Taxonomic revision of the Temnothorax salvini clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key to the clades of New World Temnothorax

Abstract

Temnothorax is a large myrmicine ant genus with a range spanning the northern hemisphere, including the northern half of the Neotropics. Many of the Neotropical species were originally placed in the now defunct genus Macromischa. Recent molecular work has revealed that distinct lineages of Neotropical Temnothorax have arrived by evolutionary convergenceat a morphological syndrome with characteristics that were used to diagnose the former genus Macromischa. One such lineage is the salvini clade, which in this study is redefined to contain 63 species, 35 of which are described as new. A key to all species of the salvini clade based on the worker caste is provided; additionally, a worker-based key to all clades of the New World is provided. The following species are redescribed: T. albispinus (Wheeler), T. androsanus (Wheeler), T. annexus (Baroni Urbani), T. augusti (Baroni Urbani), T. aztecus (Wheeler), T. ciferrii (Menozzi & Russo), T. flavidulus (Wheeler & Mann), T. fuscatus (Mann), T. goniops (Baroni Urbani), T. huehuetenangoi (Baroni Urbani), T. ixili (Baroni Urbani), T. leucacanthus (Baroni Urbani), T. nigricans (Baroni Urbani), T. ocarinae (Baroni Urbani), T. pastinifer (Emery), T. pergandei (Emery), T. politus (Smith), T. pulchellus (Emery), T. rugosus (Mackay), T. salvini (Forel), T. schwarzi (Mann), T. skwarrae (Wheeler), T. subditivus (Wheeler), T. tenuisculptus (Baroni Urbani), T. terricola (Mann), T. terrigena (Wheeler), T. torrei (Aguayo). The gynes of T. ciferrii, T. fuscatus, T. ixili, T. politus, T. rugosus, T. salvini, T. tenuisculptus and T. torrei are described. The males of T. albispinus and T. fuscatus are described. Lectotypes are designated for T. androsanus, T. annexus, T. augusti, T. aztecus, T. flavidulus, T. fuscatus, T. nigricans, T. pastinifer, T. pergandei, T. politus, T. pulchellus, T. salvini, T. skwarrae, T. subditivus, T. terricola, and T. terrigena. A neotype for Temnothorax salvini obscurior (Forel) is designated, the taxon is raised to species, and a replacement name is designated: T. longicaulis stat. nov., nom. nov. The following species are described as new: T. achii sp. nov., T. acuminatus sp. nov., T. acutispinosus sp. nov., T. agavicola sp. nov., T. altinodus sp. nov., T. arbustus sp. nov., T. aureus sp. nov., T. aztecoides sp. nov., T. bahoruco sp. nov., T. balaclava sp. nov., T. balnearius sp. nov., T. bison sp. nov., T. casanovai sp. nov., T. fortispinosus sp. nov., T. harlequina sp. nov., T. hippolytus sp. nov., T. laticrus sp. nov., T. leucacanthoides sp. nov., T. longinoi sp. nov., T. magnabulla sp. nov., T. misomoschus sp. nov., T. nebliselva sp. nov., T. obtusigaster sp. nov., T. paraztecus sp. nov., T. parralensis sp. nov., T. parvidentatus sp. nov., T. pilicornis sp. nov., T. quercicola sp. nov., T. quetzal sp. nov., T. rutabulafer sp. nov., T. terraztecus sp. nov., T. tuxtlanus sp. nov., T. wettereri sp. nov., T. wilsoni sp. nov., T. xincai sp. nov.