Tetramorium titus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Tetramorium titus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. titus
Binomial name
Tetramorium titus
Forel, 1910

Tetramorium titus casent0249010 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium titus casent0249010 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Known from the type, presumably collected before 1910, and a grassland pitfall-trap sample collected in 2006.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -25.92594° to -25.92594°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: South Africa (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

Nomenclature

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

  • titus. Tetramorium titus Forel, 1910e: 427 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. See also: Bolton, 1980: 264.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (1980) - TL 3.6, HL 0.80, HW 0.79, CI 98, SL 0.54, SI 68, PW 0.52, AL 0.96. Mandibles smooth and shining with scattered small pits. Anterior clypeal margin with a median notch or impression. Head relatively short and broad, CI approathing 100, and the scapes relatively short, SI 68. Frontal carinae strongly developed, extending back almost to the occiput, sinuate and broadest at the level of the eyes where they are c. 0.45 across, about 0.57 x HW. Eyes moderate, maximum diameter 0.20, about 0.25 x HW. Alitrunk in profile with promesonotum more or less evenly convex, the metanotal groove strongly impressed. Propodeum rising slightly from metanotal groove, then sloping downwards to the base of the short, acute, broad-based propodeal spines. Mesopleuron retaining a weak suture dividing it into anand katepisterna. Petiole in profile high and narrow, the height of the tergum much greater than the dorsal length, the shape as in Fig. 41. Petiole in posterior view with the node high, narrow and almost columnar, with a rounded top and sides which are only feebly convergent dorsally. Clypeus with median carina absent. Dorsum of head with meandering longitudinal rugulae which run from clypeus to occiput without crossmeshes or anastomoses. Promesonotal dorsum mostly smooth, with only a few faint longitudinal rugulae which become progressively stronger towards the metanotal groove; spaces between these rugulae smooth. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster smooth and unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous long, fine, soft hairs which are acute apically. Scapes and tibiae with long, subdecumbent to decumbent pubescence. Within the group titus is closest related to vexator with which it shares the characters of smooth mandibles, long pilosity and notched clypeus. However, vexator is a more strongly sculptured species with a more modified petiole node in which the dorsal and posterior faces have been united to form a single steep convexity, the highest point of which is the anterodorsal angle.

Type Material

Bolton (1980) - Holotype worker, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal (Wroughton) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève)

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.