Tetramorium bellicosum

Tetramorium bellicosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Tetramorium
Species:	T. bellicosum
Binomial name
	Tetramorium bellicosum; Bolton, 1980 Specimen Labels

Nests in leaf litter and in the ground (Taylor et al., 2018).

Identification

Bolton (1980) - One of the two species in this group which has blanketing reticulate-punctate sculpture (the other is Tetramorium granulatum), T. bellicosum is easily identified by its bizarre pilosity.

Keys including this Species

Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium flabellum species group

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 3.666666667° to 3.666666667°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Benin, Nigeria (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.

bellicosum. Tetramorium bellicosum Bolton, 1980: 296 (w.) NIGERIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: TL 3.6, HL 0.82, HW 0.76, CI 93, SL 0.64, SI 84, PW 0.50, AL 0.98. Paratypes (5 measured): TL 3.4-3.6, HL 0.80-0.84, HW 0.73-0.76, CI 88-93, SL 0.60-0.64, SI 82-87, PW 0.48-0.52, AL 0.92-0.98. Maximum diameter of eye 0.18-0.19, about 0.24-0.25 x HW.

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Anterior clypeal margin entire, without a median notch. Median clypeal carina strongly developed, much more conspicuous than the remaining clypeal sculpture. Frontal carinae running back well beyond the level of the eyes, fading out occipitally, but only weakly developed throughout their length as a pair of narrow and feebly raised lines. Antennal scrobes vestigial, represented — only by a broad and very shallow impression in the sides of the head below the frontal carinae. Eyes moderate, maximum diameter 0.18, about 0.24 x HW. Propodeum armed with a pair of broad elongate spines which are distinctly longer than the broadly triangular metapleural lobes. Petiole node in profile roughly rectangular in shape, the dorsum feebly convex and the dorsal length slightly greater than the height of the tergal portion. In dorsal view the petiole node distinctly longer than broad. All surfaces of head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole blanketed by a fine, dense and very conspicuous reticulate puncturation. Rugulose sculpture minimal and everywhere secondary to the punctation. A few fine, feebl longitudinal rugulae are present on the dorsum of the head but the scrobal area (below the frontal carinae and above the eyes) entirely punctulate. Dorsal alitrunk with a few scattered vestigial rugulae, especially on the pronotum. Base of first gastral tergite finely punctulate or shagreened, more feebly sculptured than the postpetiole. Pilosity bizarre and highly characteristic. Standing hairs absent from all surfaces of head and body except for clypeus and gastral apex, the head and alitrunk dorsally having instead a scattering of short, flattened hairs which are reclinate, appressed to the surface from which they arise. On the petiole, postpetiole and gaster similar flattened appressed hairs are present but they are longer, more numerous and more conspicuous than on the head and alitrunk. In profile both the petiole and postpetiole with 2-3 of these hairs projecting beyond the posterior margin on each side. Tibiae of middle and hind legs only with minute appressed pubescence. Colour dull red, the gaster dark brown.

Paratypes: As holotype but mostly with the propodeal spines slightly downcurved along their length.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Nigeria: Gambari, 10.vi.1969, leaf litter (B. Bolton) (The Natural History Museum). Paratypes. 3 workers with same data as holotype; 2 workers from same locality but 16.x.1975, nest in ground, W17, black pod project (B. Taylor) (BMNH; Museum of Comparative Zoology).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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.
Taylor B., N. Agoinon, A. Sinzogan, A. Adandonon, Y. N'Da Kouagou, S. Bello, R. Wargui, F. Anato, I. Ouagoussounon, H. Houngbo, S. Tchibozo, R. Todjhounde, and J. F. Vayssieres. 2018. Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Republic of Benin, with particular reference to the mango farm ecosystem. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 8(1): 006–029.