Tetramorium inquilinum species group

All five of these species are parasites of other Tetramorium ants. Once assigned to their own genus (Teleutomyrmex), Salata et al. (2023) described a fifth species in this group and assigned them to this newly created Tetramorium inquilinum species-group.

Species

Identification

Key to the Tetramorium inquilinum species-group

This key is modified from Kiran et al. (2017)

Diagnosis

The species formerly classified as Teleutomyrmex were characterized by Bolton (1976) and serves as the current diagnosis for this species group: females with blade-like mandibles that are edentate, except for the acute apical tooth; 10- or 11-segmented antennae with the second to fourth funicular segments showing a variable degree of fusion; shallowly transversely concave clypeus; present ocelli; compressed from side to side alitrunk with flight sclerites; absent metapleural glands; sessile petiole; postpetiole very broadly attached to first gastral segment; very strongly dorsoventrally flattened gaster with concave ventral surface; very reduced and non-functional sting. On the other hand, males have mandibles as females but much smaller; 10-segmented antennae with the second funicular antennomere being an elongate fusion-segment; ocelli and wings are present; gaster is downcurved and somewhat reflexed anteriorly; the remainder of the body appears pupoidal.

Notes

All four members of the Tetramorium inquilinum species-group are degenerate workerless social parasites of several Tetramorium species. Their females are found riding upon the queen of the host colony where they are efficiently tended and fed by the host workers. The males are pupoidal but possess wings (Bolton 1976, Kiran et al. 2017). In contrast to another Tetramorium parasite native to almost the entire Palearctic and introduced to North America (Tetramorium atratulum) species of the Tetramorium inquilinum species-group have a rather narrow distribution range (Kiran et al. 2017).

Distribution

All but T. albenae inhabit montane and alpine zones. Tetramorium kutteri and T. inquilinum are found in the eastern-Mediterranean and parasitize species of the Tetramorium caespitum species-complex. Two western-Mediterranean species, T. kutteri and T. inquilinum, parasitize members of the Tetramorium chefketi species-group (Kiran et al. 2017). The fifth species, T. albenae is known from a lowland site, in an olive grove, from a nest of Tetramorium kephalosi (Tetramorium semilaeve species-complex).

Additional Resources

References