Key to Temnothorax nylanderi species group workers

This worker key is based on: [http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0140000 Csösz, S., Heinze, J. and Mikó, I. 2015. Taxonomic synopsis of the Ponto-Mediterranean ants of Temnothorax nylanderi species-group. PLoS ONE. 10(11):62pp. e0140000 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140000).]

The key is based on nest sample means (which require the investigation of 2 to 3 individuals from each nest). However, because the range of morphometric traits calculated from nest sample means is more or less identical with the 5–95% percentile range of the pool of single individuals, the key is also expected to work on single specimens with high probability (>95%).

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Temnothorax

1

 * Antennomere count: 11. (Body color: yellow. South Europe, Central and East Mediterranean . . . . . Temnothorax flavicornis


 * Antennomere count: 12 . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Median anatomical line of propodeal spine angle value to Weber length in lateral view < 28.5 [20–25°] (Body color: brown. 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) . . . . . 3


 * Median anatomical line of propodeal spine angle value to Weber length in lateral view > 30 . . . . . 4

3
return to couplet #2
 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) > 0.384 [0.391, 0.429]. (Peloponnese peninsula, Greece) . . . . . Temnothorax laconicus


 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) < 0.384 [0.324, 0.377]. (South Europe and West Anatolia, Turkey) . . . . . Temnothorax lichtensteini

4
return to couplet #2
 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) < 0.219 [0.159, 0.230]. (Body color: yellow. Smooth median region on frons count: present. Anatolia, Turkey) . . . . . Temnothorax subtilis


 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) > 0.219 [0.190, 0.368] . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Postocular distance vs. Maximum height of the petiolar node (PoOC/NOH) > 2.678 [2.526, 3.214] . . . . . 6


 * Postocular distance vs. Maximum height of the petiolar node (PoOC/NOH) < 2.678 [2.001, 2.733] . . . . . 9

6
return to couplet #5
 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) < 0.283 [0.278, 0.331]. (Yellow to brown species.Whole head dorsum homogenously areolate, dull. Europe and North Anatolia, Turkey) . . . . . Temnothorax parvulus


 * Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS) > 0.283 [0.200, 0.298]. (Sculpture of head dorsum less homogenous: medially smooth to inconspicuously areolate ground sculpture often superimposed by costulae) . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS) < 0.334 [0.320, 0.349]. (Head dorsum smooth and shiny. Ground sculpture inconspicuously areolate, smooth and shiny superimposed by feeble costulae only. Anatolia, Turkey) . . . . . Temnothorax angustifrons


 * Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS) < 0.334 [0.335, 0.397] . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Mesosoma longer ML/CS > 1.228 [1.227, 1.272]. Brown species. Head dorsum smooth and shiny. Ground sculpture inconspicuously areolate, smooth and shiny superimposed by feeble costulae only South Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax similis


 * Mesosoma longer ML/CS < 1.228 [1.155, 1.229]. Yellow to light brown species. Whole head dorsum areolate superimposed be feeble costulae, occasionally narrow median strip inconspicuously areolate, shiny. Greek mainland, Crete and a single record known from North Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax helenae

Note: Perfect separation of T. helenae from T. ariadnae may be difficult if only a single diagnostic feature is considered.

9
return to couplet #5
 * Propodeal spines longer: SPST/CL > 0.294 [0.280, 0.338] . . . . . 10


 * Propodeal spines shorter: SPST/CL < 0.294 [0.178, 0.307] . . . . . 11

10
return to couplet #9
 * Petiole higher: PEH/CS > 0.402 [0.397, 0.413]. In lateral view frontal profile of petiolar node meeting dorso-caudal plate in an acute angle (72–82°) with a sharp ridge. Endemic to Peloponnese peninsula, Greece . . . . . Temnothorax angulinodis


 * Petiole lower: PEH/CS < 0.380 [0.366, 0.407]. Petiolar node in lateral view with a concave frontal profile meeting truncate dorsum in an obtuse angle (100–115°) with a narrowly rounded transition, without a conspicuous sharp fronto-dorsal ridge on the petiolar node. Central-East Europe and the Balkans . . . . . Temnothorax crassispinus

Note: Separation of T. crassispinus from T. crasecundus may be difficult based on a single diagnostic feature.

