Temnothorax flavicornis

This species is associated with various arboreal habitats (Salata & Borowiec, 2019).

Identification
Csösz et al. (2015) - A member of the flavicornis species-complex. Workers of T. flavicornis might be confused with other long-spined species, i.e., Temnothorax laconicus, Temnothorax lichtensteini and Temnothorax parvulus, but the coarse rugulose or rugulo-reticulate main sculpture on the head dorsum combined with a shiny ground sculpture help to distinguish T. flavicornis from related species by simple visual inspection. In case specimens are covered by dust, a simple ratio (SPBA/CWb) provides perfect separation of T. flavicornis and similar species (T. laconicus, lichtensteini and parvulus) at the level of nest sample means. Additional morphometric data of nest sample means for T. flavicornis and related species provide further opportunities for safe separation.

Distribution
This species is widely distributed in the Balkans and Italy.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  flavicornis. Leptothorax flavicornis Emery, 1870: 197 (w.q.) ITALY.
 * Emery, 1895b: 69 (m.).
 * Combination in L. (Mychothorax): Forel, 1915d: 26.
 * Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.
 * Subspecies of acervorum: Forel, 1874: 84 (in key).
 * Status as species: Emery & Forel, 1879: 458; André, 1883a: 294 (in key); Dalla Torre, 1893: 124; Forel, 1915d: 26 (in key); Emery, 1916b: 182 (in key); Bondroit, 1918: 122; Menozzi, 1921: 28; Müller, 1921: 48; Müller, 1923b: 97; Emery, 1924d: 258; Menozzi, 1925d: 29; Bernard, 1956a: 161; Bernard, 1967: 201 (redescription); Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 108; Kutter, 1977c: 131; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 273 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 238; Csösz, Heinze & Mikó, 2015: 28 (redescription).

Type Material
Csösz et al. (2015) - Lectotype worker: “Leptothorax flavicornis Em.”, “Portrei” Lectotype Leptothorax  flavicornis Emery, 1870 “Top specimen”, det. A. Schulz & M. Verhaagh 1999 (CASENT0904761).

Taxonomic Notes
Salata & Borowiec (2019): Results presented by Prebus (2017) revealed that the nylanderi species group, as defined by Csősz et al. 2015, is paraphyletic and the position of Temnothorax flavicornis within it is unlikely. Therefore, we decided to exclude this species from this group and consider it as the single representative of the flavicornis species group.

Worker
Csösz et al. (2015) - Body color: yellow. Body color pattern: head, mesosoma, antenna and legs excluding femora, waist and anterior region of 1st gastral tergite lighter than femora and posterior region of gaster. Antenna color pattern: clava concolorous funicle. Absolute cephalic size: 465–516 μm (mean = 496, n = 12). Cephalic length vs. Maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.226–1.299 (mean = 1.266). Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.370–0.394 (mean = 0.384). Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view orientation: parallel. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view shape: straight. Vertex contour line in frontal view shape: straight. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture homogenously forked costate, ground sculpture areolate. Genae contour from anterior view orientation: converging. Gena contour line in frontal view shape: feebly convex. Gena sculpture: rugoso-reticulate with areolate ground sculpture; rugoso-reticulate with feeble areolate ground sculpture. Median region of antennal rim vs. frontal carina in frontal view structure: not fully overlapped by frontal carina. Concentric carinae laterally surrounding antennal foramen count: present. Eye length vs. absolute cephalic size (EL/CS): 0.244–0.271 (mean = 0.262). Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.351–0.373 (mean = 0.364). Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons count: present. Longitudinal carinae on medial region of frons shape: forked. Smooth median region on frons count: absent. Antennomere count: 11. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.784–0.817 (mean = 0.803). Facial area of the scape absolute setal angle: 0–15°. External area of the scape absolute setal angle: 30°. Ground sculpture of submedian area of clypeus: smooth. Median carina of clypeus count: present. Lateral carinae of clypeus count: present. Median anatomical line of propodeal spine angle value to Weber length in lateral view: 40–45°. Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS): 0.303–0.420 (mean = 0.358). Minimum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPBA/CS): 0.322–0.358 (mean = 0.338). Maximum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPWI/CS): 0.402–0.506 (mean = 0.458). Apical spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPTI/CS): 0.373–0.482 (mean = 0.432). Maximum mesosoma width vs. absolute cephalic size (MW/CS): 0.622–0.653 (mean = 0.637). Metanotal depression count: present. Metanotal depression shape: shallow. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: rugulose with areolate ground sculpture. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, main sculpture forked costate. Mesopleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Metapleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Frontal profile of petiolar node contour line in lateral view shape: concave. Dorsal profile of petiolar node contour line angle value to frontal profile of petiole contour line in lateral view: 105–115°. Anterodorsal rim of petiole count: absent medially. Dorsal profile of petiolar node contour line in lateral view shape: concave. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose. Dorso-caudal petiolar profile contour line in lateral view shape: straight; concave. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose.

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