Tetramorium bevisi

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Tetramorium bevisi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. bevisi
Binomial name
Tetramorium bevisi
Arnold, 1958

Tetramorium bevisi casent0280858 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium bevisi casent0280858 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Collections of this species have been predominantly from Bushveld and were found in pitfall trap samples.

Identification

A member of the Tetramorium simillimum species group.

Bolton (1980) - A fairly distinctive species in the oculatum-complex, characterized by its lack of gastral sculpture, dark colour, moderately sized eyes, triangular metapleural lobes and lack of glittering silvery gastral hairs. Its closest relatives are Tetramorium oculatum in which the eyes are enormous (0.37-0.39 x HW), Tetramorium argenteopilosum in which the gaster has strong basal puncturation and silvery hairs, and Tetramorium krynitum. The last-named is probably the closest known relative of T. bevisi, but the two may be separated as follows.

T. bevisi

  • Metapleural lobes triangular.
  • Promesonotum with scattered vestigial rugulae
  • Metanotal groove feebly indented
  • Head narrower (CI 86-88).
  • Scapes relatively longer (SI 80-87).
  • Petiole node in profile narrowing from base to apex

T. krynitum

  • Metapleural lobes bluntly rounded.
  • Promesonotum with weak but continuous rugulae.
  • Metanotal groove strongly impressed.
  • Head broader (CI 91).
  • Scapes relatively shorter (SI 71).
  • Petiole node in profile not narrowing from base to apex.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -30.15° to -33.81666667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Lesotho (type locality), South Africa, Zimbabwe.

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.

  • bevisi. Tetramorium bevisi Arnold, 1958: 120, fig. 1 (w.q.m.) LESOTHO. See also: Bolton, 1980: 308.

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 2.8-3.0, HL 0.66-0.70, HW 0.58-0.61, CI 86-88, SL 0.48-0.52, SI 80-87, PW 0.42-0.44, AL 0.78-0.82 (5 measured).

Mandibles longitudinally striate. Anterior clypeal margin entire, without a median notch or impression. Frontal carinae weak, no more strongly developed than the longitudinal rugulae of the cephalic dorsum, but extending back beyond the level of the posterior margins of the eyes before fading out. Antennal scrobes vestigial, no more than an exceedingly feeble impression in the sides of the head below the frontal carinae. Maximum diameter of eye 0.18, about 0.29-0.31 x HW and with 10 ommatidia in the longest row. With the alitrunk in profile the metanotal groove feebly indented. Propodeum armed with a pair of short triangular teeth. Metapleural lobes triangular and low, about as long as the propodeal teeth. Petiole in profile with the dorsal length less than the height of the tergal portion, the node narrowing slightly from base to apex and with the posterodorsal angle rounded, less sharply defined than the anterodorsal. Node in dorsal view distinctly broader than long. Dorsum of head finely longitudinally rugulose with faint punctulate ground-sculpture. Dorsal alitrunk predominantly finely punctulate but with faint or vestigial longitudinal rugulae on the promesonotum. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole with superficial, very faint punctulation or shagreening. First gastral tergite unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous stout hairs, erect or suberect, those on the alitrunk distinctly blunt apically. Colour dark brown.

Type Material

Bolton (1980) - Syntype workers, females, males, Lesotho: Molepi Stream, 40 miles [64 km] E. of Maseru, 8400 ft [2560 m], 6.iii.56 (J. Bevis) (The Natural History Museum; Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Addison P., and M. J. Samways. 2000. A survey of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that forage in vineyards in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
  • 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.
  • Hanrahan S. A., M. J. Steinbauer, and F. D. Duncan. 2014. Ant assemblages in a poorly sampled part of the arid Nama Karoo. African Entomology 22(2): 448–453.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection