Tetramorium berbiculum

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Tetramorium berbiculum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. berbiculum
Binomial name
Tetramorium berbiculum
Bolton, 1980

Tetramorium berbiculum casent0901214 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium berbiculum casent0901214 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Tetramorium berbiculum.

Identification

A member of the Tetramorium simillimum species group.

Bolton (1980) - Of the three yellow species in the oculatum-complex of this group two, Tetramorium arnoldi and T. berbiculum, have the propodeum unarmed. The third species, Tetramorium luteolum, has small but well-developed propodeal teeth. The differences separating T. arnoldi and T. berbiculum are tabulated as follows.

T. arnoldi

  • Hairs absent from dorsal alitrunk.
  • Antennal scapes shorter, SI 68-72.
  • Petiole node less massive in profile
  • Petiole node in dorsal view broader than long.
  • Head somewhat broader, CI 89-94.

T. berbiculum

  • Hairs present on dorsal alitrunk.
  • Antennal scapes longer, SI 77-80.
  • Petiole node more massive in profile
  • Petiole node in dorsal view about as long as broad.
  • Head somewhat narrower, CI 86-87.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -19.83333° to -19.83333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Zimbabwe (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • berbiculum. Tetramorium berbiculum Bolton, 1980: 307, fig. 92 (w.) ZIMBABWE.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 2.9, HL 0.68, HW 0.59, CI 87, SL 0.46, SI. 78, PW 0.44, AL 0.78. Paratypes (2 measured): TL 2.8-2.9, HL 0.70, HW 0.60, CI 86, SL 0.46-0.48, SI 77-80, PW 0.46, AL 0.80-0.82. Maximum diameter of eye 0.18-0.19, about 0.30-0.32 x HW.

Mandibles finely longitudinally striate. Anterior clypeal margin entire, without a median notch or impression. Frontal carinae very feebly developed, ending close to level of posterior margins of eyes where they fade out or are broken. (In paratypes extending beyond level of eyes but in entire type-series the carinae no more strongly developed than the remaining cephalic rugulae.) Antennal scrobes vestigial, merely a very weak shallow impression in the sides of the head. Eyes situated very slightly behind the midlength of the sides, maximum diameter 0.18, about 0.30 x HW and with 11-12 ommatidia in the longest row. Metanotal groove slightly impressed in profile. Propodeum unarmed, the dorsum meeting the declivity in a blunt angle or very low blunt prominence, without differentiated teeth. Metapleural lobes prominent but low and rounded apically. Petiole node in profile with the dorsal surface sloping downwards posteriorly so that the anterior face of the node is distinctly longer than the posterior. Dorsal length of node equal to or slightly greater than the height of the tergal portion. In dorsal view the petiole node about as broad as long, rounded, without sharp margins or angles. Dorsum of head finely and irregularly longitudinally rugulose, with a dense blanketing reticulate-punctate ground-sculpture which is very conspicuous. Dorsal alitrunk finely reticulate-punctate with the faintest vestiges of rugular sculpture on the pronotum, almost effaced. Petiole and postpetiole exceedingly finely and shallowly punctulate, with a granular appearance. Base of first gastral tergite superficially shagreened. Stout, blunt, short hairs conspicuous on first gastral tergite and postpetiole, more sparse and shorter on head, promesonotum and petiole, absent from propodeum. Ventral surface of head with several elongate finer hairs situated just posterior to the buccal cavity which are hooked or J-shaped. Middle and hind tibiae with minute decumbent pubescence. Colour uniform pale yellow.

Paratypes as holotype.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Rhodesia: Nyamandhlovu, 27.xi.1960, Nat. Mus. S. Rhodesia (G. Arnold (Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe). Paratypes. 3 workers with same data as holotype (one with head missing) (NMBZ; The Natural History Museum).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection