Key to Tetramorium ferox species complex workers

This worker key is based on: Csösz, S. & Schulz, A. 2010. A taxonomic review of the Palaearctic Tetramorium ferox species-complex. Zootaxa. 2401:1-29.

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1

• First gastral tergite imbricate, appears dull; colour yellow. North Caucasus . . . . . Tetramorium aegeum

• First gastral tergite smooth, appears shiny; colour variable, usually brown to black . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

• Ventral surface of head with a row of short setae and long C-shape hairs arising just posteriorly to buccal cavity, forming a psammophore; dark brown to black. Turkey and Ponto-Caspian region . . . . . Tetramorium feroxoides

Worker: Figs 45-47.

• Ventral surface of head with a row of short setae only, without long C-shape hairs; light brown to brown . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Head at least partly smooth and shiny; usually mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole very feebly sculptured; yellow to light brown. Italy to Eastern Mediterranean . . . . . Tetramorium diomedeum

• Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole moderately or coarsely sculptured, rugulose; interspaces between main sculpturation microreticulate, never smooth; light brown to brown. . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

• Head rectangular, with feebly convex sides; anterordorsal angle of petiolar node rounded; D(4b) scores < 0 [D(4b) = 0.0375 CL +0.0781 FR -0.0487 PPW -0.1302 POC +1.2872]. Widely distributed over the western Palaearctic, from Central Europe to the Caucasus and Turkey . . . . . Tetramorium ferox

• Head slightly trapezoidal; petiolar node slightly angulate anterordorsally; D(4b) scores > 0. Armenia and Eastern Turkey . . . . . Tetramorium densopilosum

Worker: Figs 25-27.