Temnothorax himachalensis

The species has been collected from different localities of Jammu & Kashmir and from a single locality of Himachal Pradesh. A single specimen from Kargil was collected from sandy soil on an open hill slope sheltered by scattered vegetation. In Udaipur the specimens were collected from a mountain beside a river, nesting under a stone.

Identification
Bharti, Gul & Schulz (2012) - Temnothorax himachalensis well differs from all known Himalayan Temnothorax species by its colour, angular petiole, smooth sculpture and presence of metanotal groove. It most resembles Temnothorax pallidus which is also a yellow coloured species but can be easily differentiated from it by the presence of metanotal groove, longer propodeal spines, which are as long as 1/2 the distance between their tips and the angular petiole which is not rectilinear when seen from above. In case of T. pallidus back of the mesosoma is without any sutural impression, propodeal spines are as long as 1/3 the distance between their tips and the petiole is rectilinear when seen from above.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  himachalensis. Temnothorax himachalensis Bharti, Gul & Schulz, 2012: 327, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
TL 2.35–2.79 (2.35); HL 0.62–0.69 (0.63);HW0.52–0.60 (0.52); SL 0.48–0.52 (0.48); PW 0.37–0.43 (0.38); WL 0.63–0.88 (0.63); PL 0.20–0.24 (0.21); PH 0.17–0.21 (0.18); PPL 0.18–0.23 (0.23); GL 0.66–0.80 (0.66); PSL 0.048–0.075 (0.072); FCD 0.18–0.21 (0.21); EL 0.12–0.15 (0.14); PEW 0.13–0.16 (0.15) n = 23.

Head – Subrectangular [CI= 113–122 (121)]; in full face view, posterior margin of head straight; occipital corners indistinct, moderately round; lateral sides weakly convex; anterior clypeal margin broadly rounded; eyes large, situated about the middle on the sides of the head; mandibles triangular, the masticatory margin with 5 prominent teeth; antennae 12 segmented, scape short, falling somewhat short to reach posterior margin of head [SI1= 70–76 (76), SI2= 81–95 (95)].

Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole – In profile, promesonotal dorsum weakly convex; mesopropodeal groove present but shallow; humeri in dorsal view rounded; propodeal spines fairly long, more or less triangular, as long as approximately 2/3 the distance between their bases [PSLI= 9–14 (14)] and as long as 1/2 the distance between their tips, in a few specimens the length is 1/2 the range of their bases; petiolar node angular at apex, longer than high with short anterior peduncle; petiolar node in profile with steep and very slightly concave anterior face and strongly angled dorsum; postpetiolar node distinctly shorter than petiolar node with rounded dorsum, wider than petiole.

Gaster – Suboval, smooth and shiny.

Sculpture – Head smooth, except for fine mashed reticulate ground sculpture and longitudinal irregular rugae on genae which run up to the front of eyes and a few rugulae between the frontal carinae directed towards occipital corners; mandibles feebly rugulose; clypeus with a few longitudinal rugae on sides; pronotum smooth except a few rugulae on anterior and lateral sides; mesonotal dorsum smooth with weak reticulation on posterior half, lateral sides microreticulated and weakly rugulose; metanotum rugulose and microreticulated all over, the sculpture more distinct on lateral sides; scattered punctuation all over; petiole and postpetiole finely microreticulated and rugulose; petiolar apex with a transverse carina; gaster smooth and shiny.

Pilosity – Body covered with suberect to erect hairs, more abundant on gaster; antennae and legs pubescent.

Colour – Head light yellow to dark yellow, with a brownish tinge, which varies among different specimens or nest samples; mesosoma light to dark yellow; gaster light yellow to dark yellow most often with a brownish patch dorsally in the middle; pilosity yellowish white.

Etymology
The species is named after the type locality, Himachal.