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Tetramorium nodiferum
| Tetramorium nodiferum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Tetramorium |
| Species: | T. nodiferum |
| Binomial name | |
| Tetramorium nodiferum (Emery, 1901)
| |
Known from mesic forests, e.g., evergreen forest, tropical wet forest, and rainforest. Collection notes show T. nodiferum has mostly been taken by hand from rotten logs and under bark, and in one case, low vegetation.
Identification
Bolton (1980) - This distinctive species appears closest related to Tetramorium jauresi and Tetramorium qualarum. The three together are isolated within the group by their possession of a median clypeal notch or impression, absent elsewhere in the group. Tetramorium nodiferum is quickly separated from the other two by its lack of frontal carinae and distinct transverse rugular sculpture on the propodeum. The head of T. nodiferum is long and narrow, with CI 78-79, and the antennal scapes are short, SI 67-68. These two characters, taken together, will serve to isolate T. nodiferum from most other Tetramorium of this region. Very few species have CI as low as that just quoted. Amongst those which approach T. nodiferum in CI value are most members of the bicarinatum-group as represented in Africa, the species of the dumezi-group and some members of the setigerum- and sericeiventre-groups, but in these the scapes are usually longer than in T. nodiferum.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -0.317° to -0.317°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun (type locality), Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Uganda.
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. |
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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
Male
Images from AntWeb
    
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| Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0178336. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- nodiferum. Atopomyrmex nodifer Emery, 1901f: 115 (footnote), fig. (w.q.) CAMEROUN. Combination in Atopula: Emery, 1912b: 104; in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1976: 362. See also: Bolton, 1980: 349.
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 4.4-4.6, HL 1.08-1.12, HW 0.84-0.88, CI 78-79, SL 0.56-0.60, SI 67-68, PW 0.60-0.64, AL 1.22-1.30 (2 measured).
Mandibles smooth and shining, with scattered small pits. Anterior clypeal margin with a shallow but conspicuous median notch. Frontal carinae very short, ending in front of the level of the anterior margins of the eyes ; sometimes extended posteriorly by a rugula but this is not differentiated from other rugulae on the head in any way and there is no discernible carina present. Eyes relatively small for a member of this group, maximum diameter 0.17-0.18, about 0.20-0.21 x HW and with 9-10 ommatidia in the longest row. Antennal scrobes absent but the head showing a very faint and feeble shallow concavity between the dorsal margin of the eye and the dorsum of the head proper. Head in full-face view long and narrow, the scapes short (CI and SI, above). Metanotal groove feebly impressed in profile, the propodeum behind it shallowly convex and armed posteriorly with a pair of short blunt teeth. Metapleural lobes long and broad, plate-like, much more conspicuous than the propodeal teeth. Petiole in profile and dorsal view strongly nodiform. Dorsum of head and sides above the eyes with fine but quite sharply defined, low, spaced-out longitudinal rugulae. Spaces between the rugulae with a fine superficial ground-sculpture. Pronotal dorsum smooth or at most with a few very faint rugulae towards the lateral margins. Mesonotum mostly or entirely smooth, usually with a few faint longitudinal rugulae. Propodeal dorsum conspicuously transversely rugulose. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole unsculptured or with the faintest vestiges of superficial punctures. Gaster unsculptured or with an exceptionally delicate superficial reticulate pattern basally, so fine that it can scarcely be termed sculpture. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous relatively short curved hairs which are suberect to decumbent and curve across the surface from which they arise; the head and alitrunk dorsally also having some relatively longer, stouter, straighter hairs which are erect or suberect. Scapes and tibiae only with short decumbent to appressed fine pubescence. Colour uniform dark brown to blackish brown, sometimes with a very dull reddish tint.
Type Material
Bolton (1980) - Syntype workers, female, CAMEROUN (L. Conradt) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [worker examined].
References
- Bolton, B. 1976. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Constituent genera, review of smaller genera and revision of Triglyphothrix Forel. Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 34: 281-379 (page 362, Combination in Tetramorium)
- 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(3):193-384.
- Emery, C. 1901h. Ameisen gesammelt in Ceylon von Dr. W. Horn 1899. Dtsch. Entomol. Z. 1901: 113-122 (page 115, (footnote) fig. worker, queen described)
- Emery, C. 1912b. Études sur les Myrmicinae. [I-IV.]. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 56: 94-105 (page 104, Combination in Atopula)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bernard F. 1953. La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba. XI. Hyménoptères Formicidae. Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 19: 165-270.
- Emery C. 1912. Études sur les Myrmicinae. [I-IV.]. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 56: 94-105.