Tetramorium singletonae

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

Tetramorium singletonae casent0247161 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium singletonae casent0247161 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

The available material from this new species was sampled from Ambanizana and Amparihibe. Both localities are rainforests located in the northeast of Madagascar at elevations of 425 to approximately 1000 m. Tetramorium singletonae appears to live and/or forage on the ground since most specimens were collected from pitfall traps. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Identification

A member of the Tetramorium noeli species complex of the Tetramorium tortuosum-species group.

Tetramorium singletonae is the species with the shortest antennal scapes (SI 70 -74 vs. SI 78 - 86), smallest eyes (OI 16 - 17 vs. OI 21 - 24), and shortest propodeal spines (PSLI 27 - 29 vs. PSLI 38 - 65) encountered in the T. noeli species complex, and is thus easily recognisable. At first glance T. singletonae is also morphologically close to Tetramorium nify from the T. andrei species complex since both have shorter propodeal spines than most other T. tortuosum group species and similarly shaped waist segments, but the base of the first gastral tergite is unsculptured in T. nify. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 15.66667° to 15.66667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Tetramorium singletonae casent0247161 p 2 high.jpg
Holotype of Tetramorium singletonaeWorker. Specimen code casent0247161. Photographer Shannon Hartman, 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.

  • singletonae. Tetramorium singletonae Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012: 64, figs. 30, 32, 38, 39, 120-122, 142 (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 0.90 - 0.92 (0.91); HW 0.87 - 0.90 (0.89); SL 0.62 - 0.66 (0.64); EL 0.14 - 0.16 (0.15); PH 0.42 - 0.49 (0.47); PW 0.67 - 0.69 (0.68); WL 1.10 - 1.16 (1.13); PSL 0.25 - 0.27 (0.25); PTL 0.33 - 0.35 (0.34); PTH 0.33 - 0.36 (0.33); PTW 0.27 - 0.29 (0.28); PPL 0.30 - 0.31 (0.30); PPH 0.34 - 0.35 (0.34); PPW 0.35 - 0.37 (0.36); CI 97 - 98 (98); SI 70 - 74 (72); OI 16 - 17 (17); DMI 59 - 62 (60); LMI 38 - 44 (41); PSLI 27 - 29 (28); PeNI 40 - 42 (41); LPeI 94 - 106 (101); DPeI 81 - 85 (83); PpNI 51 - 54 (53); LPpI 86 - 91 (89); DPpI 115 - 122 (118); PPI 126 - 130 (128) (eight measured).

Head weakly longer than wider (CI 97 - 98). Anterior clypeal margin with median impression, sometimes weak, but always distinct. Frontal carinae well-developed, diverging posteriorly, and ending at corners of posterior head margin. Antennal scrobes developed, but shallow, narrow, and without defined posterior and ventral margins. Antennal scapes comparatively short, not reaching posterior head margin (SI 70 - 74). Eyes very small (OI 16 - 17). Mesosomal outline in profile flat, moderately marginate from lateral to dorsal mesosoma; promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent; mesosoma comparatively stout and high (LMI 38 - 44). Propodeal spines with very broad base, up-curved, elongate-triangular, and moderately long (PSLI 27 - 29); propodeal lobes well-developed, triangular and acute. Petiolar node in profile rectangular nodiform, ranging from weakly longer than high to weakly higher than long (LPeI 94 - 106), anterior and posterior faces approximately parallel, anterodorsal and posterodorsal margins approximately at same height, dorsum flat to weakly convex; node in dorsal view approximately 1.2 times longer than wide (DPeI 81 - 85). Postpetiole in profile globular, approximately 1.1 times higher than long (LPpI 86 - 91); in dorsal view around 1.2 times wider than long (DPpI 115 - 122). Postpetiole in profile appearing approximately as voluminous as petiolar node, in dorsal view approximately 1.2 to 1.3 times wider than petiolar node (PPI 126 - 130). Mandibles distinctly longitudinally rugose; clypeus longitudinally rugose, with three to five rugae; cephalic dorsum between frontal carinae with 8 to 11 longitudinal rugae, most rugae running unbroken from posterior head margin to posterior clypeus, few rugae interrupted or with cross-meshes; lateral and ventral head longitudinally rugose, rarely with cross-meshes. Mesosoma laterally and dorsally distinctly longitudinally rugose. Forecoxae unsculptured. Waist segments strongly irregularly longitudinally rugose. Base of first gastral tergite with costulate sculpture, remainder of gaster unsculptured, smooth, and shiny. Ground sculpture generally faint to absent everywhere on body. All dorsal surfaces of head, mesosoma, waist segments, and gaster with abundant, long, and fine standing hairs. First gastral tergite without distinct, appressed pubescence. Anterior edges of antennal scapes with subdecumbent to erect, standing hairs. Body a uniform brown colour.

Type Material

Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR, Toamasina, 5.3 km SSE Ambanizana, Andranobe, 15.66667 S, 49.96667 E, 425 m, rainforest, pitfall trap, collection code BLF00906, 19.XI.1993 (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences: CASENT0247161). Paratypes, five workers with same data as holotype (CASC: CASENT0188733; CASENT0247159; CASENT0270778).

Etymology

The new species is dedicated to Sarah Singleton for her support to promote the discovery and identification of life on earth.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Hita Garcia F., and B. L. Fisher. 2012. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomic revision of the T. kelleri and T. tortuosum species groups. Zootaxa 3592: 1-85.