Tetramorium confusum

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Tetramorium confusum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species: T. confusum
Binomial name
Tetramorium confusum
Bolton, 1977

Tetramorium confusum castype12541 profile 1.jpg

Tetramorium confusum castype12541 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Tetramorium confusum.

Identification

Bolton (1977) - Amongst the known Australian species with 11-merous antennae confusum and Tetramorium capitale are the only two in which the petiole in dorsal view is distinctly transverse. In capitale, however, the petiole and postpetiole are densely punctate with a few longitudinal rugulae and the spaces between rugae on the alitrunk are densely punctate.

Apart from the type-series, good samples have also been examined from Wentworth Falls and Bulli Pass in New South Wales, and from Kuranda in Queensland. Six specimens from each of these series were measured, including the largest and smallest, and the range was found to be: HL 0.72-0.80, HW 0.66-0.74, CI 90-95, SL 0.52-0.62, SI 80-84, PW 0.52-0.56, AL 0.84-0.96. All fit the above description but the Bulli Pass and Kuranda series have a number of workers in which the gaster is yellow-brown and distinctly lighter than the colour of the head and alitrunk, and in all series the track of the promesonotal suture is by no means as distinctive as in the type-series. A number of workers from several series have more numerous cross-meshes in the dorsal alitrunk sculpture than is seen in the types.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.821476° to -34.458056°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • confusum. Tetramorium confusum Bolton, 1977: 143, fig. 63 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

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 3.4, HL 0.76, HW 0.72, CI 95, SL 0.58, SI 81, PW 0.56, AL 0.92.

Mandibles longitudinally striate; anterior margin of clypeus without a median notch or impression. Frontal carinae extending back almost to the occipital corners and forming the upper margins of the shallow and narrow scrobes. Eyes of moderate size, maximum diameter c. 0.20. Median clypeal carina strongly developed, reaching to the anterior margin. With alitrunk in profile the metanotal groove feebly impressed, in dorsal view the track of the fused promesonotal suture faintly visible as a feebly impressed, arched line. Propodeal spines short and acute, metapleural lobes elongate, narrowly triangular and acute. Petiole in profile as in Fig. 63; in dorsal view distinctly broader than long, roughly broadly transversely rectangular but somewhat broader behind than in front. Postpetiole subglobular in dorsal view. Dorsum of head with fine, spaced, irregular longitudinal rugulae, the spaces between which are shining and with a sparse superficial reticulation or vestigial puncturation. Cross-meshes between the rugulae virtually absent. Dorsal alitrunk similarly sculptured but with sharp cross-meshes on the anterior pronotum. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and post petiole smooth and shining but the former with very faint traces of sculpture at the extreme lateral edges. Gaster unsculptured. Fine erect or suberect hairs present on all dorsal surfaces of head and body but such hairs absent from the appendages where the hairs tend to be short and appressed. Colour dark brown, the appendages somewhat lighter.

Paratypes. TL 3.1-3.5, HL 0.72-0.78, HW 0.66-0.72, CI 89-95, SL 0.54-0.58, SI 78-85, PW 0.52-0.56, AL 0.86-0.94 (10 measured).

Type Material

Holotype worker, Australia: New South Wales, Thegib, nr Bowral, 750 m, 19.xii.1962 (E. S. Ross & D. Q. Cavagnaro) (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes. 20 workers with same data as holotype (CASC; The Natural History Museum; Museum of Comparative Zoology).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1977. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Oriental and Indo-Australian regions, and in Australia. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 36:67-151.
  • Bolton, B. "The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicinae. The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Oriental and Indo-Australian regions and in Australia." Bulletin of the British Museum (National History): Entomology series 36, no. 2 (1977): 68-151.
  • Huong N. T. T., P. V. Sang, and B. T. Viet. 2015. A preliminary study on diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at Hon Ba Nature Reserve. Environmental Scientific Conference 7: 614-620.