Temnothorax minotaurosi

This species inhabits humid areas overgrown by bushes, usually close to a water source. Workers have been collected on rocks partly covered by vegetation.

Identification
Salata et al. (2018) - Temnothorax minotaurosi is one of a number of species characterized by the absence of a metanotal groove, a uniform dark-body colouration, and the presence of a smooth area on the centre of the frons. Temnothorax minotaurosi differs in having its mesosoma covered with sparse, thick longitudinal striation. At first glance it may be confused with Temnothorax nigritus but differs in having a more convex petiole-node and the lack of reticulation on the mesosoma.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 *  minotaurosi. Temnothorax minotaurosi Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018: 785, figs. 46-50 (w.) GREECE (Crete).

Worker
(n=10): HL: 0.712 ± 0.02 (0.682-0.737); HW: 0.59 ± 0.02 (0.547-0.625); SL: 0.51 ± 0.01 (0.486-0.525); EL: 0.162 ± 0.01 (0.145-0.179); EW: 0.115 ± 0.008 (0.101-0.123); ML: 0.839 ± 0.03 (0.788- 0.894); PSL: 0.209 ± 0.01 (0.196-0.235); SDL: 0.143 ± 0.01 (0.131-0.156); PL: 0.325 ± 0.01 (0.313-0.346); PPL: 0.185 ± 0.01 (0.168-0.201); PH: 0.227 ± 0.01 (0.212- 0.254); PPH: 0.222 ± 0.01 (0.201-0.24); HTL: 0.489 ± 0.01 (0.47-0.508); PNW: 0.414 ± 0.01 (0.391-0.436); PW: 0.177 ± 0.01 (0.156-0.201); PPW: 0.234 ± 0.02 (0.212- 0.257); HI: 82.9 ± 1.6 (80.1-85.4); SI1: 71.6 ± 1.2 (70.6- 74.8); SI2: 86.4 ± 1.4 (84.0-88.8); MI: 57.6 ± 1.2 (56.2- 59.7); EI1: 70.9 ± 4.5 (64.7-78.8); EI2: 16.1 ± 0.9 (14.8- 17.5); TI: 122.4 ± 1.3 (119.4-123.8); PI: 143.5 ± 5.2 (136.2-150.2); PPI: 83.6 ± 5.8 (73.6-90.1).

Whole body uniformly dark brown. Only flagellum, legs and base of the first tergite of gaster brown to bright brown. Femora with darker central part.

Head quadrate, 1.2 times as long as wide, lateral surfaces below and above eyes straight, posterior edges gently convex, occipital margin of head straight. Anterior margin of the clypeus slightly convex, with median notch. Eyes small, oval, 1.4 times as long as wide. Antennal scape short, in lateral view slightly curved, 0.7 times as long as length of the head, in apex gradually widened, its base with small, triangular tooth, funiculus long, club 3 segmented. Surface of scape with very fine microreticulation, shiny, covered with thin, dense, adpressed setae. Mandibles convex with thick sparse, longitudinal striae, shiny. Clypeus shiny, with thin, sparse, longitudinal striae, area between striae smooth and shiny. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa deep, with a few roundly curved striae, area between striae shiny, with sparse and slight reticulation. Frontal lobes narrow, smooth and shiny. Head shiny, thick to thin, sparse, longitudinal, but sometimes interrupted, striation covers almost whole its surface, center of frons smooth, sometimes area between frons and eyes with sparse and thick reticulation, area between sculpture smooth. Occipital part of head and genae with reduced sculpture. Whole head surface bearing suberect to erect, pale, short and thick setae.

Mesosoma elongate, 2.0 times as long as wide, slightly arched in profile. Pronotum convex on sides. Propodeal spines long, triangular, with wide base, directed upward, with acute tips. Whole mesosoma surface shiny, with thick, sparse longitudinal striation, lateral surfaces sometimes with striation interrupted. Entire mesosoma bearing suberect to erect, pale, short and thick setae.

Petiole, in lateral view, with long peduncle, node high, with anterior face inclined, posterior face straight, its dorsal surface arched. Postpetiole, in lateral view, regularly convex, apical half with gently convex sides. Peduncle and petiolar node and postpetiole dorsum shiny, with thin, dense reticulation, area between rugae smooth, sometimes dorsal surface of petiole with a few wrinkles.

Gaster smooth and shiny, bearing erect, thin, pale setae. Legs short, shiny, with fine microreticulation. Tibiae 0.6 times as long as head length, bearing adpressed setae on the whole surface. Inner margins of tibia without a row of erect setae.

Type Material
Holotype (w.) (CAS ENT0845915): Greece, Crete, Chania Prov., Imbros Gorge, 35°12.684 N 24°10.104 E, 8 V 2013, 234 m, L. Borowiec ; Paratypes (8w.) (CAS ENT0845916-CASENT0845923): the same data as holotype, and.

Etymology
Name refers to Minotaur /Μινώταυρος/. A mythological creature, part man and part bull, who lived on Crete trapped in a labyrinth built by Daedalus.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Salata S., L. Borowiec, and A.Trichas. 2018. Taxonomic Revision of the Cretan Fauna of the Genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with Notes on the Endemism of Ant Fauna of Crete. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 68(4): 769-808.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.