Temnothorax daidalosi

In lowlands this species occurs in forests and humid phrygana while in the mountain zone it prefers open and humid habitats. Most commonly encountered on flat rocks partly overgrown by phrygana.

Identification
Salata et al. (2018) - Temnothorax daidalosi is one of a number of species characterized by lack of metanotal groove, uniform dark body colouration and presence of dense, fine reticulation on the head. It differs from: dark workers of Temnothorax exilis in lack of smooth and shiny surfaces on head and dorsal surface of mesosoma; Temnothorax dessyi in lack of longitudinal striation on whole head surface; Temnothorax saxatilis in lack of smooth areas on dorsal surface of mesosoma and in long, thin propodeal spines; Temnothorax platycephalus in more square head shape and presence of longitudinal wrinkles and reticulation on mesosoma surface.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 *  daidalosi. Temnothorax daidalosi Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018: 775, figs. 11-15, 61 (w.) GREECE (Crete).

Worker
(n=15): HL: 0.689 ± 0.05 (0.592-0.771); HW: 0.602 ± 0.04 (0.508-0.681); SL: 0.453 ± 0.03 (0.38-0.503); EL: 0.161 ± 0.01 (0.123-0.19); EW: 0.112 ± 0.009 (0.087-0.123); ML: 0.807 ± 0.07 (0.659- 0.939); PSL: 0.19 ± 0.02 (0.156-0.232); SDL: 0.124 ± 0.01 (0.109-0.156); PL: 0.292 ± 0.03 (0.246-0.335); PPL: 0.195 ± 0.02 (0.156-0.223); PH: 0.219 ± 0.02 (0.19-0.251); PPH: 0.22 ± 0.02 (0.179-0.257); HTL: 0.458 ± 0.02 (0.413-0.508); PNW: 0.412 ± 0.03 (0.344-0.469); PW: 0.16 ± 0.02 (0.134-0.19); PPW: 0.224 ± 0.02 (0.19- 0.267); HI: 87.4 ± 1.2 (85.8-89.5); SI1: 65.8 ± 1.5 (62.8-68.5); SI2: 75.3 ± 1.7 (72.7-79.4); MI: 56.1 ± 3.1 (51.4-63.2); EI1: 69.6 ± 4.5 (61.6- 78.8); EI2: 16.2 ± 0.8 (14.7-17.6); TI: 133.6 ± 5.9 (121.0-141.8); PI: 133.2 ± 5.6 (124.3-142.5); PPI: 88.5 ± 4.1 (82.8-94.9).

Whole body uniformly dark brown. Only legs and antennae brown to bright brown, clubs always darkened. Ventral side of petiole and postpetiole sometimes paler coloured than dorsal side, yellowish-brown. Femora mostly dark in central part.

Head quadrate, 1.1 times as long as wide, lateral surfaces below eyes straight, above eyes gently convex, posterior edges convex, occipital margin of head straight or slightly concave. Anterior margin of the clypeus slightly convex, sometimes with slight medial notch. Eyes small, oval, 1.4 times as long as wide. Antennal scape short, in lateral view slightly curved, 0.7 times as long as length of the head, in apex gradually widened, its base with small, triangular tooth, funiculus long, club 3 segmented. Surface of scape with very fine microreticulation, shiny, covered with thin, dense, adpressed setae. Mandibles rounded with thick sparse, longitudinal striae, shiny. Clypeus shiny with thick, longitudinal striae, area between striae smooth and shiny. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa deep, with sparse, thick roundly curved striae, area between striae smooth and shiny. Frontal lobes narrow, smooth with slight, dense longitudinal reticulation. Head covered on the whole surface with thick, dense reticulation, shiny. Sometimes anterior part of both head and genae also with a few longitudinal striae. Entire head bearing suberect to erect, pale, short and thick setae.

Mesosoma elongate, 2.0 times as long as wide, slightly arched in profile. Pronotum convex on sides. Propodeal spines long, narrow, with narrow base, directed upward, with acute tips. Mesosoma shiny, on the whole surface with sparse, thick and visible longitudinal, sometimes interrupted, striation, area between striae with thick reticulation. Sometimes dorsal surface of propodeum with dispersed striation, its posterodorsal surface always with thick and dense reticulation. Entire mesosoma bearing suberect to erect, pale, short and thick setae.

Petiole, in lateral view, with short peduncle, node high, with anterior and posterior faces straight, laterally inclined, its dorsal flat or slightly arched. Postpetiole, in lateral view, regularly convex, apical half with gently convex sides. Peduncle and petiolar node and postpetiole dorsum shiny, with thick, dense reticulation, area between rugae smooth. Petiole and postpetiole on dorsal surfaces bearing sparse, short, semierect to erect setae.

Gaster smooth and shiny, bearing erect, thin, pale setae. Legs short, shiny, with fine microreticulation. Tibiae 0.7 times as long as head length, bearing adpressed setae on the whole surface. Inner margins of tibia and femora without erect setae.

Type Material
Holotype (w.) (CASENT0845904): Greece, Crete, Rethymno Pr. , Palelimnos, 35°18.706N/24°25.103 E , 15 V 2013, 262 m , L. Borowiec ; Paratypes (7w.) (CASENT0845905- CASENT0845911): the same data as holotype ; Paratypes (4w.) (CASENT 0845945-CASENT0845948): Collection L. Borowiec , Formicidae , DBET-GR00561 ; GREECE W Crete 10-15 m , Kato Daratso n. Chania , 35°30’N/23°58’E litoral , 6 V 2011. L. Borowiec ; Paratypes (4w.) (CASENT0845949-CASENT 0845952): Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae , DBETGR00980 ; GREECE Crete, Rethymno Pr. , Antonios Spilia Gorge, 35°15.245 N/24°34.220 E 342 m , 11 V 2013. L. Borowiec (DBET); paratype (w.) (CASENT 0845953): Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae , DBETGR00997 ; GREECE Crete, Rethymno Pr. , n. Vilandredo, 35°15.714 N/24°19.922 E 354 m , 13 V 2013. L. Borowiec (DBET); paratype (w.) (CASENT0845954): Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae , DBET-GR00996 ; GREECE Crete, Rethymno Pr. , n. Argiroupolis, 35°17.583 N/24°20.588 E , 13 V 2013, 197 m , L. Borowiec (DBET).

Etymology
Name refers to a craftsman and artist Daedalus (Δαίδαλος /Daidalos/), who, according to Greek mythology, built on Crete a labyrinth for Minotaur.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.