Temnothorax rogeri

Temnothorax rogeri is an eastern Mediterranean species, known from Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Turkish Thrace (Borowiec and Salata 2018, Kiran and Karaman 2020, Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec, 2022). Recently, it was recorded in Slovakia, but most likely this record is based on an  introduced specimen (Klesniaková et al. 2018). Morphologically, it is very close to Temnothorax recedens, which is known from the southern regions and the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria (Atanassov and Dlussky 1992, Lapeva-Gjonova et al. 2010) (Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec, 2022). It prefers shaded areas inside various forests and mediterranean shrubs, noted also from urban green areas, the its most preferred habitats are stream valleys and gorges. Workers were collected on stones and rocks, nests were found in cracked rocks (Borowiec & Salata, 2021).

Identification
A member of the Temnothorax recedens group.

Borowiec and Salata (2013) – Well distinguished from Temnothorax recedens by its very long propodeal spines.

In most biometric characters there is overlap in Temnothorax rogeri and T. recedens, although T. rogeri has a slightly broader head and longer antennal scapes and it also has slightly longer petiole and postpetiole. The only distinct distinguishing character is shape and length of propodeal spines. Although the T. recedens spine is variable, from short, triangular to spiniform its length is at most 0.7 times as long as in T. rogeri (usually twice as short) and only the largest specimens of T. recedens have the spine as long as the smallest specimens of T. rogeri. In similarly sized specimens the difference is striking, in T. recedens the spine is never claw-shaped, pointed more or less upward while in T. rogeri the spine is pointed slightly more downwards and often more or less curved apically.

The gynes of T. rogeri and T. recedens are very similar but in most examined gynes of T. recedens the head, scutum and mesopleuron are darker than in the only studied gyne of T. rogeri. They are well distinguished by the shape and length of propodeal spine, short, triangular in T. recedens and elongate, approximately 1.2 times longer and spiniform in T. rogeri.

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

Nomenclature

 *  rogeri. Temnothorax rogeri Emery, 1869b: 18 (footnote) (w.) GREECE. André, 1883a: 309 (q.); Forel, 1886e: clxvi (q.). Combination in Leptothorax (Temnothorax): Forel, 1890a: lxxii; in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271. Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 126; Ruzsky, 1902d: 25; Emery, 1924d: 260. Subspecies of recedens: Emery & Forel, 1879: 459; Forel, 1892i: 315; Ruzsky, 1905b: 609; Karavaiev, 1927a: 293; Finzi, 1930d: 314. Junior synonym of recedens: Dlussky & Soyunov, 1988: 31. Revived from synonymy: Borowiec & Salata, 2013: 374.

Worker
Borowiec and Salata (2013) - (n=17): HL:675.1 ± 22.9 (726-636); HW: 552.2 ±18.95 (598-518); SL: 676.8 ± 18.3 (709-648); ML: 831.4 ± 36.9 (893-782); SPSP: 217.4 ± 16.7 (263- 190); PEL: 320.1 ± 25.6 (363-240); PPL: 232 ± 15.1 (257-201); PEH: 216.6 ± 12.1 (240-201); PPH: 212.9 ± 14.3 (243-179); SPBA: 154.5 ± 10.5 (173-134); SPWI: 214.1 ± 15.8 (246-190); HI: 81.9 ± 4.24 (87.9-72.5); SI: 122.7 ± 5.1 (136.9-115.9). Head yellow to yellowish-brown, frontal surface usually darker than sides and underside but without distinct border between dark and pale areas; pronotum yellow, mesonotum yellowish, yellowish-brown, brownish-yellow to brown, in most specimens distinctly darker than pronotum, propodeum on dorsal surface from yellow to yellowbrown on sides gradually darker up to dark brown; petiole and postpetiole yellow to yellowish-brown, postpetiole not or slightly darker than petiole; first abdominal tergite brown with narrowly yellow posterior margin and yellow spot at base extending to 1/4- 1/3 length of tergite, subsequent tergites yellowish to brownish-yellow with narrowly yellow basal margin; first and subsequent sternites yellow; antennae uniformly yellow; coxa, trochanters, tibiae and tarsi yellow, femora yellow with more or less infuscate central parts, in extreme case appears dark brown in the middle.

Head approximately rounded in front view, HL/HW approximately 1.2. Margins of head posterior to eyes weakly convex, vertexal corners evenly rounded, posterior margin of vertex linear. Frontal triangle not clearly demarcated. Frontal carinae short not extending to the line connecting the lower edge of the eye, moderately divergent posteriorly. Mesosoma distinctly convex in profile, with deep metanotal groove. In dorsal view pronotum appears globular, posterior part of mesosoma parallelsided. Propodeal spines narrowly attached, broach-form, acute, more or less pointed downward, in same specimens slightly claw-shaped. Petiole subsessile, its anterior face straight or only slightly concave, node triangular with more or less angulate apex. Posterior face shallowly concave. Ventral margin of petiole close to base with small spine. In dorsal view, petiole narrow at base then weakly divergent, behind middle shallowly constricted and apically weakly convex. Postpetiole in lateral profile more or less evenly rounded. In dorsal view the postpetiole is slightly transverse with more or less angulate sides.

