Tetramorium shamshir

Tetramorium shamshir is usually encountered in lowland rainforests and littoral rainforests, but rarely in montane or tropical dry forests, which is reflected in its altitudinal range from 5 to 1175 m with an average of 250 m. Furthermore, it seems to be a leaf litter species that is also found in lower vegetation. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium marginatum-species group

Tetramorium shamshir is easily recognised within its species group by the following character combination: propodeal spines long to extremely long (PSLI 50 - 63) and always distinctly curving back; petiolar node thickly cuneiform without being strongly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally (LPeI 43 - 53; DPeI 163 - 184); mesosomal dorsum always with distinct irregular to longitudinal rugulae; body colouration yellow. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Distribution
Limited in distribution to the northern part of Madagascar. In the northeast, it occurs from Tampolo, Ambanizana, and Nosy Mangabe north to Montagne d'Ambre. To the northwest, it is less common since it is only found in Ampasindava, Manongarivo, and Nosy Be. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  shamshir. Tetramorium shamshir Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012: 102, figs. 129, 136, 147-149 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
HL 0.61 - 0.75 (0.68); HW 0.56 - 0.73 (0.65); SL 0.44 - 0.57 (0.50); EL 0.14 - 0.17 (0.15); PH 0.30 - 0.40 (0.36); PW 0.46 - 0.58 (0.51); WL 0.74 - 0.94 (0.84); PSL 0.31 - 0.41 (0.37); PTL 0.12 - 0.18 (0.15); PTH 0.28 - 0.35 (0.31); PTW 0.22 - 0.30 (0.26); PPL 0.19 - 0.25 (0.21); PPH 0.28 - 0.35 (0.31); PPW 0.25 - 0.35 (0.30); CI 93 - 97 (95); SI 75 - 82 (82); OI 22 - 24 (23); DMI 56 - 68 (60); LMI 40 - 45 (43); PSLI 50 - 63 (54); PeNI 48 - 59 (52); LPeI 43 - 53 (48); DPeI 163 - 184 (176); PpNI 54 - 63 (58); LPpI 64 - 73 (69); DPpI 125 - 150 (140); PPI 107 - 122 (112) (15 measured).

Head longer than wide (CI 93 - 97). Anterior clypeal margin with median impression. Frontal carinae well-developed, ending close to posterior head margin. Antennal scrobes faint and shallow. Antennal scapes short, not reaching posterior head margin (SI 75 - 82). Eyes of moderate size (OI 22 - 24). Mesosomal outline in profile flat to weakly convex, strongly marginate from lateral to dorsal mesosoma; promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent; mesosoma comparatively high, compact, and stout (LMI 40 - 45). Propodeal spines extremely long, spinose, acute, thick, and always distinctly back-curved (PSLI 50 - 63); propodeal lobes inconspicuous, very small, and triangular. Petiolar node in profile thickly cuneiform, weakly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally, rarely node triangular cuneiform and strongly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally, approximately 1.9 to 2.3 times higher than long (LPeI 43 - 53), anterior and posterior faces not parallel, anterodorsal margin situated higher than posterodorsal, dorsum moderately tapering backwards posteriorly; node in dorsal view between 1.6 to 1.9 times wider than long (DPeI 163 - 184). Postpetiole in profile approximately rounded and weakly anteroposteriorly compressed, approximately 1.3 to 1.6 times higher than long (LPpI 64 - 73), in dorsal view approximately 1.2 to 1.5 times wider than long (DPpI 125 - 150). Postpetiole in profile less voluminous than petiolar node, in dorsal view approximately 1.1 to 1.2 times wider than petiolar node (PPI 107 - 122). Mandibles variable, mostly unsculptured, smooth, and shining, often with partly, weak, fine striation, sometimes fully striate; clypeus with one distinct median ruga and one to two weaker and usually shorter rugulae or traces of rugulae laterally; cephalic dorsum between frontal carinae with six to eight longitudinal rugae, rugae mostly unbroken and ending close to posterior head margin, always with one well-developed longitudinal median ruga, median ruga diverging approximately at eye level into two rugae running to posterior clypeal margin, median ruga much shorter than frontal carinae; lateral and ventral head mainly sculptured anteriorly. Ground sculpture on head faint to absent. Mesosoma laterally mostly unsculptured, only sculpture present posteroventrally; dorsal mesosoma with irregular to longitudinal rugulae. Waist segments and gaster unsculptured, smooth, and shiny. All dorsal surfaces of body usually with abundant, long, fine, and erect pilosity, hairs on mesosomal dorsum not restricted to lateral margins. Body of uniform yellow colour.

Type Material
Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR, Antsiranana, Nosy Be, Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Lokobe, 6.3 km 112° ESE Hellville, 13.41933 S, 48.33117 E, 30 m, rainforest, sifted litter, collection code BLF3422, 19.-24.III.2001 (B.L. Fisher, C. Griswold et al.) (: CASENT04676969). Paratypes, 32 workers with same data as holotype (: CASENT0466635; CASENT0466788; CASC: CASENT0466638; CASENT0466639; CASENT0466641; CASENT0466645; CASENT0466651; CASENT0466682; CASENT0466683; CASENT0466693; CASENT0466694; CASENT0466700; CASENT0466703; CASENT0466713; CASENT0466741; CASENT0466789; CASENT0466843; CASENT0466874; CASENT0466986; CASENT0466989; CASENT0467027; CASENT0467031; CASENT0467037; CASENT0467055; CASENT0467082; CASENT0467087; CASENT0467093; CASENT0467111; CASENT0467698; : CASENT0466729; : CASENT0467056; : CASENT0466785).

Etymology
The species epithet shamshir is derived from "sabre" in Old Persian, and refers to the sabre-like shape of the propodeal spines of the new species. The species epithet is a noun in apposition and thus invariant.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Garcia H. F. and B. L. Fisher. 2012. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy regiontaxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups. Zootaxa 3365: 1-123