Temnothorax microreticulatus

Temnothorax microreticulatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Temnothorax
Species:	T. microreticulatus
Binomial name
	Temnothorax microreticulatus; Bharti, Gul & Schulz, 2012

The species has been collected from two localities, Manali and Khajjiar of Himachal Pradesh. The specimens were collected from soil and under stones by hand collecting. In Manali the area was forested, beside a river with good amount of moisture in the soil. It was a dense pine forest with little undergrowth. The nest was few inches deep. The other locality was a forested area with scarce undergrowth. The collection was done on a hill slope mostly covered by grasses.

Identification

Bharti, Gul & Schulz (2012) - The species is well distinguished by the distinct sculpture of head and mesosoma compared to the rest of the Indian species. However, the species is somewhat similar to Temnothorax nordmeyeri but it can be easily separated from it by the length of propodeal spines as in case of T. nordmeyeri propodeal spines are very long (PSL = 0.20–0.23 mm) while the propodeal spines are much shorter in Temnothorax microreticulatus (spine length PSL = 0.09–0.11 mm). In case of T. nordmeyeri the scape reaches beyond the posterior margin of head by 1/6 of its length, the colour of body is uniformly pale yellow but in T. microreticulatus the scape falls somewhat short to reach posterior margin of head and the middle tergites of gaster are brown.

Keys including this Species

Key to Temnothorax of India

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.545° to 32.231°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality), Pakistan.

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Biology

Castes

Queen

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Temnothorax microreticulatus. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code antweb1008018. Photographer H. Bharti, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by PUN, Punjabi University, Patiala, India.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

microreticulatus. Temnothorax microreticulatus Bharti, Gul & Schulz, 2012: 331, figs. 10-15 (w.q.) INDIA.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

TL 2.8–3.4 (3.3); HL 0.70–0.75 (0.74); HW 0.62–0.65 (0.64); SL 0.52–0.56 (0.55); PW 0.41–0.46 (0.45); WL 0.72–0.85 (0.85); PL 0.28–0.32 (0.32); PH 0.19–0.21 (0.21); PPL 0.26–0.29 (0.28); GL 0.88–1.2 (1.10); PSL 0.08–0.12 (0.11); FCD 0.21–0.23 (0.23); EL 0.17–0.18 (0.18); PEW 0.16–0.19 (0.19) n = 20.

Head – Subrectangular [CI= 115–117 (115)]; in full face view, posterior margin of head almost straight; narrowly round occipital corners; lateral sides subparallel, head somewhat broader posteriorly; anterior clypeal margin broadly rounded; eyes large, situated about the middle on the sides of the head; mandibles triangular, the masticatory margin with 5 prominent teeth; antennae 12 segmented, falling somewhat short to reach posterior margin of head [SI1 = 73–75 (73.3), SI2 = 85–88 (86)].

Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole – In profile, mesosoma with slightly convex dorsum; metanotal groove shallow; humeri in dorsal view rounded; propodeal spines short, apices oblique, as long as 2/3 the distance between their bases [PSLI = 15–18 (17.1)]; petiole longer than high with moderately long anterior peduncle; petiolar node in profile with steep and very slightly concave anterior face and feebly rounded dorsum; postpetiole shorter than petiole with rounded dorsum and wider than petiole.

Gaster – Ovate, smooth and shiny.

Sculpture – Head longitudinally rugulose between frontal carinae, the rugulae covering the frons, extending to the occiput; longitudinal irregular rugae on genae which run up to the front of eyes; rest of the head rugoreticulate; mandibles with distinct rugosity; clypeus longitudinally rugose except for the median portion; mesosoma reticulate and rugulose all over; petiole and postpetiole finely microreticulated with a few scattered rugulae; head and mesosoma with scattered punctures; gaster smooth and shining.

Pilosity – Suberect to erect hairs covering the whole body; decumbent pubescent hairs on antennae and legs, more dense on antennal funiculus.

Colour – The whole body is light to dark yellow with a reddish tinge except for the middle tergites gaster which are brown; pilosity yellowish white.

Queen

TL 3.82; HL 0.77; HW 0.69; SL 0.56; PW 0.66; WL 0.83; PL 0.38; PH 0.26; PPL 0.29; GL 1.55; PSL 0.36; PSLI 52.2; CI 111; SI1 72; SI2 81; FCD 0.24; EL 0.22; PEW 0.21 n = 1.

Resembles the worker, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: Body massive, more hairy; head medially longitudinally rugose between the frontal carinae; antennal sockets and clypeus longitudinally rugose, rest of the head rugoreticulated; eyes larger, three prominent ocelli present; mesosoma weakly longitudinally rugose on dorsum, rugulose on sides with some patches smooth; propodeal spines more or less triangular; petiole, postpetiole dull due to weak sculpture on the nodes; hairs of varying lengths cover entire body; mesosoma with scutellum at the same level as of the scutum; propodeal declivity very steep; petiolar node weakly angular, postpetiole very broad; colour darker than in workers and irregular.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh, 2100m, India, 32°32′42″N 76°03′36″E / 32.545°N 76.060°E / 32.545; 76.060, 1 December 2010, Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection.
Paratype, 10 workers, 1 queen, Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh, 2100m, India, 32°32′42″N 76°03′36″E / 32.545°N 76.060°E / 32.545; 76.060, 1 December 2010, California Academy of Sciences, PUPAC.
Paratype, 9 workers, Manali, Himachal Pradesh, 1845m, India, 32°13′52″N 77°11′28″E / 32.2310°N 77.1910°E / 32.2310; 77.1910, 16 November2010, Irfan Gul, PCAS, PUPAC; hand collecting.

Etymology

The species is named after its microreticulate sculpture on head and mesosoma.

References