Temnothorax mekira

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
(Terayama et al. 2011) - This species belongs to the genus Temnothorax by the 5-toothed mandibles, 12-segmented antennae, funiculus terminating in a 3-segmented club, clypeus with a median carina propodeum with posterodorsal spines, and peduncle petiole. It is separated from the other congeners by the long antennal scapes, long and basally wide propodeal spines, inverted V-shape petiolar node, angulate anterolateral corners of gaster in dorsal view, and blackish body color.

This species is easily distinguished from the other species in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Temnothorax haira and Temnothorax santra, by the blackish brown body color, long propodeal spines, and long petiolar peduncle.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan.

Nomenclature

 *  mekira. Leptothorax mekira Terayama & Kubota, in Terayama, et al. 2011: 77, figs. 2-4 (w.) JAPAN.

Worker
Holotype: HL 0.70, HW 0.55, HW-II 0.50, SL 0.53, CI 79, CI-II 71, SI 95, SI-II 106, WL 0.83, PL 0.31, PH 0.20, DPW 0.15, PPL 0.18, PPH 0.23, PPW 0.25, TL 2.8.

Paratype workers (n=2): HL 0.68, -, HW 0.55, -, HW-II 0.51, -, SL 0.50, 0.52, CI 81, -, CI-II 75, -, SI 98, -, SI-II 104, -, WL 0.80, 0.80, PL 0.30, 0.33, PH 0.20, 0.20, DPW 0.15, 0.16, PPL 0.15, 0.18, PPH 0.21, 0.22, PPW 0.23, 0.24, TL 2.4, 2.7.

Holotype worker. Sculpture: Head 1.27 times as long as wide, with almost straight posterior margin and round posterolateral corners in full-face view. Mandible with 5 teeth; apical tooth largest; basal smallest. Anterior margin of clypeus convex. Antenna with 12 segments; scape long, almost reaching posterior margin of head in full-face view; pedicel 2.5 times as long as wide; 3rd to 9th segments each wider than long; apical 3 segments forming a club, the ratio of about 7: 8: 19 in length; 10th segment 1.2 times as long as wide, 11th 1.3 times as long as wide, apical segment 2.3 times as long as wide. Eye prominent, 0.13 mm in maximum diameter, and with about 13 facets in the longest row.

Dorsal outline of pronotum gently convex in profile; anterolateral corners rounded, not forming distinct angle in dorsal view. Mesonotal dorsum almost straight in profile. Metanotal groove not incised dorsally. Dorsum of propodeum slightly convex in profile. Propodeal spine 0.23 mm long; basal 1/3 wide, forming obtuse triangle, apical 2/3 acute and narrow and pointing posteriorly; about 1.1 times as its basal width and pointing posteriorly.

Petiolar peduncle long; node reverse V-shaped, its anterior slope much more steep than posterior slope, tip forming dull angle; node 1.17 x as long as wide, with strongly convex anterior margin, straight posterior margin, and parallel sides; subpetiolar process small, triangular. Postpetiolar node higher than long, with convex anterior and almost straight posterior dorsal slopes; in dorsal view, 1.6 times as wide as long, with straight anterior margin and parallel sides.

Gaster with weakly concave anterior margin and dully angulate anterolateral corners, 0.60 mm in maximum width in dorsal view.

Sculpture: Frons and vertex of head longitudinally rugulose and reticulate, with about 18 longitudinal rugulae between frontal carinae; gena reticulate; mandible opaque with lugulae, apical 1/3 nearly smooth; clypeus with about 10 longitudinally rugulae. Dorsum of alitrunk longitudinally rugulose and reticulate; pronotal dorsum with about 14 longitudinal rugulae; side of mesonotum reticulate; propodeal side microreticulate with 7 longitudinal rugulae. Pedicel microreticulate. Gaster smooth and shining.

Pilosity: Head dorsum with moderately sbundant erect hairs; the longest one 0.04 mm. Long erect hairs present on the pronotum (5 pairs), masonotum (2 pairs), propodeum (2 pairs), petiole (2 pairs), and postpetiole (4 pairs); the longest hair on pronotum 0.10 mm; propodeal spine with a relatively long erect hair in the middle. Gaster with moderately abundant suberect hairs wich are 0.07-0.10 mm long.

Color: Head and alitrunk blackish brown; gaster black. Mandible yellowish brown; antennal scape brown excepting apical portion brown, 2nd to 5th segment of antenna brown to blackish brown, 6th to terminal segment blackish brown. Fore leg blackish brown to brown excepting trochanter, tip of femur and tibia yellowish brown; middle and hind legs brown excepting tibiae and tarsi yellowish brown.

Type Material
Holotype. KPM-NK9000001, worker, Minami-iwo-to (peak, 916 m asl), Ogasawara-mura, Tokyo, 26.vi.2007, K. Matsumoto leg. Paratypes. 2 workers, same data as holotype. Holotype is deposited in KPM-NK and paratypes in NIAES.

Etymology
The specific epithet is the Japanese noun Mekira, which is the name of a Japanese god.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Terayama M., M. Kubota, H. Karube, and K. Matsumoto. 2011. Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from the island of Minami-iwo-to, the Volcano Islands, with descriptions of two new species. Bull. Kanagawa prefect. Mus. (Nat. Sci.) 40: 75-80.
 * Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.