Tetramorium flagellatum

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

Tetramorium flagellatum casent0217967 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium flagellatum casent0217967 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Collection records note montane forest collections from a rotten log and a litter sample.

Identification

Sorger (2011) - Differentiation between Tetramorium lucyae and T. flagellatum is difficult, and careful examination and measurements are necessary in order to successfully and reliably identify these species.

There are three distinguishing characters: maximum hair length (on head, mesosoma and tibiae), frons sculpture and total length (although the latter can be used only with a larger nest sample: at least 20 specimens). None of these characters should be used for identification in isolation; only a combination of all characters provides a clear picture of the distinctions between the species. A combination of MHLH, MHLM and MHLT is vital for identification; in addition, it is recommended to use a nest sample of more than 5 specimens where possible, given variation among individuals.

All measurements are in millimetres and presented as minimum-mean-maximum values.

Maximum hair lengths on head, mesosoma and tibiae: T. lucyae (0.40–0.48–0.59 MHLH; 0.46–0.51–0.58 MHLM; 0.22–0.30–0.34 MHLT) has longer hairs than T. flagellatum (0.30–0.35–0.40 MHLH; 0.34–0.41–0.44 MHLM; 0.10–0.17–0.22 MHLT) overall. Two single specimens in the studied sample overlap at a single value each: (MHLT: 0.40 mm; MHLT: 0.20 mm).

Frons sculpture: Sculpture on head frons is more longitudinally oriented in T. flagellatum. However, this differential character is subtle—longitudinal rugae on frons (right at medial depression) are more irregular (“shaky”) in T. lucyae whereas, in comparison, rugae are rather straight in T. flagellatum.

Total length: T. flagellatum (3.28–3.55–3.80 TL) is smaller than T. lucyae (3.60–3.73–3.86 TL) overall. However, since the mean TL of T. lucyae lies within the overlapping range (3.60 to 3.80 mm TL) of the two species, a nest series of at least 20 specimens is necessary in order to calculate a mean value.

Bolton (1977) - The outstanding long pilosity and its distribution on the appendages immediately characterize this exceptional species. It shows relationship with Tetramorium ciliatum of Thailand and Vietnam and also with Tetramorium tylinum, also of Borneo. However, neither of these species has the remarkable pilosity of Tetramorium flagellatum. A further specimen of this species, from Borneo, agrees perfectly with the description but the head and alitrunk are a much lighter brown than in any of the type-series.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.52° to 5.52°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia, Malaysia.

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

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Tetramorium flagellatum casent0901097 h 1 high.jpgTetramorium flagellatum casent0901097 p 1 high.jpgTetramorium flagellatum casent0901097 d 1 high.jpgTetramorium flagellatum casent0901097 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype of Tetramorium flagellatumWorker. Specimen code casent0901097. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • flagellatum. Tetramorium flagellatum Bolton, 1977: 122, fig. 48 (w.) BORNEO. See also: Sorger, 2011b: 5.

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 3.9, HL 0.90, HW 0.82, CI 91, SL 0.66, SI 80, PW 0.62, AL 1.04.

Mandibles striate; anterior clypeal margin entire. Frontal carinae reaching back almost to occiput but irregular, and in their posterior halves only as strongly developed as the other cephalic sculpture. Antennal scrobes long and broad but shallow, easily discernible. Eyes in front of middle of sides of head, maximum diameter c. 0·18. Sides of head weakly convex, the occipital margin broadly concave in full-face view. Propodeal spines elevated, of moderate length, feebly upcurved and acute apically. Metapleural lobes triangular basally, spiniform and acute apically. Node of petiole in profile with the dorsal length greater than the height of the tergal portion; postpetiole narrowly dome-like. In dorsal view the petiole node slightly broader than long. Dorsal surfaces of head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole covered with a distinct, irregular rugulation, reticulate in places and finer and denser on the head than on the alitrunk. Gaster unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous exceptionally long, very conspicuous fine hairs, the majority of which are curved (Fig. 48). The longest of these hairs measure 0.45-0.50, well over half the length of the scape. Long, erect hairs present on dorsal (outer) surfaces of hind tibia which are longer than the maximum tibial width but such hairs absent from the scapes where all hairs are shorter than the maximum width of the scape and fine. Colour uniform dark brown, the appendages yellowish.

Paratypes. As holotype but many not showing any apical upcurvature in the propodeal spines, which in some paratypes are also more strongly acute apically. Size range of paratypes TL 3.6-4.2, HL 0.88-0.98, HW 0.80-0.90, CI 90-95, SL 0.62-0.70, SI 75-80, PW 0.60-0.68, AL 1.02-1.16 (6 measured).

Maximum diameter of eye in paratypes c. 0.18-0.20.

Sorger (2011) - Measurements of workers (range of 20 workers). Worker with smallest HW: HW 0.71; HL 0.76; CI 93; SL 0.57; SI 80; PW 0.52; ML 0.92; TL 3.34; MHLH 0.36; MHLT 0.17; MHLM 0.41. Worker with largest HW: HW 0.83; HL 0.90; CI 92; SL 0.64; SI 77; PW 0.62; ML 1.08; TL 3.80; MHLH 0.33; MHLT 0.19; MHLM 0.44. Mean values of 20 workers: TL 3.55; MHLH 0.35; MHLT 0.17; MHLM 0.41.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Borneo: N., Kiduk Arok, Trus Madi Massif, 1500 m, ix.1956, Cambridge N. Borneo Exped. no. 49 (P. W. Bryant) (Museum of Comparative Zoology). Paratypes. 5 workers with same data as holotype and 1 worker with same data but no. 78 (MCZC; The Natural History Museum).

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.
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
  • Sorger, D. M. 2011. A new ant species from Borneo closely resembling Tetramorium flagellatum Bolton, 1977 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Asian Myrmecology 4:1-7.