Tetramorium platynode

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Tetramorium platynode
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. platynode
Binomial name
Tetramorium platynode
Bolton, 1980

Tetramorium platynode casent0901117 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium platynode casent0901117 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Known from the holotype worker.

Identification

Bolton (1980) - The species most closely related to T. platynode is Tetramorium nube of Sudan, but in that species the postpetiole is completely devoid of sculpture and the pedicel segments are much less strongly developed.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: South Africa (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

Nomenclature

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

  • platynode. Tetramorium platynode Bolton, 1980: 258, figs. 35, 38 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype worker: TL 3.3, HL 0.78, HW 0.72, CI 92, SL 0.58, SI 81, PW 0.58, AL 0.94.

Mandibles longitudinally striate, clypeus with a shallow median impression. Frontal carinae strongly developed, reaching back almost to occipital margin and markedly sinuate along their length, widest at the level of the eyes. Antennal scrobes well developed. Eye of moderate size, maximum diameter 0.17, about 0.24 x HW, situated at the midlength of the sides of the head. Occipital margin shallowly concave medially in full-face view, the sides shallowly convex. Outline of dorsal alitrunk in profile feebly impressed at metanotal groove. Propodeal spines long, stout and acute, very broad basally; metapleural lobes triangular, short and acute. Petiole squamiform, shaped as in figure; in dorsal view very broad, measuring c. 0.45, about 0.76 x PW. Postpetiole nodiform in profile but very broad in dorsal view and with an irregular lateral outline. Clypeus with the median carina intersected at about its midlength by an irregular transverse rugule which runs from one lateral longitudinal carina to the other. Head with sharp and widely spaced fine longitudinal rugulae, the spaces between them almost smooth, with only the faintest traces of surface sculpture remaining. Cross-meshes absent except on occiput where a feeble reticulum is present. Promesonotal dorsum with a loose, irregular ruguloreticulum the meshes of which are fine and widely spaced; spaces enclosed by the meshes virtually smooth. Petiole with only the faintest traces of sculpture but the postpetiole with a few rugulae and a number of raised welts, the surfaces with very feeble punctulation, effaced in places. First gastral tergite unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous hairs which are quite stout and are blunt or truncated apically. Appendages with fine appressed pubescence only. Colour uniform mid-brown, the head and gaster slightly darker in shade than the alitrunk and pedicel, appendages lighter brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker, South Africa: Cape, Gwanga Drift, Peddie (B. Marais) (The Natural History Museum). The holotype worker of this species was removed from a card of Albany Museum material containing a number of workers of 7 quadrispinosum and was obviously collected as a stray along with the Tetramorium quadrispinosum sample. Dr C. F. Jacot-Guillarmod of AMGS has kindly consented to the deposition of the holotype in BMNH collection.

References

  • Bolton, B. 1980. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 40: 193-384 (page 258, figs. 35, 38 worker described)