Tetramorium ciliatum

Specimens have been collected from rainforest litter samples.

Identification
Bolton (1977) - The closest known relative of ciliatum appears to be Tetramorium flagellatum of Borneo, but in this latter species the hairs are incredibly long and the pedicel segments are differently shaped.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  ciliatum. Tetramorium ciliatum Bolton, 1977: 121, fig. 49 (w.q.) THAILAND.

Worker
Holotype. TL 3.9, HL 0.88, HW 0.86, CI 98, SL 0.68, SI 79, PW 0.62, AL 1.08.

Mandibles striate, anterior clypeal margin entire. Frontal carinae very strongly developed, approaching the occipital corners and composed throughout their length of a low but conspicuous flange or raised rim. Antennal scrobes well developed, distinct, extending back beyond the level of the eyes and not as strongly sculptured as the remainder of the head. Eyes slightly in front of the middle of the feebly convex sides of the head, their maximum diameter c. 0.18. Occipital margin broadly but shallowly concave. Propodeal spines long, narrow and acute, the metapleural lobes low and triangular, acute apically. Node of petiole in profile long and low, the length of the dorsum greater than the height of the tergal portions. Anterior and posterior faces of the node short, the dorsum long and convex (Fig. 49). Postpetiole in profile low and evenly rounded. Petiole in dorsal view fractionally longer than broad, subglobular in shape. Entire dorsum of head covered with a fine, wide-meshed but very conspicuous rugoreticulum, the spaces enclosed by the meshes mostly smooth, with some vestigial ground-sculpture. Dorsal surfaces of alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole with an open, loose but strongly marked rugoreticulum, less strongly developed on the pedicel segments than on the alitrunk. Gaster unsculptured. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with abundant erect hairs, some of which are long. Anterior (leading) edges of antennal scapes with a spaced row of long, erect hairs which are longer than the maximum width of the scape; dorsal (outer) surfaces of hind tibiae with a number of long, erect hairs, the longest of which are at least equal to the maximum tibial width. Colour midbrown, the gaster darker brown, the legs lighter, dark yellowish brown.

Paratypes. As holotype, showing some variation in shade of colour and in size, TL 3.6-4.2, HL 0.80-0.96, HW 0.80-0.94, CI 97-100, SL 0.60-0.70, SI 71-79, PW 0.58-0.70, AL 0.98-1.14 (25 measured). Maximum diameter of eye c. 0.15-0.18.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Thailand: Nong Hoi (Chieng Mai), 27.vii.1975 (D. Jackson). Paratypes. 90 workers with same data as holotype and 15 workers, 3 queens as holotype but collected 19.viii.1975 (BMNH; ; ; ; ; ; ). The species is also present in Vietnam: between Phong Tho and Bac tan trac (R. E. Wheeler), specimens in BMNH and MCZ.