Key to Temnothorax of Japan

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This worker key is based on: Terayama, M. and K. Onoyama. 1999. The ant genus Leptothorax Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Japan. Memoirs of the Myrmecological Society of Japan. 1:71-97.

The following key was constructed when many Temnothorax species were considered to be Leptothorax.

Temnothorax kinomurai is only known only from ergatoid females and is not included in the key.)

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Terayama and Onoyama 1999. Figures 1-13.
Terayama and Onoyama 1999. Figures 14-22.
Terayama and Onoyama 1999. Figures 23-29.

1

  • Anterolateral corners of pronotum angulate (Fig. 13); antennae with 11 segments . . . . . Temnothorax koreanus
  • Anterolateral corners of pronotum rounded, not angulate (Fig. 12); antennae with 11 or 12 segments . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

  • Antennae with 11 segments; in profile anterior slope of petiole relatively very steep (Fig. 5) . . . . . Leptothorax acervorum
  • Antenna with 12 segments; in profile anterior slope of petiole relatively gentle . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

  • Scapes short, distinctly failing to reach the posterior border of head . . . . . 4
  • Scapes long, almost reaching to exceeding the posterior border of head (Fig. 27) . . . . . 5

4

return to couplet #3

  • Pronotal sides mostly smooth; propodeal spines long, about tw1ce as posterior view slightly concave . . . . . Temnothorax bikara
  • Pronotal sides rugulose; propodeal spines short, thorn-shaped, less than 1.5 times as long as their basal width; dorsal margin of petiolar node in posterior view convex . . . . . Temnothorax congruus

5

return to couplet #3

  • Propodeal spines long and narrow, 2.5 times or more as long as their basal width (Fig. 4) . . . . . 6
  • Propodeal spines relatively short, twice or more as long as their basal width . . . . . 11

6

return to couplet #5

7

return to couplet #6

  • In profile anterior slope of petiole nearly straight, merging gradually into the node (Fig. 14) . . . . . Temnothorax spinosior
  • In profile anterior slope of petiole distinctly concave; peduncle clearly distinguished from node . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

  • Peduncle of petiole relatively long; anterior s lope of node steeper than posterior s lope (Fig. 16) . . . . . Temnothorax antera
  • Peduncle of petiole relatively short; node an inverted U-shape, with the anterior and posterior slopes of virtually the same length . . . . . 9

9

return to couplet #8

  • In profile dorsal outline of mesonotum and propodeum evenly convex (Fig. 15); mesosoma relatively short (Fig. 15) . . . . . Temnothorax makora
  • In profile dorsal outline of mesonotum and propodeum nearly straight (Fig. 17); mesosoma relatively long (Fig. 17) . . . . . Temnothorax anira

10

return to couplet #6

11

return to couplet #5

  • Median part of clypeus nearly smooth, except for the high and prominent median carina and sometimes a pair of longitudinal carinae . . . . . 12
  • Median part of clypeus rugulose, not smooth around the median carina . . . . . 13

12

return to couplet #11

  • Mesosoma reddish brown to brown; head width 0.52-0.65 mm, (usually around 0.55 mm); dorsal outline of mesonotum and propodeum almost straight (Fig. 11) . . . . . Temnothorax kubira
  • Mesosoma yellow to yellowish brown; head width 0.40-0.54 mm, (usually less than 0.50 mm); dorsal outline of mesonotum and propodeum evenly arched . . . . . Temnothorax arimensis

13

return to couplet #11

  • Mesosoma yellow; mesonotal and propodeal sides without rugulae; propodeal spines directing more posteriorly, about 30 degrees with the longitudinal axis of mesosoma . . . . . Temnothorax haira
  • Mesosoma yellowish brown; mesonotal and propodeal sides with predominantly longitudinal rugulae; propodeal spines directing more upwardly, about 45 degrees with the longitudinal axis of mesosoma . . . . . Temnothorax santra