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Tetramorium intermedium
| Tetramorium intermedium | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Tetramorium |
| Species: | T. intermedium |
| Binomial name | |
| Tetramorium intermedium Hita Garcia, Fischer & Peters, 2010
| |
Collected from forest leaf-litter.
Identification
Tetramorium intermedium can be well distinguished from other species of the complex because it is the only one with an antennal scape of medium length (SI 74 - 81) and head and mesosoma fully packed with widely spaced longitudinal rugae.
A member of the Afrotropical muralti species complex, which is part of the weitzeckeri species group.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Ghana (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
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.
- intermedium. Tetramorium intermedium Hita Garcia, Fischer & Peters, 2010b: 48, figs. 5B, 55-57 (w.) GHANA.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Aiyeola Forest Reserve, Kade, Ghana, 6.X.1992, R. Belshaw, ZFMK_HYM_2009_6113, The Natural History Museum; primary forest, ex leaf litter.
- Paratypes, 8 workers with same data as holotype (The Natural History Museum: ZFMK_HYM_2009_6114, ZFMK_HYM_2009_6115, ZFMK_HYM_2009_6116, ZFMK_HYM_2009_6121); 9 workers from GHANA, Atewa Forest Reserve, nr. Kibi, ex leaf litter, 26.II.1992, leg. R. Belshaw (The Natural History Museum: 6 workers ZFMK_HYM_2009_6118, ZFMK_HYM_2009_6120; California Academy of Sciences: 1 worker ZFMK_HYM_2009_6122; Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève: 1 worker ZFMK_HYM_2009_6123; Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander König: 1 worker ZFMK_HYM_2009_6119); 3 workers from GHANA, Bunso nr. Tafo, 17.IV.1992, leg. R. Belshaw (The Natural History Museum: ZFMK_HYM_2009_6117); and 3 workers from GHANA, Kade, X.1992, leg. R. Belshaw (Barry Bolton Reference Collection: ZFMK_HYM_2009_6185).
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
The new species shows an extraordinary character combination for the muralti complex. Within this complex it is the only species with fully longitudinally rugose head and mesosoma although this character is more typical of the edouardi and weitzeckeri complexes. Another character that divides T. intermedium from the remainder of the muralti complex is the moderately sized antennal scape (SI 74 - 81) that is distinctly longer than in all other muralti complex species that all possess short scapes (SI 63 - 73). This character is also more representative for the other 2 species complexes. A third important character is the shape of the petiolar node which is thickly squamiform (DPeI 179 - 212, LPeI 41 - 45), and not far from being high nodiform, typical for the edouardi complex. Only T. akengense shows a similarly thick petiole but this species cannot be confused with T. intermedium because of its reduced sculpturation. Nonetheless, T. intermedium is considered to belong to the muralti complex because it shares the key diagnostic character, the well-developed antennal scrobe with distinct and sharp margin all around. Taking into consideration the description of T. intermedium it shares more important characters with the muralti complex than with both other complexes.
Description
Worker
HL 0.528 - 0.578 (0.556); HW 0.494 - 0.533 (0.521); SL 0.367 - 0.422 (0.406); EL 0.117 - 0.133 (0.124); PW 0.394 - 0.422 (0.412); WL 0.622 - 0.700 (0.670); PSL 0.133 - 0.161 (0.146); PTL 0.094 - 0.106 (0.099); PTH 0.222 - 0.244 (0.234); PTW 0.178 - 0.211 (0.193); PPL 0.150 - 0.194 (0.170); PPH 0.200 - 0.244 (0.229); PPW 0.222 - 0.256 (0.241); CI 90 - 96 (94); SI 74 - 81 (78); OI 22 - 25 (24); PSLI 24 - 29 (26); PeNI 45 - 50 (47); LPeI 41 - 45 (43); DPeI 179 - 212 (195); PpNI 56 - 61 (58); LPpI 66 - 84 (74); DPpI 126 - 153 (141); PPI 116 - 131 (125) (19 measured).
Head longer than wide (CI 90 - 96). Anterior clypeal margin entire and generally convex. Frontal carinae strongly developed and sinuate, curving down ventrally shortly before posterior margin of head to form the posterior and ventral margins of antennal scrobe. Scrobe well-developed, broad and relatively deep, with distinct sharp margin all around. Antennal scape moderate (SI 74 - 81). Eyes moderate to large (OI 22 - 25), with 7 to 9 ommatidia in longest row. Metanotal groove in profile not impressed. Propodeal spines long and spinose (PSLI 24 - 29). Propodeal lobes small and triangular and acute. Petiolar node thickly squamiform, in dorsal view between 1.8 to 2.1 times wider than long (DPeI 179 - 212) and around 2.2 to 2.5 times higher than long (LPeI 41 - 45). Postpetiole rounded, in dorsal view between 1.2 and 1.5 times wider than long (DPpI 126 - 153); in profile generally around 1.2 to 1.5 times higher than long (LPpI 66 - 84). Mandibles unsculptured, smooth and shiny. Clypeus with 3 unbroken longitudinal rugae. Head longitudinally rugose, generally with 6 widely spaced rugae between frontal carinae, sometimes interrupted or short, antennal scrobe with median longitudinal carina anteriorly running at most to posterior eye level, spaces between rugae and scrobal area unsculptured and shiny. Mesosoma laterally and dorsally longitudinally rugose, too, with 6 or more rugae on dorsum of mesosoma; ground sculpturation smooth and shiny. Petiole, postpetiole, and gaster completely unsculptured, smooth and shiny. All dorsal surfaces with simple, fine, standing hairs. Fine pubescence on tibiae and antennal scapes appressed to subdecumbent. Colour uniformly brown, appendages much lighter brown.
Etymology
The new species is, as noted above, quite unusual in its character combination, and, although a clear member of the muralti complex, shows some tendencies towards the other two species complexes. The species epithet accounts for this intermediate position.
References
- Hita Garcia, F.; Fischer, G.; Peters, M. K. 2010. Taxonomy of the Tetramorium weitzeckeri species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Afrotropical zoogeographical region. Zootaxa 2704:1-90.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Hita Garcia F., G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2010. Taxonomy of the Tetramorium weitzeckeri species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Afrotropical zoogeographical region. Zootaxa 2704: 1-90.