Tetramorium sulcinode

Identification
Csösz, Radchenko and Schulz (2007) - Workers of T. sulcinode can be separated from related species (except for Tetramorium annectens) by well developed psammophore, relatively large eyes. The most distinctive features to separate T. sulcinode from T. annectens, is the PEW/PPW index and the sculpture of petiolar node: semi-circular rugulose in T. sulcinode, reticulate in T. annectens. Workers of T. sulcinode mostly resemble Tetramorium anatolicum by the fine, parallel body sculpture and the scape characters. These two species can also be separated by the absence/presence of the psammophore and by the non-overlapping relative size of the eyes.

Gynes of T. sulcinode are distinguishable by the well developed psammophore, short and smooth scape without a dorsal carina basally, wide scutum and relatively narrow petiole and postpetiole. Between T. sulcinode and T. annectens the relative petiole width gives separation.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Pakistan. Palaearctic Region: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Turkey, Turkmenistan.

Nomenclature

 *  sulcinode. Tetramorium caespitum var. sulcinode Santschi, 1927a: 53 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN. Subspecies of caespitum: Pisarski, 1970: 318. Junior synonym of turcomanicum: Radchenko, 1992b: 52. Revived from synonymy, raised to species and senior synonym of karakalense: Csösz, Radchenko & Schulz, 2007: 31.
 * karakalense. Tetramorium karakalense Dlussky & Zabelin, 1985: 229, fig. 6 (q.) TURKMENIA. Junior synonym of sulcinode: Csösz, Radchenko & Schulz, 2007: 31.

Worker
Csösz, Radchenko and Schulz (2007) - Lectotype: CL: 865; CW: 840; FR: 305; FL: 310; SL: 665; ML: 945; MW: 540; PEW: 280; PEH: 310; NOH: 170; NOL: 160; PEL: 185; PPW: 330; PPL: 195; PPH: 290; SPL: 105; SPSP: 120; EL: 185; EH: 130; ED: 195.

Figs 64–67. Medium size, CS 801 [773, 853]. Whole body and appendages black. Head slightly longer than broad, CL/CW 1.02 [0.98, 1.03], with very weakly convex or straight sides, feebly convex or straight occipital margin and rounded occipital corners. Eyes large, EYE 0.186 [0.180, 0.190]. Frons moderately narrow, FR/CS 0.37 [0.36, 0.38], frontal lobes as wide as frons, or slightly wider, FL/FR 1.01 [1.0, 1.02]. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.78 [0.76, 0.81], without dorsal carina basally, smooth and shiny. Promesonotal dorsum convex, metanotal groove very shallow or completely absent. Propodeal teeth short. Dorsal surface of petiole steeply rounded backward, NOH/NOL 1.14 [1.06, 1.21], petiole relatively high, PEH/NOL 1.99 [1.87, 2.07]. General appearance finely rugulose, ground surface usually smooth and shiny (except for head). Head dorsum and occiput longitudinally rugulose and microreticulate, and sides ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface microreticulate. Alitrunk dorsum longitudinally rugulose ground surface smooth. Mesopleuron longitudinally rugulose and microreticulate. Dorsum of petiolar node semi-circularly rugulose, ground surface smooth, dorsum of postpetiole longitudinally rugulose and finely microreticulate. Polygonal striation continuous on 1st gastral tergite basally, disrupted posteriorly. Basal part of 1st gastral tergite sometimes very feebly costulate (not microreticulate), extending to 80μm [0, 120] posteriorly. Ventral surface of head with a row of short setae and very long psammophore arising just posteriorly to buccal cavity (see fig. 3, 4.).

Queen
Csösz, Radchenko and Schulz (2007) - Figs 61–63. Small size, CS 973 [940, 1018]. Whole body and appendages black. Head slightly wider than long, CL/CW 0.94 [0.92, 0.97], with feebly convex sides, straight occipital margin and rounded occipital corners. Frons moderately narrow, FR/CS 0.37 [0.36, 0.37], frontal lobes as wide as frons, FL/FR 1.0 [1.0, 1.0]. Scape moderately short, SL/CS 0.73 [0.72, 0.74], without dorsal carina basally, smooth and shiny. Head wider than scutum, MW/CS 0.93 [0.92, 0.94]. Propodeal teeth short. Dorsal crest of petiolar node straight in frontal view; in profile petiolar node dorsum blunt. Petiole and postpetiole relatively narrow, WAIST 0.81 [0.80, 0.84]. General appearance rugulose, ground surface feebly microreticulate, shiny. Frons and occiput longitudinally rugulose, ground surface feebly microreticulate, sides ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface microreticulate. Scutum longitudinally rugose (mainly medially), anteriorly and laterally smooth, scutellum more or less smooth medially, laterally finely rugulose. Sides of alitrunk ruguloso-reticulate and microreticulate, ventral part of katepisternum usually smooth and shiny. Dorsum of petiolar node reticulate, medially smooth, dorsum of postpetiole reticulate. Polygonal striation disrupted on 1st gastral tergite, superficially microreticulate basally. Ventral surface of head with a row of short and several very long C-shaped setae arising just posteriorly to buccal cavity.

Male
Csösz, Radchenko and Schulz (2007) - Whole body and appendages black. Head with convex sides, nearly semi-circular occipital margin and widely rounded occipital corners. Scutum wider than head. Propodeal teeth poorly developed. Dorsal crest of petiolar node with sharp edge, slightly emarginated in frontal view. Head, alitrunk and waist quite coarsely sculptured, ground surface microreticulate, dull. Head longitudinally rugulose, ground surface microreticulate. Scutum and scutellum longitudinally rugose. Sides of alitrunk with longitudinal rugae, katepisternum sometimes smooth and shiny ventrally. Dorsum of petiolar node coarsely reticulate, postpetiole longitudinally rugulose. First gastral tergite shiny.

Type Material
Lectotype worker and Paralectotype workers. The syntype series of Tetramorium caespitum var. sulcinode Santschi, 1927 consists of six workers on two pins,. One pin with four workers and a second pin with two workers. In order to prevent further nomenclatural problems it is necessary to designate the lectotype of T. sulcinode.

From the first pin with four workers: Only one worker of the investigated type material is nearly intact, hence we designate this specimen, positioned on the distal end of the upper card, as the lectotype. The right antenna, the left funiculus and the right foreleg are missing. Lectotype is labeled as: [label with Latin letters] “Ssemiretschie 14/vii.24”, “Ssukuluk, westlich”, “von Pithpek, NB.ii”, “N. Kusnetzow” Type. Paralectotype worker on the same pin are positioned on the distal end of the lower card. Its head is missing, other parts are intact and have other features corresponding to the species characteristics. Two erroneously designated syntype specimens (D(4) =-4.074, p< 0.001, and =-1.571, p< 0.01 respectively) on that pin are in fact T. caespitum indocile; these are positioned on the proximal end of both, upper and lower, cards.

We designated one worker from the second pin as a paralectotype of T. sulcinode, the other worker cannot be determined correctly due to its very poor condition. The details of this second pin: two workers, collected at the same locality: [label with Cyrillic letters] ìSsemiretschie. Ssukulukî, 14-vii-1924. “N. Kusnetzov”. This locality (Ssemiretschie, Ssuskuluk; Pishpek, leg. Kusnetzov) is mentioned as the type locality of T. caespitum var. sulcinode in the original description (Santschi 1927: 53, 54).