Temnothorax wardi

The known specimens have been collected in pitfall traps in chaparral and from nest middens of Forelius ants.

Identification
Snelling et al. (2014) - Large, gracile species with large eyes; scape extending slightly beyond posterior margin; side of head, behind eyes, without standing setae; propodeal spines short and triangular; postpetiole extremely wide in dorsal view.

The combination of flat mesosomal dorsum, short and upward-directed propodeal spines with extremely swollen postpetiole will separate this species from all other western Temnothorax. In dorsal view the relatively closely spaced propodeal spines and the postpetiole, which is almost twice as wide as the petiole, are especially conspicuous.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  wardi. Temnothorax wardi Snelling, Borowiec & Prebus, 2014: 73, figs. 18–19, 24–26 (w.) UNITED STATES.

Description
measurements (mm) (3 measured): EL 0.191–0.217 (0.201); HFL 0.725–0.791 (0.761); HFW 0.156–0.182 (0.170); HL 0.792–0.857 (0.827); HW 0.649–0.747 (0.686); IOD 0.538–0.630 (0.578); OMD 0.193–0.224 (0.206); PPW 0.318–0.415 (0.371); PSL 0.068–0.089 (0.079); PTW 0.178–0.210 (0.201); PW 0.441–0.513 (0.472); SL 0.708–0.786 (0.743); WL 1.002–1.124 (1.059). Indices: CI 80.7–87.2 (82.9); FI 106–114 (111); OI 23.9–25.3 (24.3); PI 179–198 (184); PSI 8.59–10.5 (9.57); SI 89.1–91.7 (89.8).

Head longer than broad, margins subparallel, broadly rounded into transverse posterior margin. Antenna 12-segmented and scape extending slightly beyond posterior margin of head; three-segmented apical club poorly defined. Eyes moderately convex and without short setae arising from between ommatidia; IOD 2.77–2.90 × EL; EL 0.96–1.01 × OMD. Medial carina of clypeus sharply defined, as are 2–3 short carinae

on either side. Malar area with several well–spaced longitudinal rugae that curve mesad of eye to slightly behind level of upper eye margin; similar rugae curve mesad above antennal fossae. Frons and vertex moderately shiny and reticulate and with scattered poorly defined longitudinal rugae. Dorsum with numerous short, fully erect, slightly flattened setae, but none along margins of head in frontal view; venter with sparse, finer setae about as long as those of frons.

Mesosoma slender, WL 2.19–2.29 × PW; dorsal profile nearly flat from anterior edge of mesonotum to base of propodeal spines. Propodeal spines short and stout, less than half as long as distance between their bases. Pronotal dorsum and side coarsely cor

rugated/rugoreticulate; remainder of dorsum with variable degrees of corrugation and/ or irregular longitudinal rugae; interspaces moderately shiny and reticulate; mesepisternum and propodeum side with well–spaced, irregular coarse rugae and densely reticulate interspaces. Hind femur 4.31–4.65 times longer than wide in dorsal view. Dorsum with 15–20 fully erect flattened, blunt–tipped setae that are longer than those of frons.

Petiole node high and subacute in profile; subpetiolar process short and blunt; postpetiole node robust, high and broadly rounded in profile, about twice as wide as petiole node; Posterior face of petiole node coarsely areolate, postpetiole node contiguously punctate only.

Gaster in dorsal view 1.83–2.41 times as wide as postpetiole node; first tergum smooth and shiny, with sparse piligerous punctures, the setae suberect, slightly flattened, and blunt-tipped.

Head and body light reddish brown, gaster darker.

Type Material
Holotype worker, U.S.A.: CALIFORNIA: San Bernardino Co.: San Savaine Road, Lytle Creek, 1395 m, 34.1993° -117.4815°, 3.viii.2004 (J. des Lauriers), ex pitfall trap, burned scrub oak chaparral (CASENT0339315). Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 1 worker (CASENT0339315) UCDC.

Etymology
This species is dedicated to Phil Ward, who provided so much of the material utilized in this paper.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Des Lauriers J., and D. Ikeda. 2017. The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA with an annotated list. In: Reynolds R. E. (Ed.) Desert Studies Symposium. California State University Desert Studies Consortium, 342 pp. Pages 264-277.
 * Snelling R.R., M. L. Borowiec, and M. M. Prebus. 2014. Studies on California ants: a review of the genus Temnothorax (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 372: 2789. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.372.6039