Key to Tetramorium tortuosum-group species of the New World

This worker key is modified from Vásquez-Bolaños et al. 2011. It does not include Tetramorium azcatltontlium.

You may also be interested in:

• The Tetramorium tortuosum species group
• Key to Tetramorium species of the United States
• Checklist of Tetramorium species of United States
• Checklist of Tetramorium species of Mexico
• Tetramorium

1

• Hairs length of antennal scape and external surface of metatibia distinctly longer than maximal diameter of corresponding appendage. Scape Index (SI) 94-99 (Mexico: Jalisco and Nayarit) . . . . . Tetramorium mexicanum

• Hairs length of antennal scape and external surface of metatibia distinctly shorter than maximal diameter of corresponding appendage. Scape Index (SI) 79-90 . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

• Petiolar dorsal surface without sculpture. Small ants, range of head width (HW range 0.66-0.72 mm; Mexico: Jalisco and Nayarit) . . . . . Tetramorium placidum

• Petiolar dorsal surface with sculpture. Large ants, head width (HW) between 0.77 mm and 1.0 mm . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Large eyes, maximal diameter greater than a quarter of the head width. Hairs length on pronotal dorsal surface and frontal carinae, shorter than maximal eye diameter; small and erected hairs (USA: Arizona and Texas) . . . . . Tetramorium hispidum

• Small eyes, maximal diameter less than a quarter of the head width. Hairs length on pronotal dorsal surface and frontal carinae equal or greater than maximal eye diameter; longer hairs, fine and curved . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

• Dorsum of body with longitudinal ridges (Mexico: Baja California, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas) . . . . . Tetramorium spinosum

• Dorsum of body reticulated . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

• Postpetiole dorsum without ridges. Total length from 3.4 mm to 3.8 mm (Mexico: Jalisco) . . . . . Tetramorium bicolorum

• Postpetiole dorsum with ridges. Total length from 3.8 mm to 4.0 mm (Mexico: Puebla) . . . . . Tetramorium notomelanum

References

• Vásquez-Bolaños, M., Castaño-Meneses, G. & Guzmán-Mendoza, R. 2011. New species of Tetramorium from Puebla State, Mexico. Neotropical Entomology. 40:452-455.