Tetramorium malagasy

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Tetramorium malagasy
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. malagasy
Binomial name
Tetramorium malagasy
Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012

Tetramorium malagasy casent0053490 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium malagasy casent0053490 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Widely distributed in Madagascar, and seems to prefer deciduous forest habitats, such as tropical dry forest, gallery forest, spiny forest or thicket, whereas it is much rarer in humid forests. It occurs in many localities at the western coast from the Mahafaly Plateau north to Namoroka, and several more in the southwest from Beza-Mahafaly through Sakaraha and Zombitse to Vohibasia, Analalava, and Isalo. Tetramorium malagasy is also present in the southeast around Mahavelo and Berenty, and several forests in the east north to Moramanga. However, it seems to be comparatively rare north of Moramanga in the east and Namoroka in the west since it was only sampled from three localities in the northwest (Anabohazo, Ambilanivy, Ambato). (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Identification

A member of the Tetramorium bessonii-species group

The following combination of characters distinguishes T. malagasy from the other species group members: short antennal scapes (SI 71 - 74); PSLI 33 - 37; absence of promesonotal suture; petiolar node in profile high nodiform, anterior and posterior faces approximately parallel, anterodorsal and posterodorsal angles at about same height, dorsum well-developed and not tapering backwards posteriorly; standing hairs absent from waist segments and first gastral tergite; and pubescence on first gastral tergite very short and appressed. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -17.8802° to -18.0264°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Images from AntWeb

Tetramorium malagasy casent0053490 p 2 high.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0053490. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Tetramorium malagasy casent0449550 h 1 high.jpgTetramorium malagasy casent0449550 p 1 high.jpgTetramorium malagasy casent0449550 d 1 high.jpgTetramorium malagasy casent0449550 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype of Tetramorium malagasyWorker. Specimen code casent0449550. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • malagasy. Tetramorium malagasy Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012: 18, figs. 2, 8, 9, 17-19 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

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

Description

Worker

HL 0.76 - 0.85 (0.82); HW 0.76 - 0.87 (0.82); SL 0.56 - 0.62 (0.60); EL 0.16 - 0.20 (0.18); PH 0.43 - 0.49 (0.46); PW 0.56 - 0.63 (0.60); WL 1.01 - 1.13 (1.07); PSL 0.25 - 0.31 (0.28); PTL 0.17 - 0.20 (0.19); PTH 0.31 - 0.34 (0.33); PTW 0.27 - 0.32 (0.29); PPL 0.22 - 0.25 (0.24); PPH 0.30 - 0.36 (0.33); PPW 0.32 - 0.37 (0.35); CI 100 - 102 (101); SI 71 - 74 (73); OI 20 - 24 (22); DMI 54 - 58 (56); LMI 42 - 45 (43); PSLI 33 - 37 (34); PeNI 45 - 51 (48); LPeI 51 - 63 (57); DPeI 147 - 165 (155); PpNI 52 - 61 (57); LPpI 68 - 75 (72); DPpI 138 - 152 (145); PPI 112 - 129 (120) (15 measured).

Head generally wider than long (CI 100 - 102). Anterior clypeal margin with distinct median impression. Frontal carinae well-developed, becoming weaker shortly after level of posterior eye margin and fading out shortly before posterior head margin. Antennal scrobes faint to absent, posterior and ventral margins never differentiated. Antennal scapes short, not reaching posterior head margin (SI 71 - 74). Eyes small to moderate (OI 20 - 24). Mesosomal outline in profile convex, dorsally transversely rounded, weakly to moderately marginate from lateral to dorsal mesosoma; promesonotal suture absent, metanotal groove weak but present; mesosoma comparatively stout (LMI 42 - 45). Propodeal spines long, spinose, and acute (PSLI 33 - 37). Propodeal lobes very small and broadly triangular. Petiolar node high nodiform, anterior and posterior faces approximately parallel, anterodorsal and posterodorsal angles at about same height, dorsum not tapering backwards posteriorly; node in dorsal view not strongly transverse, between 1.4 to 1.7 times wider than long (DPeI 147 - 165), in lateral view between 1.6 to 2 times higher than long (LPeI 51 - 63). Postpetiole in profile rounded and weakly anteroposteriorly compressed, approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times higher than long (LPpI 68 - 75), in dorsal view between 1.3 to 1.6 wider than long (DPpI 138 - 152). Postpetiole in profile less voluminous than petiolar node, in dorsal view approximately 1.1 to 1.3 times wider than petiolar node (PPI 112 - 129). Mandibles distinctly longitudinally striate; clypeus always with strong median longitudinal ruga and one or two weaker rugulae at each side; cephalic dorsum between frontal carinae only with one well-developed longitudinal median ruga, median ruga diverging approximately at eye level into two rugae running to posterior clypeal margin, area between median ruga and frontal carinae often unsculptured or with traces of weak rugulae, median ruga of same length as frontal carinae; scrobal area, lateral and ventral head with irregular longitudinal rugulae, anteriorly more reticulate-rugose and posteriorly more weakly developed. Ground sculpture generally weak, but present. Mesosoma, waist segments, and gaster unsculptured and smooth. Ground sculpture on whole body generally faint. Head with several long, standing hairs, mesosoma often without any pilosity, mesonotum sometimes with one pair of hairs, waist segments and first gastral tergite always without any standing hairs; whole body with widely spaced short, appressed pubescence. Whole body of uniform brownish colour.

Type Material

Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR, Toliara, Forêt de Mite, 20.7 km 29° WNW Tongobory, 23.52417 S, 44.12133 E, 75 m, gallery forest, ex rotten log, BLF5905, 27.II.-3.III.2002 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (California Academy of Sciences: CASENT0449550). Paratypes, eight workers with same data as holotype (The Natural History Museum: CASENT0449549; CASC: CASENT0449540; CASENT0449541; CASENT0449542; CASENT0449543; CASENT0449544; CASENT0449545; CASENT0449547; CASENT0449548); 27 workers with same data as holotype but collection code BLF5850 (CASC: CASENT0018397; CASENT0018732; CASENT0018738; CASENT0018740; CASENT0018748; CASENT0019010; CASENT0019013; CASENT0019016; CASENT0019018; CASENT0019024;CASENT0019027; CASENT0019028; CASENT0019031; CASENT0019036; CASENT0019038; CASENT0019051;CASENT0019040; CASENT0019044; CASENT0019053; CASENT0019056; CASENT0019057; CASENT0019061; CASENT0019064; CASENT0019066; CASENT0019076; MCZ: CASENT0018734; NHMB: CASENT0018736); and four workers with same data as holotype but collection code BLF5961 (CASC: CASENT0004095; CASENT0004098; CASENT0004104; Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève: CASENT0004141).

Etymology

The new species is dedicated to Madagascar, its people and language. The species epithet is a noun in apposition and thus invariant.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Garcia H. F. and B. L. Fisher. 2012. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups. Zootaxa 3365: 1-123
  • Ravelomanana A., and B. L. Fisher. 2013. Diversity of ants in burned and unburned grassland , and dry deciduous forest in the Beanka Reserve, Melaky Region, western Madagascar. Malagasy Nature 7: 171-183.