Temnothorax schaumii

Mackay (2000) "This species nests in bark of living trees, in branches, logs and oak galls of trees (Wheeler, 1905, 1916; Cole, 1940; Gregg, 1944; Carter, 1962; Moody and Francke, 1982; DuBois, 1985; Wheeler and Longino, 1988) in many habitats ranging from desert canyons in trees (Van Pelt, 1983), to grasslands, to shaded deciduous forests (Carter, 1962; DuBOis, 1985). It is found occasionally at lower elevations in the southern Blue Ridge of Virginia (Van Pelt, 1963). It is the most common Leptothoraxin Mississippi (Smith, 1924). All large oak trees in south central Ohio have nests (Wesson and Wesson, 1940). One nest contained 143 workers, 35 larvae and a single queen (Wheeler, 1903a), although nests may have more than a single queen (Frumhoff and Ward, 1992). The nest entrance is simply a small hole (Wheeler, 1903a)."



Identification
Mackay (2000) "These ants have 11-segmented antennae and are usually concolorous dark brown, but are occasionally concolorous yellow. The head is nearly completely covered with fine striae, which merge with the dense punctures. Occasionally there is a central strip, which is partly free of sculpture and somewhat shining. The top of the mesosoma is mostly punctate, with a few striae, the side of the mesosoma has numerous striae with punctures between them. The propodeal spines range from tiny angles to small spines, which are dull and rounded. The petiole and postpetiole are punctate and the node of the petiole is weakly truncate, with round edges.

The 11 segmented antenna and tiny propodeal spines separate this species from all other species with 11 segmented antennae in the subgenus, except T. whitfordi. It can be easily distinguished from T. whitfordi as the head and pronotum are predominantly punctate (predominantly smooth and shining in T. whitfordi, but the pronotum may be punctate as in T. schaumii). The punctures on the pronotum of T. schaumii are fine and completely cover the surfaces, whereas in T. whitfordi they are coarse and do not densely cover the surface. The small spines separate it from the others in the schaumii species complex."

Range
USA. Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Kentucky,Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington D. C., West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia.

Abundance
xxxxx Only known from a few collections. xxxxx

Biology
xxxxx

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Original Combination
Leptothorax schaumii Roger, 1863a: 180 (w.) U.S.A. Mayr, 1886d: 451 (m.); Wesson L.G. & Wesson, R.G. 1940: 95 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1960b: 23 (l.). Combination in L. (Myrafant): Smith, D.R. 1979: 1394; in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 272. Senior synonym of fortinodis, gilvus, melanoticus: Creighton, 1950a: 271. See also: Wheeler, W.M. 1903c: 232; MacKay, 2000: 403.

Worker
2.5 Millim. lang, rothlich gelb, Hinflerleib an der Spitze etwas braunlich; die abstehenden Harchen sind keulenformig, kurz wie bei corticalis. Fuhler eilfgliedrig, ganz gelb. Mandibeln 4 – 5 zahnig, sehr undeutlicb gerunzelt. Clipeus ohne glanzenden Langseindruck. Kopf schwach langs gerunzelt, seitlich und hinten fein verworren oder fingerhutartig punktirt, schwach glanzend. Thorax dem von corticalis ganz ahnlich, oben ohne irgend einen Quereindruck, fingerhutartig punktirt, wenig glanzend, hinten in 2 kurze, an der Basis breite, 3-eckige Zahuchen endend. Stielchenglieder wie gewohnlich, das erste unten nit einem zahnformigen Vorsprung. Abdomen glatt, glanzend, Schienen onbehaart.

Type Material
As reported in Mackay (2000) "The types could not be located in Roger's collection (Museum fur Naturkunde Zentralinstitutder Humboldt-Universitiitzu Berlin), and probably no longer exist. "

Etymology
Commemorative. For the collector of the types, Prof. Schaum.