Temnothorax antera

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Terayama and Onoyama (1999) - Total length of workers around 2.5-3 mm. Body color black to blackish brown. Scapes long, exceeding posterior margin of head in full-face view. Dorsal outline of mesonotum almost straight. Metanotal groove shallowly incised dorsally. Propodeal spines acute and long, each about 4 times as long as its basal width. Petiolar peduncle relatively the longest among Japanese species of Temnothorax. Petiolar node reverse U-shaped, but its anterior slope much steeper than posterior slope.

Temnothorax anira resembles Temnothorax spinosior, but distinguished by the petiolar peduncle distinct from the node.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan.

Nomenclature

 *  antera. Leptothorax antera Terayama & Onoyama, 1999: 78, fig. 16 (w.) JAPAN. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.

Worker
Holotype. HL 0.69 mm; HW 0.60 mm; CI 87; SL 0.55 mm; SI 92; WL 0.80 mm; PW 0.38 mm; PtW 0.15 mm; PtH 0.23 mm; TL 2.8 mm.

Head 1.2 times as long as wide, with weakly convex posterior margin in full-face view. Mandibles longitudinally rugulose. Antennae with 12 segments; scapes long, slightly exceeding posterior margin of head in full-face view. Anterior margin of clypeus moderately convex. Eyes 0.13 mm in maximum diameter.

Dorsal outline of pronotum gently convex. Mesonotal dorsum feebly convex. Metanotal groove shallowly incised dorsally. Propodeal dorsum in profile almost straight; propodeal spines acute and long, each about 4 times as long as its basal width and pointing posteriorly.

Petiolar peduncle very long as in Fig. 16; node reverse U-shaped, its anterior slope much more steep than posterior slope. Subpetiolar process small, triangular. Postpetiolar node higher than long, with relatively strongly convex dorsal margin in profile; in dorsal view, 1.5 times as wide as long.

Head dorsum longitudinally rugulose with a few cross-meshes the spaces between densely punctula te; mesosomal dorsum and pronotal sides rugose, mesosomal and propodeal sides densely punctate with a few rugulae; petiole densely punctulate, postpetiole more weakly punctulate, but its dorsum weakly longitudinally striate; gaster smooth and shining.

Dorsal surfaces of head with moderately abundant erect hairs; similar hairs present on mesosoma (about 15), petiole (2 pairs), and postpetiole (3 pairs); the longest hair on mesosoma 0.11 mm; propodeal spines each with a long erect hair; gaster with moderately abundant suberect hairs.

Body including head black to blackish brown; mandibles, antennae, and legs dark brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Gusuku, Amami-oshima I., Kagoshima Pref., 29.III.1980, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 1 worker, same data as holotype; 2 workers, Tokunoshima I., Kagoshima Pref., 20.III.1980, M. Terayama leg.; 4 workers, Hachijo Botanical Garden, Hachijo-jima, Tokyo Pref., 1. IV. 1984, K. Onoyama leg.

Determination Clarifications
This species corresponds to Leptothorax sp. 11 of Terayama et al. (1992).