Mandibles very finely irregularly longitudinally striate, sublucid. Frontal triangle smooth and shiny without rugosities, only along frontal carinae with indistinct short striae and microretoculation. smooth and shiny, without median carina and without striae. Frons, sides of head, genae, surface around the eyes, vertex and ventral surface of head smooth and shiny. Whole surface of head with sparse long hairs. Scapes smooth and shiny, thin and elongate, approximately 1.3 times longer than width of head, narrow at base then slightly and gradually expanded distinctly constricted before apex. Funiculus 11-segmented, approximately 1.2 times longer than scape, first segment elongate, approximately 2.3 times longer than second segment, segments 2-4 approximately the same length, last three segments elongate forming distinct elongate club, last segment slightly longer than segments 5-8 combined. Almost entire pronotum smooth and shiny, in posterior half with indistinct microreticulation, sides of mesonotum and propodeum with distinct granulate sculpture, without or with very this, indistinct transverse rugae, especially across metanotal suture, dorsal surface of mesonotum between and behind propodeal spines slightly granulate and distinctly microreticulate. Entire dorsum of mesosoma with sparse, long, erect hairs, the longest as long as propodeal spines. Petiole on entire surface reticulate, appears from slightly dull to slightly shiny. Postpetiole on sides reticulate, dull, on top without or with indistinct reticulation, more or less shiny. Gaster lucid. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster with long standing pilosity. Variability within the population small, manifested mostly by paler and darker coloration and length of propodeal spine.

Queen
Borowiec and Salata (2013) - (n=1): HL: 709; HW: 648; SL: 682; ML: 1295; MH: 469; SPSP: 324; PEL: 436; PPL: 372; PEH: 216.6; PPH: 291; SPBA: 335; SPWI: 335; HI: 91.4; SI: 105.25.

Head yellow to yellowish-brown, frontal surface darker, yellowish brown, sides and underside paler, yellowish, but without distinct border between dark and pale areas.; mesosoma yellow, scutellum and mesopleuron infuscate, yellowish brown; petiole and postpetiole yellowish; first abdominal tergite brownish-black with narrowly yellowish posterior margin and yellow spot at base extending to 1/4 length of tergite, subsequent tergites brownish-black with very narrow yellowish apical margin; first sternite mostly brown with yellowish spot at base, subsequent sternites yellow; antennae and legs yellow, femora in middle infuscate, yellowish brown to brown.

Head almost globular, with rounded genae, rounded vertexal corners and slightly convex anterior clypeus margin. Compound eyes relatively small, 0.25 times as long as length of head. Mesosoma elongate, relatively high and robust, in profile convex in anterior half and depressed in posterior half, and with obtuse pronotal corners. Scutellum approximately 1.4 times as wide as long, its posterior margin semicircular. Propodeal spines elongate, 1.8-1.9 times as long as wide at base, spiniform, broad at base, with acute top, distinctly oriented posteriorly. In dorsal view the spines slightly divergent. Petiole subsessile, with general shape as described for workers, anterior face slightly concave, posterior face distinctly concave, ventral margin straight, at base with small spine, petiolar node subangulate in profile. Postpetiole in profile almost rounded. In dorsal view petiole only slightly divergent from base to apex, postpetiole approximately 1.4 times as wide as long. Mandibles faintly longitudinally striate, sublucid. Frontal triangle mostly unsculptured and lucid on sides with 2-3 longitudinal rugae not extending to ocelli, also in front of eyes few, short circular rugae and below eyes indistinct reticulate sculpture. Vertex, sides of head and clypeus shiny, without sculpture. Scapes shiny. Pronotum, mesonotum, scutellum and anepisternite shiny, without sculpture, mesopleuron in anterior half shiny, in posterior half with indistinct transverse sculpture, propodeum dorsally without sculpture, on sides with irregular sculpture but shiny between rugae, metapleuron with distinct longitudinal rugae. Petiole and postpetiole on anterior face partly microreticulate but shiny, petiolar node distinctly microreticulate but shiny, postpetiole on top and posterior face microreticulate and with few rugae but appears mostly shiny, dorsally rugoso-reticulate, ventrally reticulate, subopaque. Abdomen lucid. Whole dorsum covered with long and sparse hairs similar as in workers.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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