Key to Tetramorium bonibony-group species

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

Based on Hita Garcia and Fisher (2012. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups. Zootaxa 3365: 1-123. PDF )

1

  • Mesosoma with distinct anterodorsal median protuberance on pronotum (Fig. 29) . . . . . 2
  • Mesosoma usually with well-developed anterior face of pronotum, but always without distinct anterodorsal median protuberance on pronotum (Figs. 30, 31) . . . . . 4
FIGURES 29–31. 29. Mesosoma of T. trafo in profile with distinct pronotal protuberance - CASENT0404115 (William Ericson 2011). 30. Mesosoma of T. sada in profile without distinct pronotal protuberance - CASENT0443274 (William Ericson 2011). 31. Mesosoma of T. kali in profile without distinct pronotal protuberance - CASENT0235221 (William Ericson 2011).

2

return to couplet #1

  • Bicoloured species with brown to dark brown head and mesosoma and yellow to light brown waist segments and gaster; propodeal spines very long (PSLI 37 - 44) (Fig. 32) . . . . . Tetramorium bonibony
  • Uniformly coloured species; propodeal spines medium-sized to long (PSLI 26 - 31) (Fig. 33) . . . . . 3
FIGURES 32 & 33. 32. Body of T. bonibony in profile with distinct bicolouration - CASENT0486252 (William Ericson 2011). 33. Body of T. trafo in profile with uniform colouration - CASENT0404115 (William Ericson 2011).

3

return to couplet #2

  • Petiolar node in profile distinctly triangular cuneiform and strongly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally; in dorsal view highly transverse (LPeI 18 - 27; DPeI 400 - 590) (Fig. 34) . . . . . Tetramorium popell
  • Petiolar node in profile less strongly triangular, generally slightly cuneiform and only weakly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally; in dorsal view less transverse than above (LPeI 48 - 54; DPeI 161 - 188) (Fig. 35) . . . . . Tetramorium trafo
FIGURES 34 & 35. 34. Waist segments of T. popell in profile with strongly triangular petiolar node - CASENT0016867 (Estella Ortega 2012). 35. Waist segments of 'T. trafo in profile with less strongly triangular petiolar node - CASENT0404115 (William Ericson 2011).

4

return to couplet #1

  • Antennal scape comparatively longer (SI 76 - 82); anterior mesosoma without well-developed anterior face of pronotum (Fig. 36) . . . . . Tetramorium kali
  • Antennal scape comparatively shorter (SI 65 - 73); anterior mesosoma with well-developed anterior face (Fig. 37) . . . . . 5
FIGURES 36 & 37. 36. Mesosoma of T. kali in profile without well-developed anterior face of pronotum - CASENT0235221 (William Ericson 2011). 37. Mesosoma of T. sada in profile with well-developed anterior face of pronotum - CASENT0443274 (William Ericson 2011).

5

return to couplet #4

  • Bicoloured species with brown to dark brown head and mesosoma and yellowish to brownish waist segments and gaster (Fig. 38) . . . . . Tetramorium sada
FIGURES 38–40. 38. Body of T. sada in profile with conspicuous bicolouration - CASENT0443274 (William Ericson 2011). 39. Body of T. nosybe in profile with uniform dark brown colouration - CASENT0422207 (William Ericson 2011). 40. Body of T. vony in profile with uniform yellow colouration - CASENT0404272 (William Ericson 2011).

6

return to couplet #5

  • Body colouration yellow to light brown (Fig. 42) . . . . . 7
FIGURES 41 & 42. 41. Body of T. nosybe in profile with uniform dark brown colouration - CASENT0422207 (William Ericson 2011). 42. Body of T. vony in profile with uniform yellow colouration - CASENT0404272 (William Ericson 2011).

7

return to couplet #6

  • Petiolar node cuneiform, in profile less anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally, in dorsal view less transverse (LPeL 45 - 50; DPeL 183 - 200) (Fig. 43) . . . . . Tetramorium olana
  • Petiolar node triangular cuneiform, in profile strongly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally, in dorsal view highly transverse (LPeL 31 - 40; DPeL 245 - 333, generally around 300) (Fig. 44) . . . . . Tetramorium vony
FIGURES 43 & 44. 43. Waist segments of T. olana in dorsal view with significantly less transverse petiolar node - CASENT0044485 (William Ericson 2011). 44. Waist segments of T. vony in dorsal view with highly transverse petiolar node - CASENT0404272 (William Ericson 2011).