Tetramorium

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - Distributed worldwide with its diversity approaching 600 species. The Afrotropical region holds the largest number of forms with more than 220 described species (Bolton, 1976; Bolton, 1980; Hita Garcia et al., 2010a, 2010b, 2010c). Members of this genus can be found in many habitats from humid rainforests to arid savannahs and deserts and in different strata from the ground and leaf litter layer to the high forest canopy (Bolton, 1980). Most species seem to be predaceous although some, such as the Kenyan savannah species Tetramorium rothschildi, are known to be granivorous.

Identification
Antennal count for most species is 12 segments. There are a fair number of species with 11 segments and even a few with 10.

Tetramorium is a diverse genus that has had many species organized into species groups.


 * Tetramorium species groups
 * Afrotropical Tetramorium species groups

Distribution
One of the most species-rich ant genera (> 400 species), Tetramorium are found in the Afrotropical, Malagasy, Palaearctic, Oriental, and Indo-Australian regions. A few species, mostly non-native, are also found in the New World. Their largest center of diversity is in the Afrotropical region where there are more than 220 described species (Hita Garcia et al. 2010).

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Biology
Eguchi, Bui and Yamane (2011) - In Vietnam Tetramorium species inhabit various habitats such as open lands, grasslands, forest edges and well-developed forests. Their nests are usually found in rotting logs, twigs, wood fragments, under stones and in soil. Workers forage mainly on the ground.

Castes
Many members of this speciose genera are either known from workers only or from a few queens but mainly workers have been collected. Males are unknown and uncollected for a majority of species.

Nomenclature

 *  TETRAMORIUM [Myrmicinae: Tetramoriini]
 * Tetramorium Mayr, 1855: 423. Type-species: Formica caespitum, by subsequent designation of Girard, 1879: 1016.
 * Tetramorium senior synonym of Tetrogmus: Roger, 1862c: 297.
 * Tetramorium senior synonym of Atopula, Lobomyrmex, Macromischoides, Tetrogmus, Xiphomyrmex: Bolton, 1976: 359; Bolton, 1980: 195.
 * Tetramorium senior synonym of Triglyphothrix: Bolton, 1985: 247.
 * Tetramorium senior synonym of Apomyrmex: Bolton, 2003: 227, 269.
 * ACIDOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex]
 * Acidomyrmex Emery, 1915i: 191 [as subgenus of Rhoptromyrmex]. Type-species: Rhoptromyrmex wroughtonii, by original designation.
 * Acidomyrmex raised to genus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 664, 672.
 * Acidomyrmex junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex: Brown, 1964c: 11; Bolton, 1986a: 2.
 * ANERGATES [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Anergates Forel, 1874: 67 (see also p. 93). Type-species: Myrmica atratula, by monotypy.
 * Teleutomyrmex junior synonym of Tetramorium: Ward et al., 2014: 15.
 * APOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Apomyrmex Calilung, 2000: 66. Type-species: Apomyrmex manobo, by original designation.
 * Apomyrmex junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bolton, 2003: 227, 269.
 * ATOPULA [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Atopula Emery, 1912b: 104. Type-species: Atopomyrmex nodifer, by original designation.
 * Atopula subgenus of Vollenhovia: Emery, 1912d: 273.
 * Atopula revived status as as genus: Emery, 1914a: 41.
 * Atopula subgenus of Terataner: Arnold, 1952b: 129.
 * Atopula revived status as as genus: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1985: 257 (anachronism).
 * Atopula junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bolton, 1976: 359; Bolton, 1980: 195 Bolton, 1994: 106.
 * DECAMORIUM [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Decamorium Forel, 1913a: 121 [as subgenus of Tetramorium]. Type-species: Tetramorium (Decamorium) decem, by monotypy.
 * Decamorium raised to genus: Emery, 1914a: 42; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 664, 906.
 * Decamorium junior synonym of Tetramorium: Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2014: 71.
 * HAGIOXENUS [junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex]
 * Hagioxenus Forel, 1910a: 8. Type-species: Hagioxenus schmitzi, by monotypy.
 * Hagioxenus junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex: Bolton, 1986a: 2.
 * IRENEELLA [junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex]
 * Ireneella Donisthorpe, 1941i: 175. Type-species: Ireneella papuensis (junior synonym of Tetramorium melleum), by original designation.
 * Ireneella junior synonym of Rhoptromyrmex: Bolton, 1976: 298; Bolton, 1986a: 2.
 * LOBOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Lobomyrmex Kratochvíl, 1941: 84 [as subgenus of Tetramorium]. Type-species: Tetramorium (Lobomyrmex) ferox silhavyi (junior synonym of Tetramorium ferox), by monotypy.
 * Lobomyrmex junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bolton, 1976: 359; Bolton, 1980: 196.
 * MACROMISCHOIDES [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Macromischoides Wheeler, W.M. 1920: 53. Type-species: Macromischa aculeata, by original designation.
 * [ Macromichoides Santschi, 1924b: 206, incorrect subsequent spelling.]
 * Macromischoides junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bolton, 1976: 359; Bolton, 1980: 196.
 *  SULCOMYRMEX [unavailable name]
 * Sulcomyrmex Kratochvíl, 1941: 84 [as subgenus of Tetramorium]. Unavailable name. Proposed without designation of type-species and therefore unavailable. Species included by Kratochvíl (1941) are all referable to Tetramorium: Bolton, 1976: 359.
 * RHOPTROMYRMEX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Rhoptromyrmex Mayr, 1901b: 18. Type-species: Rhoptromyrmex globinodis, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 172.
 * Rhoptromyrmex senior synonym of Acidomyrmex: Brown, 1964c: 11.
 * Rhoptromyrmex senior synonym of Ireneella: Bolton, 1976: 298.
 * Rhoptromyrmex senior synonym of Hagioxenus: Bolton, 1986a: 2.
 * Rhoptromyrmex senior synonym of Tetramorium: Ward et al., 2014: 15.
 * TELEUTOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Teleutomyrmex Kutter, 1950: 82. Type-species: Teleutomyrmex schneideri, by original designation.
 * Teleutomyrmex junior synonym of Tetramorium: Ward et al., 2014: 15.
 * TETROGMUS [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Tetrogmus Roger, 1857: 10. Type-species: Tetrogmus caldarius, by monotypy.
 * Tetrogmus subgenus of Tetramorium: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 141.
 * Tetrogmus junior synonym of Tetramorium: Roger, 1862c: 297; Bolton, 1976: 359.
 * TRIGLYPHOTHRIX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Triglyphothrix Forel, 1890b: cvi. Type-species: Triglyphothrix walshi, by monotypy.
 * Triglyphothrix subgenus of Tetramorium: Arnold, 1917: 274; Arnold, 1926: 272.
 * Triglyphothrix revived status as genus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 196; Emery, 1924d: 272; Creighton, 1950a: 285.
 * Triglyphothrix junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bolton, 1985: 247.
 * XIPHOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Tetramorium]
 * Xiphomyrmex Forel, 1887: 385 [as subgenus of Tetramorium]. Type-species: Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) kelleri, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 175.
 * Xiphomyrmex subgenus of Tetramorium: Forel, 1899c: 53; Arnold, 1917: 274; Arnold, 1926: 277.
 * Xiphomyrmex raised to genus: Emery, 1895j: 770; Emery, 1914a: 42; Forel, 1917: 245; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 193; Emery, 1924d: 286.
 * Xiphomyrmex junior synonym of Tetramorium: Bingham, 1903: 175; Bolton, 1976: 359; Bolton, 1980: 195; Bolton, 1994: 106.