Temnothorax banao

The specimens were collected on limestone rocks in a forest habitat. It is assumed this species is a limestone-nesting, not only because the habitat, but also because the high resemblance to L. myersi and L. villarensis, which built the typical tubular cartoon-like entrance to the nest, located in limestone rocks crevices. Also the specimens displayed the characteristic slow movements of this kind of species.

Identification
Fontenla Rizo (1998) - Limestone-dweller species of Cuban Temnothorax, with a long and slender body and elongated scapes, legs, petiole and propodeal spines, petiolar node low and rounded, postpetiole longer than broad. Color reddish brown, gaster brown, small and shining. This species is related to Temnothorax villarensis and Temnothorax myersi. It is more similar to T. villarensis, with similar low petiolar nodes, but it differs in minor size, remarkable more slender constitution and lower petiolar node. Besides, coloration is deeper, pilosity more scarce, and longitudinal striation pattern of dorsum of mesosoma is more homogeneus. In addition, it differs from T. myersi in the low petiolar node, which is very high and almost scale shape in this last species.

Distribution
Fontenla Rizo (1998) - Sancti Spiritus Heights, Sancti Spiritus Province., Cuba. T. banao, so far it is known, lives in geographic isolation in the Sancti Spiritus Heights, separated by the Agabama basin from the distributional range of the other species, which are sympatric in the Trinidad Heights and some surrounded low lands.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Cuba.

Nomenclature

 *  banao. Leptothorax banao Fontenla Rizo, 1998: 63, fig. 2 (w.) CUBA. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.

Worker
(paratypes). SL: 1.62 (1.56-1.62), HW: 0.99 (0.93-0.96), HL: 1.23 (1.20-1.23), ML: 1.83 (1.80-1.83), PL: 1.2 (l.l-L2), PH: 0.33 (0.30-0.33), PPW: 0.39 (0.36-0.39), PPL: 0.42 (0.39-0.42), FL: 1.86 (1.83-1.86). Indices. SI: 131.7 (130-131.7), CI: 80.5 (78.0-80.5), PI: 65.6 (60.1-65.6), HI: 27.5 (27.2-27.5), PPI: 92.8 (92.3-92.8), FI: 101.8 (101.6-101.8).

Mandibles five toothed. Funiculum with 11 segments. Antennal club four-segmented, but little differentiated; scapes very long and slender, surpassing cephalic length. Eyes relatively small. General constitution of the body slender, mesosoma with longitudinal profile; promesotoraxic depression pronounced; propodeal spines very long (almost 40% of mesosoma length) and sharp, divergent basally, curved outward in the middle and convergent at the tips. Petiole very long and slender (more than 60% of mesosoma length), node very low and rounded, with no defined faces; postpetiole bell-shaped, longer than broad. Gaster proportionally small, sting well developed. Femora long, surpassing mesosoma length; medial portion not abruptly swollen; tibiae normal. Tegument shining in the gaster; head surface with longitudinal narrow striae; mesosoma sides and dorsum of pronotum with longitudinal ruguae; rest of mesosoma dorsum with transverse rugae. Petiole striated; postpetiole slightly striated. Pilosity abundant, except in petiole and postpetiole, composed by long white acuminate hairs. Colour reddish; antennae and legs brown; gaster black.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, collected by Abel Perez on May, 1994, in Banao, Sancti Sprititus Heigths, Sancti Spiritus Province. Paratypes: 4 workers, same data as holotype.

Etymology
Named after the type locality.