Temnothorax tamriensis

This species has been captured with pitfall traps. It is likely that nests occur in fissures in the ground and workers forage nocturnally. Seasonal sampling during 2016 showed strong worker activity during spring and summer and low activity at the end of winter; no workers were captured in autumn, which is usually very dry.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Morocco.

Nomenclature

 *  tamriensis. Temnothorax tamriensis Ajerrar et al., 2018: 97, figs. 1-3 (w.q.) MOROCCO.

Description
Body Length: 2.7-3.4 mm. Head and gaster dark reddish brown; mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole yellowish brown, the mesosoma darkening at sides and pronotum, but without becoming as dark as the head and gaster. First basal half of gaster tergite becoming yellowish in some individuals; sternites 2 and 3 yellow, the corresponding terga can also become brighter on the edges. Mandibles, antennae and legs yellow; antennal club not darkened. Head elongated with straight lateral sides and well-rounded occipital angles. Clypeus convex. Oval eyes as large as ¼ of the cephalic length; 9 to 12 ommatidia (generally 10) on the major axis. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view straight with indistinct pro-mesonotal suture and mesopropodeal suture present but weak. Propodeal spines long, thin, sharp, slightly curved inwards, longer than the spine base distance, which is concave and nearly as wide as half the length of the spine : width of basal distance / head width = 0.30 - 0.39). Petiolar node pedunculated; in profile view its frontal face approximately straight towards the dorsal face which is more or less bent and slightly tilted back and falls like a "stair-step" towards the joint with the postpetiole. In dorsal view the summit is narrow and rounded; postpetiole one third wider than petiole, with convex sides and maximum width in the middle. Head mainly smooth, with some rugulae between the frontal ridges and in front of the eyes. Clypeus with a median keel surrounded by 2-3 shorter parallel lines. Pronotum and mesonotum smooth; rugose laterally on the meso and metepisternum; this rugulae continued to the sides of propodeum and dorsally to the base of spines. Petiole and postpetiole reticulated, becoming smooth dorsally on postpetiole. Gaster smooth and shiny. Pubescence scattered all over the body, the setae short, bold and truncated; sparse on the head and trunk; the longer bristles, on petioles, rarely exceed 0.092 mm; those of the head and back are on average 0.055 mm. The first gastral tergite with spaced setae (long. 0.060 mm) over its entire surface, the rest of tergites on the distal edge.