Leptothorax athabasca Buschinger & Schulz, 2008, sp.n.

• Main Authors: Buschinger, A., Schulz, A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2008
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Formicidae; Leptothorax; Leptothorax athabasca; Athabasca River
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6234221; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/B1F79E00CB70BED8073236B6E81E72CE

Taxonomy of Leptothorax athabasca sp.n. Etymology. The name refers to the type locality. The specific epithet is to be treated as a noun in apposition. Type locality. On 27 July 1993, seven colonies have been collected in rock crevices on the south-exposed river bank just upriver Athabasca Falls of Athabasca River, Jasper National Park. The site is at 52° 39' 55" ' N, 117° 52' 58" W, at an elevation of c. 1200 m a.s.l. (as indicated by Google Earth). The habitat is the river bank that sometimes is evidently flooded. A horizontally split, schist-like sandstone cliff is exposed there. The ants were exclusively found in rock crevices, whereas above the flood line a number of related species of Leptothorax were dwelling dead wood, or a layer of conifer needles and debris beneath small flat rocks. Mainly Leptothorax retractus Francoeur, 1986 could be found there. Close to the river and in the collecting site the coniferous forest was comparatively open. Type material. Holotype gyne, 11 paratype gynes, 16 paratype workers, 10 paratype males. Measurements of worker (n = 13). HL 697 ± 30 (656 - 760); HW 598 ± 23 (570 - 637); SL 457 ± 14 (437 - 475); MW 416 ± 23 (390 - 456); PSL 119 ± 15 (95 - 143); PEL 239 ± 13 (219 - 257); PEW 180 ± 10 (162 - 190); PPW 255 ± 14 (228 - 285); ML 864 ± 41 (808 - 931); PEH 264 ± 14 (247 - 290); HS 647 ± 26 (613 - 698); SL / HS 0.706 ± 0.019 (0.676 - 0.737); HW / HL 0.858 ± 0.020 (0.822 - 0.884); MW / ML 0.482 ± 0.008 (0.466 -0.495); PSL/ML 0.138 ±0.013 (0.113 -0.158); PEH / PEL 1.107 ± 0.057 (1.000 - 1.217); PEW / PEL 0.755 ± 0.047 (0.667 - 0.833); PEW / PPW 0.707 ± 0.028 (0.667 - 0.760). PSI 1.3 - 1.6 (n = 3). Description of worker. Total length 3.2-3.3 mm; 11 antennomeres, as characteristic for the genus. Head (Fig. 1) subrectangular, with evenly rounded occipital corners. Head width equal in front of and behind the eyes. Eyes comparatively small, situated at midpoint of head. Frontal triangle distinctly delimited and well depressed. Scapes short, not reaching occipital corners. Mesosoma ...