Temnothorax darlingtoni

Identification
Prebus (2017) - A member of the sallei clade.

Wheeler (1937) - This very beautiful species is readily distinguished from Macromischa scabripes by its larger size, more shining head and thorax, much more vivid coloration, the absence of costate rugae on the pronotum, partially orange femora and very different petiolar node.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Cuba, Greater Antilles.

Nomenclature

 *  darlingtoni. Macromischa darlingtoni Wheeler, W.M. 1937b: 450 (w.) CUBA. Combination in Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 438; in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271. Senior synonym of opalina: Fontenla Rizo, 1997a: 50.
 * opalina. Macromischa opalina Wheeler, W.M. 1937b: 451 (w.) CUBA. Combination in Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 470. Junior synonym of darlingtoni: Brown, 1959e: 73. Revived from synonymy: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 470. Junior synonym of darlingtoni: Fontenla Rizo, 1997a: 50.

Worker
Length 4.3-4.6 mm.

Closely related to Macromischa scabripes but decidedly larger. Head subrectangular, distinctly longer than broad, as broad through the posterior as through the anterior corners, with feebly convex sides and medially placed, convex eyes, the posterior border sinuate. Mandibles convex, with five stout, subequal teeth. Clypeus flattened, its anterior border transverse and broadly sinuate in the middle. Frontal area indistinct. Antennae stout; scapes curved basally, not reaching to the posterior corners of the head; second funicular joint longer than broad, half as long as the first; joints 3-7 slightly broader than long; 8 as long as broad; club well-developed, 3-jointed, the terminal as long as the two preceding joints together. Thorax shaped as in scabripes, distinctly flattened above and without promesonotal and mesoepinotal sutures; epinotal spines closely approximated basally, straight, somewhat stouter but scarcely longer than in scabripes. Petiole with similar peduncle, which is as long as the node, but the latter is quite unlike that of scabripes, being squamiform, rising perpendicularly in profile or with slightly concave anterior face, with rounded summit and long, convex posterior slope; seen from above it is transverse and subtriangular, fully three times as broad as the peduncle at its narrowest point; from behind higher than broad, subelliptical, its apex slightly narrowed but rounded. Postpetiole campanulate, broader than long. Gaster small, elongate-elliptical, acutely pointed posteriorly; sting very long. Legs long, with strongly incrassated femora and tibiae; middle and hind basitarsi compressed.

Shining; mandibles rugose-punctate; clypeus longitudinally, antennal foveae concentrically rugose; remainder of head with delicate, undulating, interrupted rugules, which on the front gradually diverge posteriorly and tend to fade out on the occiput. Neck transversely shagreened; pronotum with sparse, irregular, transverse rugules and coarse, scattered punctures; remainder of thoracic dorsum with a series of about 21 coarse, rounded (costate), transverse rugae, like those of scabripes, becoming longitudinal on the sides of the mesoand epinotum. Sides of petiolar node with 6-7 similar rugae, its posterior surface very smooth and shining, like the postpetiole and gaster. Posterior border of postpetiole coarsely shagreened, gastric segments with scattered, piligerous punctures. Femora tuberculate, but not as strongly as in scabripes; tibiae, basitarsi and antennal scapes finely, longitudinally striate.

Hairs white, erect or suberect, bristly, rather short and uneven, covering the whole body, most abundant on the head and thorax, sparse on the gaster, scarcely shorter on the appendages.

Mandibles, clypeus, frontal carinae and antennal foveae brownish yellow; teeth and basal border of mandibles black; remainder of head red, with vivid purplish and golden reflections; neck reddish yellow; sides and anterior quarter or third of pronotum metallic purple, declivity of epinotum and tips of its spines and metasternal angles yellowish red; remainder of thorax vivid metallic green. Node of petiole, postpetiole and gaster black, the extreme base of the first gastric segment and sting reddish or yellowish; sides of petiolar node metallic green; peduncle of petiole, coxae, trochanters and basal two-thirds or three-fourths of femora orange yellow; antennae and remainder of legs black.

Type Material
Described from seven specimens taken by Dr. Darlington on the coast below Pico Turquino, Sierra Maestra, June 26, 1936.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Alayo D. P. 1974. Introduccion al estudio de los Himenopteros de Cuba. Superfamilia Formicoidea. Academia de Ciencias de Cuba. Instituto de Zoologia. Serie Biologica no.53: 58 pp. La Habana.
 * Baroni Urbani C. 1978. Materiali per una revisione dei Leptothorax neotropicali appartenenti al sottogenere Macromischa Roger, n. comb. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Basil. 3: 395-618.
 * Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
 * Brown W. L. Jr. 1959. Synonymy in the ant genus Macromischa Roger. Florida Entomologist 42: 73-74.
 * Fontanla Rizo J.L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba. Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
 * Fontenla J. L. 2001. Claves para las especies cubanas del taxon Macromischa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptothorax). Cocuyo (Havana) 11: 15-17.
 * Fontenla J. L., and J. Alfonso-Simonetti. 2018. Classification of Cuban ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) into functional groups. Poeyana Revista Cubana de Zoologia 506: 21-30.
 * Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
 * Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1997. Notas y sinónimos nuevos de Leptothorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Cuba. Avicennia 6/7: 47-53.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Kusnezov N. 1963. Zoogeografia de las hormigas en sudamerica. Acta Zoologica Lilloana 19: 25-186
 * Portuondo E. F., and J. L. Reyes. 2002. Mirmecofauna de los macizos montañosos de Sierra Maestra y Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa. Cocuyo 12: 10-13
 * Portuondo Ferrer, E. and J. Fernandez Triana. Biodiversidad del orden Hymenoptera en Los Macizos Montanosos de Cuba Oriental. Boletin S.E.A. 35:121-136.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1937. Ants mostly from the mountains of Cuba. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 81: 439-465.