Temnothorax oxynodis

Mackay (2000) "Unknown, except label states "Emerged fr.: Knob-cone pine IV-1958". It was probably extracted from pine needle litter."



Identification
Mackay (2000) "This species is distinct and easily recognized as it has an 11-segmented antenna, and the node of the petiole is sharply acute. Additionally, the head is finely rugose, the mesosoma is densely punctate and the propodeal spines are tiny, blunt angles. The area on the dorsum of the mesosoma at the mesopropodeal suture is depressed below the remainder of the mesosoma. The mesosoma has abundant blunt-tipped hairs (nearly spatulate), those on petiole are finer.

Leptothorax oxynodis keys to near L. schaumii in the main key, but is apparently not closely related to L. schaumii nor any other species with an 11 segmented antenna. It can be easily separated from L. schaumii and most of the other species in the subgenus Myrafant, as the petiolar node is so sharply acute (the petiolar node of L. schaumii is low and rounded, see Fig. 163). Thus it is easily distinguished from all other species with an 11-segmented antenna. It could be confused with L. mariposa, based on the shape of the petiole, but can be easily separated on the basis of the 11-segmented antenna."

Range
USA. California.

Abundance
Only known from a few collections.

Biology
At present we known nothing beyond the type information for Temnothorax oxynodis. This ant was once a member of the now synonymized subgenus Myrafant and we can speculate that the biology of this species will be found to be like many other similar forms from North America:

Original Combination
"Leptothorax (Myrafant) oxynodis" MacKay, 2000: 385, figs. 63, 146 (w.) U.S.A. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272.

Worker
Anterior border of clypeus straight, clypeus with well developed medial carina and several lateral carinae; vertex concave; mesosoma with none of the sutures breaking surface, although the mesosoma is slightly depressed at the mesopropodeal suture, which is obvious on dorsum of mesosoma; propodeal angles small; petiole with very sharp apex as seen in profile.

Erect hairs scattered over surface, maximum length 0.6mm, blunt or weakly spatulate, absent from antennae and legs, which have decumbent hairs.

Sculpture generally rough, head with fine rugae, surface shining between rugae, mesosoma densely punctate, punctures on side in rows forming weak striae, side of petiole punctate, forming striae which pass vertically to top of node, side of postpetiole punctate, posterior face of petiolar node with rugae which pass from the base to node, lateral edges of top of postpetiole with fine rugae, top mostly punctate, gaster smooth and shining.

Color: medium brown, gaster infuscated, eye black.

Worker measurements: HL 0.76, HW 0.64, SL 0.52, EL 0.17, WL 0.83, PW 0.17, PL 0.15, PPWO.24, PPL 0.20. Indices: CI84, SI 68, PI 113, PPI 120.

Queen
No Queens known for this species.

Male
No males known for this species.

Type Material
Holotype worker (CASC)

Type Locality
USA. California, Santa Cruz Co., near Big Basin, ix-1957, D. Giuliani.

Etymology
Morphological. From Greek oxys, sharp, acute, referring to the acute apex of the petiolar node.