11
return to couplet #9
 * Head considerably longer than broad: CL/CWb > 1.179 [1.168, 1.278] with straight sides . . . . . 12


 * Head shorter: CL/CWb < 1.179 [0.178, 0.307] sides remarkably convex . . . . . 16

12
return to couplet #11
 * Known from mainland of Europe only . . . . . 13


 * Known from Anatolian Turkey and Crete Island . . . . . 14

13
return to couplet #12
 * Petiole longer: PL/CS > 0.422 [0.411, 0.434]. Black species. Main sculpture on head dorsum coarse, longitudinally rugulose and/or carinulate, ground sculpture conspicuously areolate, always dull. Endemic to Dinaran Alps . . . . . Temnothorax sordidulus


 * Petiole shorter: PL/CS < 0.422 [0.390, 0.422]. Dark brown to black species. Main sculpture on head dorsum coarse, longitudinally rugulose and/or carinulate, ground sculpture conspicuously areolate, always dull. Central and South Europe excluding Dinaran Alps . . . . . Temnothorax tergestinus

Note: Perfect separation of T. tergestinus from T sordidulus may be difficult if only a single diagnostic feature is considered.

14
return to couplet #12
 * From dorsal view base of propodeal spines less distant: SPBA/CWb < 0.30 [0.266, 0.300]. Yellow species. Head dorsum smooth and shiny. Ground sculpture inconspicuously areolate, smooth and shiny superimposed by feeble costulae only. Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax lucidus


 * From dorsal view base of propodeal spines more distant: SPBA/CWb > 0.30 [0.276, 0.341] . . . . . 15

15
return to couplet #14
 * Petiolar node longer: NOL/CS > 0.251 [0.250, 0.288]. Black species. Main sculpture on head dorsum coarse, longitudinally rugulose and/or carinulate, ground sculpture conspicuously areolate, always dull. North Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax artvinensis


 * Petiolar node shorter: NOL/CS < 0.251 [0.228, 0.248]. Brown to dark brown species. Whole head dorsum uniformly areolate, narrow median strip occasionally inconspicuously areolate, shiny. Endemic to Crete . . . . . Temnothorax ariadnae

Note: Perfect separation of T. helenae from T. ariadnae may be difficult if only a single diagnostic feature is considered.

16
return to couplet #11
 * From dorsal view base of propodeal spines less distant: SPBA/CS < 0.283 [0.242, 0.282] . . . . . 17


 * From dorsal view base of propodeal spines more distant: SPBA/CS > 0.283 [0.243, 0.321] . . . . . 18

17
return to couplet #16
 * Propodeal spines longer: SPST/CS > 0.262 [0.265, 0.297]. Yellow to brown species. Head dorsum with areolate ground sculpture always superimposed by parallel costulate main sculpture, dull. Central and West Europe: Italy, Austria, Germany and westward . . . . . Temnothorax nylanderi


 * Propodeal spines shorter: SPST/CS < 0.262 [0.190, 0.259]. Yellow species. Head dorsum smooth and shiny. Ground sculpture inconspicuously areolate, smooth and shiny superimposed by feeble costulae only. Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax lucidus

18

 * Postocular area shorter: PoOC/CL < 0.375 [0.360, 0.385]. Brown species. Main sculpture of head dorsum heterogeneous: on sides areolate ground sculpture always superimposed by parallel costulate main sculpture, dull, median part of head dorsum shiny. South-Central Anatolia, Turkey . . . . . Temnothorax schoedli


 * Postocular area longer: PoOC/CL > 0.375 [0.378, 0.405] . . . . . 19

19
return to couplet #16
 * Known from East Europe, the Balkans, Turkey and the Caucasus. Yellow to brown species. Whole head dorsum areolate superimposed by feeble costulae, occasionally narrow median strip inconspicuously areolate, shiny . . . . . Temnothorax crasecundus


 * Known from Central and West Europe: Italy, Austria, Germany and further west. Yellow to brown species. Head dorsum with areolate ground sculpture always superimposed by parallel costulate main sculpture, dull . . . . . Temnothorax nylanderi