Tetramorium akermani

Tetramorium akermani
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Tetramorium
Species:	T. akermani
Binomial name
	Tetramorium akermani; Arnold, 1926 Specimen Label
Synonyms
	Tetramorium akermani myersi Arnold, 1958;

This species has been sampled in pitfall traps and hand-collected as ground-foragers from a range of habitats, e.g., grassland, fynbos, and Afromontane forest. A few collections were from nests, with one having an entrance at the base of a grass tuft.

Identification

Bolton (1980) - Tetramorium akermani is the only known species of the sguaminode-complex of this group to possess long, soft, acute hairs on the dorsal surfaces of the body. All other species in the complex have the main pilosity stout and have most or all of the hairs blunt or truncated apically.

Keys including this Species

Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium squaminode species group

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -18.2° to -34.32617°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: South Africa (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

akermani. Tetramorium akermani Arnold, 1926: 265, fig. 73 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Senior synonym of myersi: Bolton, 1980: 253.
myersi. Tetramorium akermani var. myersi Arnold, 1958: 123 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Junior synonym of akermani: Bolton, 1980: 253.

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 3.7-4.0, HL 0.88-0.94, HW 0.82-0.88, CI 91-94, SL 0.64-0.68, SI 76-78, PW 0.60-0.66, AL 0.98-1.08 (16 measured). Mandibles usually smooth and shining but rarely with very faint traces of striation in the apical third. Anterior clypeal margin with a median notch or impression. Frontal carinae long and sinuate, reaching back almost to the occipital margin where they merge with the remaining cephalic sculpture. Antennal scrobes shallow but distinctive. Maximum diameter of eyes 0.20-0.21, about 0.23-0.24 x HW. Metanotal groove usually not indicated in profile but in a few workers a very shallow and feeble impression is present. Propodeal spines elongate and strong, metapleural lobes low and triangular. Petiole squamiform, much higher than long in profile and bluntly rounded dorsally; in dorsal view much broader than long but slightly narrower than the postpetiole which is also distinctly broader than long. Postpetiole in profile lower than petiole and broadly rounded, the sternal portion not produced into a freely projecting lobe on each side. Dorsum of head irregularly but quite densely longitudinally rugulose, with a narrow reticulum occipitally. Dorsal alitrunk also irregularly and predominantly longitudinally rugulose, but commonly with reticular meshes on the anterior half of the pronotum, more rarely also with reticulation elsewhere. Petiole and postpetiole usually smooth, but quite commonly the postpetiole with vestiges of rugular sculpture. Gaster unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body densely clothed with elongate, fine, soft acute hairs. Posterior tibiae with fine pubescence which is usually subdecumbent. Colour dark brown to blackish brown, usually with the gaster darker in shade.

Type Material

Bolton (1980) - Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Pietermaritzburg, 13.viii.1917 (C. Akerman) (The Natural History Museum) [examined]. Tetramorium akermani var. myersi Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Prov., Sundays Riv. Valley, x.1955 (N. J. Myers) (BMNH, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Arnold G. 1926. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Appendix. Annals of the South African Museum. 23: 191-295.
Arnold G. 1958. New species of African Hymenoptera. No. 13. Occasional Papers of the National Museum of Southern Rhodesia. B. Natural Sciences. 3: 119-143.
Bolton B. 1980. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 40: 193-384.
IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
Willis C. K., J. D. Skinner, and H. G. Robertson. 1992. Abundance of ants and termites in the False Karoo and their importance in the diet of the aardvark Orycteropus afer. Afr. J. Ecol. 30: 322-334.