Tetramorium smithi

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Tetramorium smithi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Tetramorium
Species group: angulinode
Species: T. smithi
Binomial name
Tetramorium smithi
Mayr, 1879

Tetramorium smithi casent0178421 p 1 high.jpg

Tetramorium smithi casent0178421 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms


Common Name
Kadomune-shiwa-ari
Language: Japanese

Known from forest, open and disturbed habitats, e.g., roadside, village garden, Tetramorium smithi has been collected from a ground nest and litter samples (Onoyama, 1980; Japanese Ant Image Database). Chan (2024) reports that Terayama (2009) recorded this species from Taiwan for the first time, but it is rarely encountered on the main island of Taiwan. However, it is relatively common in Penghu, where it inhabits grassland environments as a ground-dwelling ant. Additionally, the social carrying behavior of T. smithi between workers was observed for the first time.

At a Glance • Limited invasive  

Identification

Bolton (1977) - This small species is a member of the angulinode-group, otherwise confined to the Ethiopian region. Its small size, unsculptured mandibles and short antennal scapes immediately separate it from all other Tetramorium with 11-segmented antennae in the regions at present under consideration.

Japan

Tetramorium smithi workers are similar to those of Tetramorium kraepelini in general appearance and size, but they are separable by the different number of antennal segments (11 versus 12), the inclination of the propodeal spines, the angulate petiolar node in profile, and the broad and angulate postpetiole in dorsal view (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.6979° to -4.588061°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Guam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Niue, Philippines, Singapore.
Oriental Region: Bangladesh, India (type locality), Laos, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.
Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

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

Tetramorium-smithiH8.jpgTetramorium-smithiLa6.3.jpgTetramorium-smithiDa6.3.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Tetramorium smithi casent0901108 h 1 high.jpgTetramorium smithi casent0901108 p 1 high.jpgTetramorium smithi casent0901108 d 1 high.jpgTetramorium smithi casent0901108 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Tetramorium smithi. Worker. Specimen code casent0901108. 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.

  • smithi. Tetramorium smithi Mayr, 1879: 673 (w.) INDIA. Imai, Baroni Urbani, et al. 1984: 8 (k.). Senior synonym of kanariense, laevinode: Bolton, 1977: 90.
  • kanariense. Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) smithi var. kanariense Forel, 1902c: 703 (w.) INDIA. Viehmeyer, 1916a: 139 (q.). Junior synonym of smithi: Bolton, 1977: 90.
  • laevinode. Tetramorium simillimum r. laevinode Forel, 1902c: 235 (w.) INDIA. Junior synonym of smithi: Bolton, 1977: 90.

Type Material

Bolton (1977) - Syntype workers, India: Calcutta (Rothney) (The Natural History Museum; Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna) [examined]. Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Xu and Zheng (1994) - TL 2.4-2.8, HL 0.63-0.70, HW 0.58-0.69, CI 92-98, SL 0.41-0.16, SI 67-74, PW 0.44-0.55, AL 0.68-0.80, MDE 0.14-0.18 is (8 measured).

Bolton (1977) - TL 2.40-2.60, HL 0.60-0.68, HW 0.56-0.64, CI 89-97, SL 0.42-0.46, SI 69-75, PW 0.44-0.52, AL 0.68-0.76 (25 measured).

Mandibles unsculptured, smooth and shining with scattered small pits. Frontal carinae extending back beyond the level of the posterior margins of the eyes. Antennal scrobes shallow but quite broad and long enough to accommodate the scapes; the latter short, with SI < 80. Pronotum in dorsal view with the corners sharply angulate. Propodeum with a pair of spines, the metapleural lobes triangular, upcurved, acute apically. Petiole in dorsal view with the node as broad as or broader than long, the postpetiole distinctly broader than long. In profile the node of the petiole a roughly rectangular block, usually slightly higher than long, with parallel and near-vertical anterior and posterior faces, and the dorsum flat to feebly convex. Postpetiole lower and rounded dorsally. Head and dorsal alitrunk predominantly longitudinally rugose but with scattered, smaller cross-meshes which are not as conspicuous. Petiole usually sculptured dorsally, only very rarely with this sculpture completely effaced. Postpetiole and gaster without sculpture. Hairs numerous on all dorsal surfaces. Colour light to mid-brown, usually with the gaster darker.

Karyotype

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Karyotype data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • 2n = 26 (India) (Imai et al., 1984).
  • 2n = 26 (Indonesia) (Imai et al., 1985).
  • 2n = 26 (Sarawak) (Tjan et al., 1986).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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