Temnothorax androsanus

Described from nine workers found in two localities on Crawl Creek, Andros Island. The ants were running about under dead leaves that had fallen from the palmettos. I failed to locate their nests. (Wheeler 1905)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  androsanus. Macromischa androsana Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 97, fig. K (w.) BAHAMAS. Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 418 (q.m.). Combination in Leptothorax: Baroni Urbani, 1978b: 418; in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.

Worker
Length 1.9-2 mm.

Head, excluding the mandibles, somewhat longer than broad, with broadly rounded posterior angles and straight occipital border. Eyes in the middle of the sides of the head. Mandibles 5-toothed. Clypeus with straight, hardly excised anterior border. Antennae 12-jointed, scape reaching to the posterior corner of the head; funiculus with a distinct 3-jointed club, joints 2-7 broader than long; 8th joint as broad as long; terminal joint longer than the two preceding subequal joints of the club. Thorax in profile with rounded dorsum, without a mesoepinotal constriction, twice as long as high; seen from above it is  little wider in front than behind, its sides are sub-parallel; including the neck it is more than twice as long as broad. Epinotal spines long, directed backward, curved downward and outward, more than twice as long as the distance between their bases. Petiole with a long peduncle, toothed below in front; node very high, arising abruptly from the peduncle, so that its anterior surface runs obliquely downward and backward from the summit, which is rounded and passes over rapidly into the convex posterior declivity. Seen from above the node has a semicircular anterior and nearly straight posterior outline. Postpetiole twice as broad as the petiolar node and twice as broad as long, rounded in front, and not constricted at its union with the gaster; in profile campanulate and very convex dorsally. First gastric segment with a straight anterior border. Sting very long and powerful. Legs, especially the hind pair, very long; tibiae, and especially the femora, incrassated.

Body and appendages opaque with the exception of the gaster, which is very glabrous, and the frontal area and upper surface of the post-petiole, which are slightly shining. Antennae and legs subopaque. Mandibles finely and densely striated and rather coarsely punctate. Clypeus and frontal area longitudinally rugose. Head densely and evenly punctate, with more scattered, somewhat larger and shallower punctures interrupting the uniformity of the surface. Thorax, petiole, and postpetiole finely and uniformly punctate, the pronotum and pleurae also with some irregular and not very prominent rugae. Legs and antennal scapes very finely and evenly punctate or granular.

Hairs snow-white, obtuse, and erect on the upper surface of the head, thorax, pedicel, and gaster; minute and appressed on the antennae and legs.

Black, thorax and petiole yellowish red; mandibles, anterior border of clypeus, frontal carinae, antennae, and legs dark brown. In some specimens the femora are black. Tarsi and sting more yellowish.

Type Material
Described from nine workers found in two localities on Crawl Creek, Andros Island. The ants were running about under dead leaves that had fallen from the palmettos. I failed to locate their nests.