setae will separate T. ocarinae from the species of the salvini group, which have long, tapering setae. The short propodeal spines, which are much shorter than the propodeal declivity, as well as the bicolored integument, will distinguish T. ocarinae from Temnothorax fuscatus and Temnothorax nebliselva, which have longer propodeal spines and are uniformly colored. Temnothorax ocarinae can be separated from Temnothorax skwarrae by the relatively small, round compound eye, which is shorter than the distance between the compound eye and the mandibular insertion (about as long as the distance between the compound eye and mandibular insertion in T. skwarrae). Furthermore, T. skwarrae has a bright yellow gaster, as opposed to medium brown in T. ocarinae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Biology
Prebus (2021) - Little is known about the biology or distribution of Temnothorax ocarinae. The holotype was taken in quarantine at the U.S. - Mexico border from an orchid. The only other specimen that I have examined is much smaller than the holotype and was collected from a high elevation site in Jalisco state, Mexico. T. ocarinae is likely arboreally nesting.

Nomenclature

 *  ocarinae. Leptothorax ocarinae Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 469, figs. 58, 131 (w.) MEXICO. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272.

Worker
Prebus (2021) - (n = 2): SL = 0.633-0.729 (0.681); FRS = 0.214-0.275 (0.245); CW = 0.675-0.890 (0.783); CWb = 0.613-0.816 (0.715); PoOC = 0.342-0.407 (0.375); CL = 0.796-0.988 (0.892); EL = 0.160-0.206 (0.183); EW = 0.122-0.155 (0.139); MD = 0.179-0.232 (0.206); WL = 1.032-1.332 (1.182); SPST = 0.185-0.214 (0.200); MPST = 0.302-0.385 (0.344); PEL = 0.336-0.446 (0.391); NOL = 0.218-0.308 (0.263); NOH = 0.117-0.152 (0.135); PEH = 0.240-0.244 (0.242); PPL = 0.232-0.253 (0.243); PPH = 0.227-0.285 (0.256); PW = 0.435-0.578 (0.507); SBPA = 0.103-0.174 (0.139); SPTI = 0.121-0.163 (0.142); PEW = 0.138-0.173 (0.156); PNW = 0.152-0.208 (0.180); PPW = 0.289-0.359 (0.324); HFL = 0.681-0.894 (0.788); HFWmax = 0.191-0.251 (0.221); HFWmin = 0.050-0.060 (0.055); CS = 1.011-1.310 (1.161); ES = 0.221-0.284 (0.252); SI = 89-103 (96); OI = 22; CI = 77-83 (80); WLI = 163-168 (166); SBI = 17-21 (19); PSI = 16-18 (17); PWI = 208-209 (208); PLI = 145-176 (161); NI = 186-203 (194); PNWI = 110-120 (115); NLI = 65-69 (67); FI = 382-418 (400).

In full-face view, head subquadrate, longer than broad (CI 77-83). Mandibles densely striate but shining and armed with five teeth: the apical-most well developed and acute, followed by a less developed preapical tooth and three equally developed smaller teeth. Anterior clypeal margin weakly emarginated medially. Antennal scapes short: when fully retracted, failing to reach the posterior margin of the head capsule by about the maximum width of the scape (SI 89-103). Antennae 12-segmented; antennal club of composed of three segments, with the apical-most segment about as long as the preceding two in combination. Frontal carinae moderately long, extending past the antennal toruli by about two times the maximum width of the antennal scape. Compound eyes moderately protruding past the lateral margins of the head capsule. Lateral margin of head very weakly convex, nearly flat, forming a continuous arc from the mandibular insertions to the posterior margin of the head. Posterior head margin weakly concave but rounding evenly into the lateral margins.

