Tetramorium carinatum

Collections have been made in rainforest from wood (dead branch, rotting wood).

Identification
Bolton (1977) - The species most closely related to carinatum is Tetramorium aspersum, and their relationship appears to be close indeed. They are separable on details of cephalic sculpture which appear to be consistent and by the fact that they seem to be mutually exclusive as regards their respective ranges. Although this is based on relatively little material it is interesting to note that the known range of carinatum includes Sulawesi, New Guinea and the Aru Is whilst that of aspersum tends to be more easterly, occurring in the Philippines, Morotai I., Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Is.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands.

Nomenclature

 *  carinatum. Myrmica carinata Smith, F. 1859a: 148 (w.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). Combination in Xiphomyrmex: Donisthorpe, 1932c: 455; in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1977: 86. Senior synonym of aruensis, costatus, deficiens, flavescens: Bolton, 1977: 86.
 * costatus. Xiphomyrmex costatus Emery, 1897c: 587, pl. 15, fig. 26 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Junior synonym of carinatum: Bolton, 1977: 86.
 * deficiens. Xiphomyrmex costatus subsp. deficiens Emery, 1897c: 588 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Junior synonym of carinatum: Bolton, 1977: 86.
 * flavescens. Xiphomyrmex costatus subsp. flavescens Emery, 1897c: 588 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Mann, 1919: 348 (m.). Junior synonym of carinatum: Bolton, 1977: 86.
 * aruensis. Xiphomyrmex aruensis Karavaiev, 1935a: 105, fig. 24 (w.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). Junior synonym of carinatum: Bolton, 1977: 86.

Worker
Bolton (1977) - TL 3.9-4.6, HL 0.92-1.00, HW 0.82-0.90, CI 86-93, SL 0.94-1.04, SI 109-119, PW 0.64-0.74, AL 1.16-1.24 (20 measured).

Mandibles usually very feebly striate, more rarely smooth. Antennal sea pes elongate, projecting beyond the occipital border when laid back in full-face view and with SI> 105. Antennal scrobes reduced to an impression bounded above by the frontal carinae and below by a strong longitudinal ruga but appearing quite distinctive as they lack any sculpture to the level of the posterior margin of the eye. Propodeal spines quite short (Fig. 3), generally feebly upcurved along their length. Metapleural lobes dentiform, usually narrow and acute but more rarely triangular. Peduncle of petiole long, the node in profile high and narrow. Sculpture on dorsum of head sparse, consisting anteriorly of a few longitudinal, widely spaced and strongly defined carina-like rugae. Posteriorly on the dorsum, behind the level of the eyes, these rugae tend to branch and to form cross-meshes so that a very loose and open rugoreticulum is present. The spaces between all these rugulae are smooth and unsculptured. Dorsal alitrunk loosely reticulate-rugose, the pedicel and gaster unsculptured. Colour uniform yellowish brown to light brown, often with the head and gaster darker in shade than the alitrunk.

Type Material
Bolton (1977) - LECTOTYPE worker, Indonesia: Aru Is (A. R. Wallace), here designated [examined].

Xiphomyrmex aruensis Karawajew, 1935.

Type locality(-ies): “Wammar, Aroe Archipel, 9.III.1913, W. Karawajew, Nr. 2567, Kolonie in eimen morschen Baumstamm, zahlreiche ww”.

Original Karawajew label(-s): “2567”.

Material: SYNTYPES, 11 w (newly mounted, IN 314/6/1), 128 w (in alcohol, IN 314/BAMS1/Karaw55).