Tetramorium viehmeyeri
Tetramorium viehmeyeri | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Tetramorium |
Species: | T. viehmeyeri |
Binomial name | |
Tetramorium viehmeyeri Forel, 1907 |
A species of semi-arid habitats (Heterick 2009).
Photo Gallery
Identification
Heterick (2009) - I am retaining the distinctive nature of the clypeus in the (SWBP) key as a diagnostic feature for the species. There is some question as to the nature of the variation of this character in T. viehmeyeri (see the taxonomy section below). In other respects, what I think is likely to be T. viehmeyeri has dark red workers with lighter-coloured gasters.
Keys including this Species
- Key to Australian Tetramorium Species
- Key to Tetramorium of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province
Distribution
Nominal T. viehmeyeri in the Curtin Ant Collection from WA have mostly been collected in the Newman area in the Pilbara, but several specimens of this species have been collected at Westonia within the SWBP .
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -20.8° to -26.591164°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (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. |
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. |
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- viehmeyeri. Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) viehmeyeri Forel, 1907h: 275 (q.) AUSTRALIA. Bolton, 1977: 142 (w.). Combination in Xiphomyrmex: Viehmeyer, 1925a: 29; in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1977: 142. Senior synonym of venustus: Bolton, 1977: 142.
Taxonomic Notes
Heterick (2009) - Tetramorium viehmeyeri is somewhat problematic. The holotype female may well have been destroyed in WW II (Taylor and Brown 1985). The dealated queen holotype of Tetramorium viehmeyeri venustus Wheeler (WAM) is headless. This taxon was synonymised with T. viehmeyeri by Bolton (1977). However, three worker specimens on the same pin from the Mt Magnet area (in the ANIC Collection), identified by R. W. Taylor as T. viehmeyeri, do not show the supposedly characteristic clypeal feature very well, i.e., one worker does, two do not. I suspect the structure of the clypeus may be variable. More material is needed to clarify the morphological variation and limits of this species.
Type Material
Bolton (1977) - Holotype female, Australia: S. Western Australia, Day Dawn, Stat. 76 (Michaelsen & Hartmeyer) (location of type not known).
- Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) viehmeyeri: Holotype, queen (apparently lost), Day Dawn, Western Australia, Australia.
- Xiphomyrmex viehmeyeri venustus: Holotype, queen, near Government House, Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Xiphomyrmex viehmeyeri venustus: Paratype, 1 worker (probably not a true type), Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia, Western Australian Museum.
Description
Worker
Bolton (1977) - TL 3.5-4.0, HL 0.78-0.90, HW 0.72-0.84, CI 90-93, SL 0.60-0.70, SI 83-86, PW 0.56-0.64, AL 0.92-1.12 (9 measured).
Mandibles striate. Anterior clypeal margin with a distinct median notch or impression. Anterior half to two-thirds of median portion of clypeus descending very steeply, almost vertical, this descending portion conspicuously transversely concave. Median clypeal carina absent from descending portion, short, present on the posterior portion and curve of the clypeus only, sometimes very faint. Frontal carinae with a raised, semi-translucent narrow flange which is distinct to the level of the posterior margins of the eyes, behind this the frontal carinae being scarcely stronger than the other sculpture. Scrobes narrow and shallow, for scape only. Eyes large and strongly convex, the maximum diameter c. 0.20-0.24 at HW 0.72-0.84 respectively. Propodeal spines narrow and acute; metapleural lobes triangular, dentiform. Node of petiole in profile angular, the tergal portion about as long as high. In dorsal view the node as broad as or slightly broader than long. Dorsum of head with spaced-out fine longitudinal rugulae, the spaces between them finely and densely reticulate-punctate. Scrobes reticulate-punctate. Dorsal alitrunk with a disorganized rugoreticulum on the pronotum, the constituents of which are sharply defined. Elsewhere on dorsal alitrunk cross-meshes are reduced in number or absent. Petiole and postpetiole finely rugulose, the spaces here and on the alitrunk densely punctulate, but much more conspicuously so on the alitrunk. Gaster smooth or with a very faint shagreening near the base of the first tergite. Hairs numerous on all dorsal surfaces of head and ali trunk, and with shorter subdecumbent hairs on scapes and legs. Colour yellow-brown, the gaster and appendages yellow.
References
- Bolton, B. 1977. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Oriental and Indo-Australian regions, and in Australia. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 36:67-151. (page 142, worker described, Combination in Tetramorium, and senior synonym of venustus)
- Forel, A. 1907j. Formicidae. In: Michaelsen, W., Hartmeyer, R. (eds.) Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Band I, Lieferung 7. Jena: Gustav Fischer, pp. 263-310. (page 275, queen described)
- Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Viehmeyer, H. 1925a. Formiciden der australischen Faunenregion. (Fortsetzung.). Entomol. Mitt. 14: 25-39 (page 29, Combination in Xiphomyrmex)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Wheeler W. M. 1934. Contributions to the fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia. No. IX. The ants. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 20: 137-163.