Tetramorium simillimum

A tramp species that has developed a pantropical distribution and is even found in temperature areas, albeit in protected areas such as heated greenhouses.

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium simillimum species group.

Very similar to Tetramorium caldarium, as detailed in the identification section of this other species.

Weakly sculptured, pale red much smaller than Tetramorium guineense. Length: 1.6-2 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Socotra Archipelago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia. Australasian Region: Australia, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island. Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, Indonesia, Kiribati, Krakatau Islands, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Guinea, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna Islands. Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, Seychelles. Nearctic Region: Canada, United States. Neotropical Region: Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Greater Antilles, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico. Oriental Region: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand. Palaearctic Region: China, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Japan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.



Australia
The range for Tetramorium simillimum given by Brown and Taylor (1985) is probably understated. Unlike some other exotic myrmicines in Australia, this species does not seem to adversely affect the native ant fauna.

Bahamas
Wheeler (1905) - This tropicopolitan species is common in certain localities near settlements both on Andros and New Providence. At Nicholl's Town, on the eastern coast of the former island, I found it in and under rotting coconut boles that had been prostrated some years ago by a hurricane. These nests contained many males and winged females (May 14). On New Providence the species was common under stones in the Queen's Staircase in Nassau, in the Menendez Sisal Plantation near Stanley, and in the dwindling 'pine yards' near the Blue Hills.

Europe
Collingwood (1979) - This cosmopolitan species occasionally occurs in heated glasshouses in Europe and has been recorded from Denmark and also on several occasions in England.

Puerto Rico
Wheeler (1908) - In Culebra a few colonies were found nesting under stones and logs on the beach, in Coamo Springs several colonies were seen under stones in the creek bottom near the baths.

Florida USA
A common species found as far north as St. Johns County, Florida. Nests are usually in soil in open areas, often around buildings or parking lots. Pest status: none. First published Florida record: Wheeler 1932. (Deyrup, Davis & Cover, 2000.)

Nomenclature

 *  simillimum. Myrmica simillima Smith, F. 1851: 118 (w.) GREAT BRITAIN. Meinert, 1861: 331 (gynandromorph); André, 1883a: 289 (q.m.); Imai, Baroni Urbani, et al. 1984: 8 (k.). Combination in Tetramorium: Mayr, 1861: 61. Senior synonym of pygmaeum: Forel, 1916: 421; of brevispinosa: Borgmeier, 1937b: 241; of insulare: Yarrow, 1967: 28; of denticulatum, opacior, parallela: Bolton, 1977: 131; of bantouana, exoleta and material of the unavailable name breve referred here: Bolton, 1980: 320. See also: Emery, 1909d: 696.
 * parallela. Myrmica parallela Smith, F. 1859a: 147 (w.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). Combination in Tetramorium: Donisthorpe, 1932c: 455. Junior synonym of simillimum: Bolton, 1977: 131.
 * pygmaeum. Tetramorium pygmaeum Emery, 1877b: 371 (q.) ETHIOPIA. Emery, 1901e: 62 (m.); Emery, 1915g: 17 (w.). Junior synonym of simillimum: Forel, 1916: 421.
 * denticulatum. Tetramorium simillimum r. denticulatum Forel, 1902c: 235 (w.) INDIA. Junior synonym of simillimum: Bolton, 1977: 131.
 * bantouana. Tetramorium pusillum var. bantouana Santschi, 1910c: 382, fig. 10 (w.q.m.) CONGO. Junior synonym of simillimum: Bolton, 1980: 320.
 * opacior. Tetramorium simillimum var. opacior Forel, 1913k: 81 (w.) SRI LANKA. Junior synonym of simillimum: Bolton, 1977: 131.
 * exoleta. Tetramorium pusillum var. exoleta Santschi, 1914d: 366 (w.) NIGERIA. Junior synonym of simillimum: Bolton, 1980: 320.
 * brevispinosa. Wasmannia auropunctata subsp. brevispinosa Borgmeier, 1928a: 36, figs. 4, 5 (w.) BRAZIL. [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of brevispinosus Stitz, above.] Junior synonym of simillimum: Borgmeier, 1937b: 241.
 * insulare. Tetramorium simillimum var. insulare Santschi, 1928c: 69 (w.) FIJI IS. [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of insularis Menozzi, above.] Junior synonym of simillimum: Yarrow, 1967: 28; Bolton, 1977: 131.

Wetterer and Hita Garcia (2015) - The species Tetramorium caldarium was described by Roger (1857) from Poland, with the specimens collected from a greenhouse growing pineapples. This species was promptly (Roger 1862) synonymized under T. simillimum, where it remained until 1979 when Bolton revived its status as a valid species. Museum specimens of T. simillimum that do not have contemporary identifications should be examined to be sure they are not T. caldarium (see the identification section of this other species for diagnostic characters).

Worker
(length3/4 - 1 line). Head and thorax pale ferruginous, the legs and antennae more pallid, the coxae a little coloured, the eyes black; the abdomen is rufo-fuscous, pale towards the apex; the head is evenly longitudinally striate; the thorax above is without the usual transverse suture, but is a little compressed at the sides about the middle, and gradually slightly narrowed from the prothorax towards the nodes of the peduncle; the metathorax is truncate at the apex, and the spines are short, broad, and acute; the abdomen is furnished with a few scattered erect hairs.

Type Material


Myrmica parallela

Holotype worker in. Specimen without locality label, but with a label “simillima” in Smith’s writing. Type-locality “Aru” according to original description.