Temnothorax

The workers of Temnothorax species are generally small. Colonies are typically monogynous, although facultative polygyny has been documented in several species (Alloway et al. 1983, Buschinger 1974, Buschinger and Linksvayer 2004, Rüppell et al. 1998). Colony populations are usually quite small, often with less than 100 workers (Beckers et al. 1989). However, several studies have found colonies of some species to be widely dispersed with several to many satellite nests (Alloway et al. 1983, Foitzik and Heinze 2001, Partridge et al. 1997). Many species are arboreal, living within hollow stems, old beetle or termite galleries, or in galls (Mackay 2000). Temnothorax species appear to be trophic generalists, feeding on a wide variety of scavenged items, including the elaiosomes of seeds (Espadaler 1997, Fokuhl et al. 2012). None have been documented to be active or aggressive predators. (Snelling et al. 2014)

Identification
Key to Temnothorax of California

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Nomenclature

 *  TEMNOTHORAX [Myrmicinae: Formicoxenini]
 * Temnothorax Mayr, 1861: 68. Type-species: Myrmica recedens, by monotypy.
 * Temnothorax junior synonym of Leptothorax: Forel, 1890a: lxxii.
 * Temnothorax revived from synonymy as subgenus of Leptothorax: Forel, 1892i: 315; maintained as subgenus: Emery, 1915g: 24; Forel, 1915d: 27; Bondroit, 1918: 117; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 679; Emery, 1924d: 259.
 * Temnothorax junior synonym of Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 96; Bolton, 1982: 319; Bolton, 1994: 105.
 * Temnothorax revived status as genus: Bernard, 1967: 185; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 543; Dlussky & Fedoseeva, 1988: 79; Atanasov & Dlussky, 1992: 125; Bolton, 2003: 252, 270.
 * Temnothorax senior synonym of Antillaemyrmex, Croesomyrmex, Dichothorax, Icothorax, Macromischa, Myrmammophilus, Myrafant: Bolton, 2003: 252, 270.
 *  TERATANER [Myrmicinae: Formicoxenini]
 * Terataner Emery, 1912b: 103. Type-species: Atopomyrmex foreli, by original designation.
 * Terataner senior synonym of Tranetera: Bolton, 1981b: 288.
 * ANTILLAEMYRMEX [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Antillaemyrmex Mann, 1920: 408 [as subgenus of Macromischa]. Type-species: Macromischa (Antillaemyrmex) terricola, by original designation.
 * Antillaemyrmex raised to genus: Wheeler, W.M. 1931b: 4 (in text).
 * Antillaemyrmex junior synonym of Macromischa: Smith, M.R. 1937: 849; Smith, M.R. 1939e: 502.
 * Antillaemyrmex junior synonym of Leptothorax: Snelling, R.R. 1986: 154.
 * Antillaemyrmex junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * CROESOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Croesomyrmex Mann, 1920: 408 [as subgenus of Macromischa]. Type-species: Macromischa (Croesomyrmex) wheeleri, by original designation.
 * Croesomyrmex raised to genus: Wheeler, W.M. 1931b: 4 (in text).
 * Croesomyrmex junior synonym of Macromischa: Smith, M.R. 1937: 849; Smith, M.R. 1939e: 502.
 * Croesomyrmex junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * DICHOTHORAX [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Dichothorax Emery, 1895c: 323 [as subgenus of Leptothorax]. Type-species: Leptothorax (Dichothorax) pergandei, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 161.
 * Dichothorax raised to genus: Ashmead, 1905b: 383.
 * Dichothorax subgenus of Leptothorax: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 139.
 * Dichothorax junior synonym of Leptothorax: Bolton, 1982: 319.
 * Dichothorax junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * ICOTHORAX [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Icothorax Hamann & Klemm, 1967: 415 [as subgenus of Leptothorax]. Type-species: Leptothorax (Icothorax) megalops, by monotypy.
 * Icothorax junior synonym of Myrafant: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 556; Bolton, 1995b: 32.
 * Icothorax junior synonym of Chalepoxenus: Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990: 13.
 * Icothorax junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * MACROMISCHA [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Macromischa Roger, 1863a: 184. Type-species: Macromischa purpurata, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 166.
 * Macromischa subgenus of Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 398.
 * Macromischa revived status as genus: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1390.
 * Macromischa senior synonym of Antillaemyrmex, Croesomyrmex: Smith, M.R. 1937: 849; Smith, M.R. 1939e: 502; Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 398.
 * Macromischa junior synonym of Leptothorax: Snelling, R.R. 1986: 154; Bolton, 1994: 105; Bolton, 1995b: 34.
 * Macromischa junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 252, 271.
 * MYRAFANT [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Myrafant Smith, M.R. 1950: 30 [as subgenus of Leptothorax]. Type-species: Leptothorax curvispinosus, by original designation.
 * Myrafant senior synonym of Icothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 556.
 * Myrafant junior synonym of Leptothorax: Bolton, 1982: 319.
 * Myrafant junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * MYRMAMMOPHILUS [junior synonym of Temnothorax]
 * Myrmammophilus Menozzi, 1925d: 29 [as subgenus of Leptothorax]. Type-species: Leptothorax (Myrmammophilus) finzii, by monotypy.
 * Myrmammophilus junior synonym of Leptothorax: Bolton, 1982: 319.
 * Myrmammophilus junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.
 * Myrmammophilus junior synonym of Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 253, 271.