Temnothorax lucidus

Nothing is known about the biology of this species other than on Crete it is a high-mountain species (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018).

Identification
Csösz et al. (2015) - A member of the angustifrons species-complex. This species differs from members of other species complexes treated in this revision by its smooth and shiny head dorsum and the relatively short propodeal spines. This character combination is shared with other species belonging to Temnothorax angustifrons complex: T. angustifrons, Temnothorax subtilis and Temnothorax similis. Nest samples of Temnothorax lucidus can be separated from those of T. angustifrons by their shorter scape (SL/CS) and wider frons (FRS/CS). Their simple ratio (FRS/SL) provides an excellent tool to separate workers with less than 5% of error rate. Ratios of NOH/CS and PEH/CS help to distinguish this species from T. similis on the level of nest samples. A discriminant (D4) function, including discriminant scores for separating single individuals with acceptably low error rate, is given in the differential diagnosis of the latter.

The spine length ratio (SPST/CS) provides a good quick character to separate nest samples of T. lucidus from those of T. subtilis, but in single workers this character may broadly overlap between the two species. A discriminant function with reduced character number (D4) yields 98.6% classification success rate.

Temnothorax lucidus can be easily separated from two additional species of the parvulus species-complex that occur in Crete, Temnothorax ariadnae and Temnothorax helenae based on shiny surface of the head dorsum. In exceptional cases, or if dust obstructs a clear view of the surface sculpture, nest samples of T. lucidus can be separated from T. ariadnae by non-overlapping ranges of body ratios (NodL/CS and NOL/CS). Simple ratios do not help to distinguish T. lucidus and T. helenae, hence a simplified discriminant function (D3 = -0.0807_POC +0.0896_SL -0.0578_SPTI -11.284) is recommended to separate nest samples of these specie. The same function yields 97.9% classification success rate between single individuals of these species.

Distribution
This species is known from South and Central Anatolia, Turkey, and Crete.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  lucidus. Temnothorax lucidus Csösz, Heinze & Mikó, 2015: 20, figs. 10A-C (w.) TURKEY.

Worker
Body color: yellow. Body color pattern: mesosoma, antenna and legs, waist and anterior region of 1st gastral tergite lighter than head dorsum and posterior region of gaster. Antenna color pattern: clava concolorous funicle. Absolute cephalic size: 560–670 μm (mean = 618, n = 24). Cephalic length vs. Maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.139–1.221 (mean = 1.173). Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.368–0.400 (mean = 0.380). Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view orientation: converging posteriorly. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view shape: convex. Vertex contour line in frontal view shape: straight. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture dispersed forked costate, ground sculpture inconspicuous areolate. Genae contour from anterior view orientation: converging. Gena contour line in frontal view shape: feebly convex. Gena 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): 0.247–0.276 (mean = 0.262). Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.356–0.389 (mean = 0.370). Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons count: present; absent. Longitudinal carinae on medial region of frons shape: forked. Smooth median region on frons count: present. Antennomere count: 12. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.767–0.832 (mean = 0.796). 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: 45–50°. Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS): 0.190–0.259 (mean = 0.236). Minimum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPBA/CS): 0.241–0.280 (mean = 0.258). Maximum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPWI/CS): 0.272–0.339 (mean = 0.304). Apical spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPTI/CS): 0.261–0.318 (mean = 0.290). Maximum mesosoma width vs. absolute cephalic size (MW/CS): 0.599–0.636 (mean = 0.621). Metanotal depression count: present. Metanotal depression shape: deep. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: fine areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: inconspicuous areolate ground sculpture, main sculpture dispersed costate. Mesopleuron sculpture: fine areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Metapleuron sculpture: fine areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugulae. Frontal profile of petiolar node contour line in lateral view shape: straight; concave. Dorsal profile of petiolar node contour line angle value to frontal profile of petiole contour line in lateral view: 95–100°. Anterodorsal rim of petiole count: absent medially. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose; ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent. Dorso-caudal petiolar profile contour line in lateral view shape: straight; concave. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose; ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent.

Type Material
Holotype: TUR:492 Turkey, Taurus Mt., 3 km W. Arslanköy, 37.0024 N, 34.2151 E, 1900mH, 06.11.2011, leg. A. Schulz, (, CASENT0914692), [TUR:Arslanköy-3W-20111106-492].

Paratypes: TUR:492 Turkey, Taurus Mt., 3 kmW. Arslanköy, 37.0024 N, 34.2151 E, 1900mH, 06.11.2011, leg. A. Schulz, (1# HNHM, 2## ), [TUR:Arslanköy-3W-20111106-492]; TUR:493 Turkey, Taurus Mt., 3 kmW. Arslanköy, 37.0024 N, 34.2151 E, 1900mH, 06.11.2011, leg. A. Schulz, (3## HNHM, 2## CAS), [TUR:Arslanköy-3W-20111106-493].

Etymology
The species epithet “lucidus” refers to the shiny light (Latin: lūcidus m) yellow surface sculpturing of the worker caste.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Csősz S, Heinze J, and I. Mikó. 2015. Taxonomic synopsis of the Ponto-Mediterranean ants of Temnothorax nylanderi species-group. PLoS ONE 10(11): e0140000. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140000
 * 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.