Temnothorax barryi (Cagniant)

Type location Algeria (Leptothorax barryi, Cagniant, illustrated, worker; in Temnothorax by Bolton, 2003: 272); seven workers described (Cagniant, 1967b) Massif de Aures.

Cagniant's description is at .

WORKER - TL 3.5-3.7-3.8 mm; CI 130-133; eye length/HL = 0.27-0.29; SL 104-107.

Petiole node in profile rounded not angular; larger than approximately similar species from the Saharan edge. The similar Temnothorax laciniatus (see https://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=focol2025) is about 20% smaller, with much less obvious sculpture and short frontal carina.

Head, alitrunk and pedicel yellow-brown, sculptured but quite shiny. Gaster duller brown, smooth and shiny. Appendages pale yellow. Erect hairs stout, truncated at their extremities, very sparse on the body, the longest longer than the maximum width of the hind tibiae. Gaster with the usual mixture of erect hairs and pubescence, the latter decumbent. Legs, mandibles, clypeus and scapes with oblique pilosity.

Our specimen from Senegal, shown below, shares almost all the characteristics of T. barryi, including the long frontal carinae. The main difference seems to be the greater abundance of erect pilosity on the Senegal worker, with erect hairs on the underside of the head.

The specimens do not key out from the modern revision by Prebus (2015) [Prebus, M. 2015. Palearctic elements in the old world tropics: a taxonomic revision of the ant genus Temnothorax Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) for the Afrotropical biogeographical region. Zookeys, 483: 23-57.].

The photomontage of the holotype is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0915383

Oxford University Museum specimens

Temnothorax barryi B Taylor det.

Senegal Lamine Diamé 38

2012 Thiés 14°45'N 17°03'W

Pout S. seche

1

The photomontage is of a worker from Senegal; Thiés; collector Lamine Diamé (38). First posted as Tetramorium n sp Diame Senegal.

TL ca 3.3 mm, HL 0.80, HW 0.55, CI 70, SL 0.64, SI 124, PW 0.42, EL 0.22 = 0.4 X HW

Antennae 12-segmented; anterior clypeal margin entire and arcuate; mandibles weakly striated; frontal carinae extending back to two-thirds point of eye; petiole node relatively long and low, profile near cubic with a weakly domed dorsum; outer surface of hind tibia without raised hairs. Bolton's (1980) key leads to couplet 157, Tetramorium doriae and T. gracile. The general form and characters are akin to Tetramorium doriae but this is considerably larger, the frontal carinae are much longer, the SI is higher, the eyes are relatively much larger, and, the colour is lighter. Tetramorium gracile has a short near square head in full face view.