Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium sericeiventre species group

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

This worker key is based on Bolton (1980)[1]

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1

  • Antennal scapes and tibiae of the middle and hind legs with numerous short, standing hairs . . . . . 2 (bequaerti complex)
  • With the mesosoma in profile, dorsum with standing hairs that are longer than broad . . . . . 5 (sericeiventre complex)

2

return to couplet #1

  • All dorsal surfaces of head and body, antenna) scapes and all surfaces of legs with a very dense pelt of short soft hairs of approximately uniform length, the whole ant with a furry appearance ..... Tetramorium xuthum
Tetramorium xuthum casent0901251 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium xuthum casent0901251 d 1 high.jpg
  • All dorsal surfaces of head and body with scattered stout hairs of varying length. Antennal scapes and surfaces of legs with spaced out short stout hairs . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

  • Head in side view with the lower occipital angle prolonged into a prominent lug or lobe, truncated apically. Hairs on dorsal alitrunk short, the longest of them shorter than the maximum width of the hind tibia..... Tetramorium bequaerti
Tetramorium bequaerti casent0217960 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium bequaerti casent0217960 d 1 high.jpg
  • Head in side view with the lower occipital angle rounded and inconspicuous. Hairs on dorsal alitrunk long, the longest of them exceeding the maximum width of the hind tibia . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

  • Dorsum of head behind level of eyes feebly sculptured to smooth, at most with a few very faint longitudinal rugulae, the surfaces shining and to a great extent smooth..... Tetramorium bulawayense
Tetramorium bulawayense casent0901250 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium bulawayense casent0901250 d 1 high.jpg
  • Dorsum of head behind level of eyes strongly longitudinally rugulose and rough, the surfaces extensively punctulate and quite dull..... Tetramorium hortorum
Tetramorium hortorum casent0901249 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium hortorum casent0901249 d 1 high.jpg

5

return to couplet #1

Tetramorium longicorne casent0217213 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium longicorne casent0217213 d 1 high.jpg
  • Mesosoma with erect hairs. Clypeus as usual . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

  • Propodeal dorsum in profile with one or more pairs of hairs arising from the surface between the metanotal impression and the base of the spines . . . . . 7
  • Propodeal dorsum in profile without hairs, the posteriormost pair occurring at or before the metanotal impression . . . . . 10

7

return to couplet #6

  • With the head in full-face view the sides behind the eyes with numerous (usually > 10 on each side) short stout freely projecting hairs which break the outline of the sides . . . . . 8
  • With the head in full-face view the sides behind the eyes either without projecting hairs or at most with 1- 3 long fine hairs on each side . . . . . 9

8

return to couplet #7

  • Pronotum smooth dorsally or at most with widely scattered vestigial rugulae. Median strip of petiole dorsum unsculptured ..... Tetramorium petersi
Tetramorium petersi casent0909152 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium petersi casent0909152 d 1 high.jpg
  • Pronotum very coarsely longitudinally rugose dorsally. Median strip of petiole dorsum strongly rugulose with densely punctulate spaces ..... Tetramorium asetyum
Tetramorium asetyum casent0901247 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium asetyum casent0901247 d 1 high.jpg

9

return to couplet #7

  • Propodeal dorsum with only a single pair of hairs, situated on the dorsum above the spiracle. Hairs on first gastral tergite generally blunt apically ..... Tetramorium khyarum
Tetramorium khyarum casent0264349 p 1 high.jpg
Tetramorium khyarum casent0264349 d 1 high.jpg
  • Propodeal dorsum with several pairs of hairs. Hairs on first gastral tergite slender, generally acute apically ..... Tetramorium sepositum
Tetramorium sepositum hal.jpg
Tetramorium sepositum had.jpg

10

return to couplet #6

  • Dorsal alitrunk covered with very coarse, sharply raised rugose sculpture, the spaces between the rugae shining, without dense reticulate-punctate sculpture ..... Tetramorium gladstonei
MCZ-ENT00512604 Tetramorium gladstonei hal 5.jpg
MCZ-ENT00512604 Tetramorium gladstonei had 5.jpg
  • Dorsal alitrunk without coarse rugose sculpture but often with fine rugulae. If the latter then the spaces between the rugulae are densely reticulate-punctate, generally matt and dull ..... Tetramorium sericeiventre
Tetramorium sericeiventre casent0102388 profile 1.jpg
Tetramorium sericeiventre casent0102388 dorsal 1.jpg

References