Temnothorax sallei

Distribution
This taxon was described from Haiti. It is also found in the Dominican Republic.

Biology
Wheeler and Mann (1914) provided the following information about the biology of this species (the subspecies hytiana is a synonym of T. sallie.)

"Described from numerous workers and males and a single female taken from several carton nests at Furey in a locality represented in the accompanying figure (Fig. 13). The typical Machromisch (= Temnothorax) sallei is described by Guerin as nesting in trees in marshy places, but the subsp. haytiana lives on bushes in the mountains in regions which are never flooded. Both forms are extremely abundant in the restricted localities in which they occur and form very populous colonies, unlike most species of Macromischa. Along the ridge at Furcy the junior author observed hundreds of nests of haytiana, usually built in a peculiar shrub which is the most abundant and typical plant of the region. This shrub, which has very dense, short leaves and extra-nuptial nectaries, has been kindly identified for us by Prof. Robinson of the Gray Herbarium as Baccharis myrsinites (Lam.) Pers. The matted foliage produced by the numerous stems and densely leaved branches of this shrub afford the ants shade and concealment. Occasionally nests were also observed in other trees, especially in the smaller pines and among the plants of the small coffee plantations. The nest varies in diameter from about 1 to 6 or 7 inches, and also in shape, though it is always more or less oval or elliptical, at least when fully developed. The smaller nests are built around the stem of the plant, in such a manner as to embrace in their substance the insertions of the branches: At first sight the carton of which these structures consist, resembles that of certain species of Azteca and Crematogaster, but it seems to consist of finely shredded grass, which is afterwards cemented together and covered with true carton. Additions are made to the nest in this manner and some are often found consisting of carton throughout, excepting an envelope of the fine fibres, which may or may not cover the whole surface. Occasionally one may find a nest consisting of the fibrous material throughout. As none of the latter variety contained larvae or pupae, they are probably to be regarded as tents or pavilions erected as shelters over the extrafloral nectaries of the plants.

M. haytiana is diurnal in habit. It is evidently omnivorous, as it was seen attending Aphids and Membracids and the nectaries of the plants, and as its nests contained pieces of insects, mostly Orthoptera, and some objects which seemed to be plant seeds. In one nest a living Membracid nymph was found. The workers are pugnacious and sting severely. When the nest is disturbed they rush forth and scatter over all parts of the bush, and while moving about carry the gaster bent down beneath the thorax with the sting directed forward, a habit which is permitted by the great length of the petiole. This same habit has also been observed by the senior author in some of the other species of the genus (M. splendens Wheeler (= Temnothorax splendens) of the Bahamas and M. isabellae Wheeler (= Temnothorax isabellae) of Porto Rico)."

Nomenclature

 *  sallei. Myrmica sallei Guérin-Méneville, 1852: 73, pl. 3, figs. 1-4 (w.q.m.) HAITI. Combination in Pogonomyrmex: Dalla Torre, 1893: 120; in Macromischa: Forel, 1899c: 57 (footnote); in Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 489; in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272. Senior synonym of russula: Roger, 1862c: 293; of haytiana, opacinoda: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 490.
 * russula. Myrmica russula Nylander, 1856b: 82 (footnote) (w.q.) "Santo Domingo". Junior synonym of sallei: Roger, 1862c: 293.
 * haytiana. Macromischa sallei subsp. haytiana Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1914: 33, figs. 12-14 (w.q.m.) HAITI. Junior synonym of sallei: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 490.
 * opacinoda. Macromischa sallei subsp. opacinoda Wheeler, W.M. 1931b: 7 (w.) HAITI. Junior synonym of sallei: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 490.

Worker
From Wheeler and Mann (1914): Length about 5 mm.

Head subrectangular, a little longer than broad, with feebly convex sides, nearly straight posterior border, rounded posterior corners and convex eyes at the middle of the sides. Mandibles rather convex, with 4 or 5 sub equal teeth. Antennae slender, their scapes reaching somewhat beyond the posterior corners of the head;funicular j oints all longer than broad, the three terminal ones largest and forming a club. Thorax longer than the head, including the mandibles, and narrower, broadest through the pronotum, which is somewhat flattened above and on the sides and separated from the mesonotum by a distinct suture and shallow constriction both dorsally and laterally Meso- and epinotum not separated by a constriction or suture, nearly as broad as the pronotum, longer than broad, with feebly convex lateral and dorsal surfaces. Epinotum bearing two straight spines, which are nearly as long as the dorsal surface of the meso- and epinotum, stout and close together at the base but rapidly tapering to acute tips, directed backward, rather strongly outward and slightly upward. Petiole nearly three times as long as broad, with a slender peduncle making up the anterior 2/3 of its length and at the posterior third with an abrupt, rounded, slightly transverse node, which is much higher than the postpetiole. This is about half again as broad as the petiolar node, campanulate and somewhat narrower in front than behind. Gaster small, elliptical with a well developed sting. Legs long; femora slender at the base, strongly incrassated just beyond the middle; tibire clavate, without spurs.

Head and thorax opaque; petiole, postpetiole and gaster shining. Head finely longitudinally rugose and punctate; thorax also longitudinally rugose, more coarsely and irregularly on its dorsal than on its pleural surface. Legs shining, sparsely punctate.

Hairs pale, whitish, coarse, long and suberect, covering the body and appendages, including the antennal funiculi.

Color ferruginous red; legs paler; gaster black, except in some specimens which have the base of the first segment ferruginous. Antennal funiculi infuscated.

Queen
From Wheeler and Mann (1914): Length 7 mm.

Resembling the worker in color and sculpture, except that the borders of the ocelli, the scutellum and mesonotum are black and at least the basal third of the first gastric segment is ferruginous. The head is more elongate and elliptical and more rounded behind. Wings pale yellowish, with yellow veins and stigma. There is no discal and only one cubital cell.

Male
From Wheeler and Mann (1914): Somewhat less than 5 mm.

Head small, rounded behind. Eyes large and prominent. Mandibles small, pointed, less convex than in the worker, with finely dentate apical borders Antennae slender, scapes half as long as the funiculi. Mesonotum with distinct Mayrian furrows. Epinotum unarmed. Petiole and postpetiole similar to those of the female, but the node of the former much lower, sub conical and not transverse. Gaster small. Legs long and slender, scarcely incrassated. Venation of wings like that of female.

Color brown, passing into ferruginous on some parts of the body. Antennae yellowish brown. Wings whitish, with yellow veins and stigma.

Additional References

 * Wheeler, W. M. and W. M. Mann. 1914. The ants of Haiti. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 33: 1-61.