In profile view, compound eyes ovular and moderately large (OI 22), with 13 ommatidia in longest row. Pronotal declivity distinct, neck and anterior face of pronotum forming a ~90° angle; transition between the anterior and dorsal faces delimited by a transverse carina. Dorsal face of pronotum evenly rounding into the rest of the mesosoma, which is flat to the propodeal spines. Promesonotal suture extending from the posterior margin of the procoxal insertion only to the mesothoracic spiracle, which is moderately well developed. Metanotal groove visible as a disruption of the sculpture laterally from where it arises between the mid- and hind coxae to where it ends in the poorly developed metathoracic spiracle, which is nearly indistinguishable against the ground sculpture. Propodeal spiracle moderately well developed, directed posterolaterally, and separated from the propodeal declivity by about three spiracle diameters. Propodeal spines weakly developed and short (PSI 16-18), about a third as long as the propodeal declivity, tapering evenly from the base, straight, directed posterodorsally, and acute. Propodeal declivity flat, forming a ~120° angle with the base of the propodeal spines. Propodeal lobes dorsally angulate and small. Metapleural gland bulla moderately large, extending from the metacoxal insertion two thirds of the way to the propodeal spiracle. Petiole moderately long (PLI 145-176), without tubercles anterodorsally. Subpetiolar process in the form of a very small, blunt tooth; ventral margin of petiole flat posterior to it. Petiolar peduncle short: comprising about a quarter of the total length of the petiole. Petiolar node low and dorsally flat: transition between peduncle and node an even grade, resulting in a weakly concave anterior node face; anterior face meeting the dorsal face at a rounded 120° angle; dorsal face rounding evenly into the posterior face. Postpetiole long; anterior and dorsal faces forming an even convexity; lobed ventrally.

In dorsal view, humeri developed and distinct: evenly rounded and wider than the rest of the mesosoma; mesothoracic spiracles weakly protruding past the lateral margins of the mesosoma, visible as slight angles where the pronotum meets the mesonotum. Metanotal groove absent: mesonotum and propodeum completely fused and lateral margins converging evenly to the bases of the propodeal spines. Propodeal spines narrowly approximated basally and weakly diverging apically, their apices separated from each other by about their length, the negative space between them broadly "U" shaped. Petiolar peduncle with spiracles not protruding past the lateral margins. Petiolar node evenly ovular and slightly longitudinally elongate; node the same width as the peduncle and the caudal cylinder. Postpetiole moderately broad (PWI 208-209) and campaniform. Anterior margin of the postpetiole convex and evenly rounds into the lateral margins, which are parallel to each other; posterior corners angulate; posterior margin flat. Metafemur strongly incrassate (FI 382-418).

Sculpture: median clypeal carina present, extending posteriorly nearly to the frontal triangle, and flanked on either side by two equally strong carinae. Lateral clypeal lobes with additional, weaker carinae; ground sculpture finely areolate. Antennal scapes areolatecostulate. Cephalic dorsum densely areolate-rugulose, with overlying rugose sculpture, becoming costate between the frontal carinae. Lateral surfaces of head densely areolaterugulose, with dense rugose sculpture overlying the ground sculpture. Ventral surface of head areolate-costulate. Pronotal neck weakly areolate. Lateral surface of the mesosoma areolate, with costae overlying the ground sculpture; area directly around propodeal spiracle smooth and shining. Propodeal declivity smooth, with a few coarse strigulae. Dorsal surface of mesosoma densely areolate, with coarse rugose sculpture overlying the ground sculpture. Femora areolate. Petiole densely areolate, with a coarse longitudinal carina extending from the anterodorsal flange to the caudal cylinder; rugose sculpture overlying the areolate ground sculpture dorsal to the carina. Postpetiole densely areolate, with rugose sculpture overlying the ground sculpture. First gastral sternite uniformly weakly areolate, with moderately strong spectral iridescence. First gastral sternite smooth and shining, with weak spectral iridescence.

Setae: antennal scapes and funiculi with short, adpressed pilosity. Dorsum of the head, pronotum, waist segments, and gaster with sparse, erect, blunt-tipped setae, the longest of which are about the length of the compound eye. The head bears ~36, mesosoma ~34, petiole 8, postpetiole ~16, and first gastral tergite ~64 setae. Short, sparse pubescence present over the entire body, but difficult to detect against the densely sculptured integument.

Color: bicolored. Head dark brown. Antennae, legs (except tarsi), and bases of the gastral sclerites testaceous brown. Mandibles, mesosoma, tarsi, waist segments, distal margins of the gastral sclerites, and sting testaceous yellow.

Type Material
Prebus (2021) - Type material examined: Holotype worker: MEXICO: [intercepted in quarantine] at Nogales, Arizona, U.S.A., 23 October 1956, on orchid (USNMENT00531636).

Paratype worker: same data as holotype, 1 worker (images of CASENT0912976 examined on antweb.org).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133