Tetramorium seiferti

A Turkish social parasite found in the nest of a of Tetramorium species nesting under a stone in a pine forest.

Identification
Kiran, et al. (2017) - Gynes differ from Tetramorium schneideri by larger CS, HTL / CS, PPW / CS, and DLO / CS (Tab. 1). They differ from Tetramorium kutteri by larger CS and DLO / CS, and by much longer and more erect pilosity on appendages and whole body. They differ from Tetramorium buschingeri by smaller CW / CL, larger DLO / CS, by the dorsolateral margins of the propodeum forming distinct carinae, and by much less developed microsculpture on lateral mesosomal sclerites and petiole.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Turkey.

Biology
Kiran, et al. (2017) - The type series was collected from a Tetramorium cf. chefketi nest located under a stone in a Pinus sylvestris L. forest older than 100 years. There are many trees about to die because of their old age, and therefore there are very large sun exposed areas on the forest ground. The ground is not inclined near the nest because the nest site is placed on the top of the hill.

The habitat is similar to that reported by Tinaut (1990) for the type locality of Teleutomyrmex kutteri.

Nomenclature

 *  buschingeri. Teleutomyrmex seiferti Kiran & Karaman, in Kiran, et al. 2017: 148, figs. 3a, 4a, 5a, 6-8 (q.m.) TURKEY.
 * [Note: Kiran, et al. 2017: 146, retain the paraphyletic genus Teleutomyrmex.]

Queen
Head in full face view not much wider than long (CL / CW 0.951 - 1.000), lateral sides convex and rounding to slightly concave posterior margin, anterior part of head narrower than posterior one. Eyes protruding and small (EL / CS 0.224 - 0.250), occupying less than one quarter of lateral head side, ocelli relatively well developed, distance of posterior ocelli rather large (DLO / CS 0.244 - 0.275), anterior clypeal margin deeply concave, posterior margin broadly convex, mandibles atrophied, largely triangular, and with pointed apex. Antennal scape as long as head length (SL / CL 0.974 - 1.000), slightly surpassing posterior margin of head, funiculus 10-segmented, 3rd funicular segment slightly longer than 4th one and almost twice as long as 2nd; three apical segments forming a small club.

Pronotum narrower than head (PNW / CS 0.732 - 0.835), anterolaterally with small angles, in lateral view scutum raised over pronotum, dorsal surface of scutum and prescutum straight, scutellum higher than scutum, metanotum very small, like a tooth. Dorsolateral margins of propodeum developed as distinct carinae, the longer dorsal and the shorter declivitous profile of carinae forming an obtuse angle with a blunt tooth at the position where spines normally are based; distance of propodeal spiracle from posterior margin of propodeum twice as long as the distance from anterior margin to spiracle. Petiolar scale in profile triangular, with a nearly linear frontal and broadly convex caudal profile. Dorsal outline of postpetiole convex in lateral view. Gaster typically dorso-ventrally flattened in virgin females.

Head smooth and shiny, only genae between antennal sockets and compound eyes microreticulate. Mesosoma and petiole microalveolate. In dorsal view, postpetiole superficially microreticulate and gaster glabrous.

Head and hind tibiae with long erect hairs, scape and hind femur with dense semi-erect hairs. Dorsum of mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole with brush-like hairs, anepisternum and gaster almost bare, katepisternum with long decumbent hairs.

Clypeus, mandibles, antennae, and legs yellow. Rest of head, mesosoma, and petiole brown; postpetiole brownish yellow; gaster brownish yellow except yellow lateral sides and articulations.

Male
In full face view head wider than long (CL / CW 0.910 - 0.935), lateral sides convex, rounding to straight posterior margin, anterior part of head slightly narrower than posterior one, eyes relatively big (EL / CS 0.233 - 0.272), located in the middle of head sides, ocelli well developed, distance of posterior ocelli rather large (DLO / CS 0.247 - 0.282), anterior margin of clypeus slightly notched medially, posterior margin broadly convex, mandibles atrophied and very small. Antennal scape short (SL / CS 0.871 - 0.907), scape hardly reaching posterior margin of head, funiculus 10-segmented, last three articles form a club.

Pronotum short and distinctly narrower than head (PNW / CS 0.762 - 0.805). With mesosoma in lateral view, mesonotum not raised as in female, its dorsum almost straight; scutellum strongly raised, metanotum lower than scutellum; dorsal surface of propodeum sloping posteriorly, slightly longer than declivitous surface and joining by an obtuse angle, and forming here a small tooth. Propodeal spiracle located close to anterior propodeal border. Dorsal part of petiole in profile almost rectangular, petiole distinctly wider than the distance between propodeal teeth, postpetiole very wide and short in dorsal view. Gaster dorsoventrally flattened.

Posterior margin of subgenital plate convex. Shape of sagitta and subgenital plate more similar to Teleutomyrmex kutteri on the contrary volsella completely different from T. kutteri and T. schneideri.

Head densely microreticulate and matt, mesosoma and petiole densely microalveolate. Postpetiole, first and second abdominal tergites with very dilute microreticulum and rest of gaster glabrous.

Long hairs absent or very rare. Short, erect and suberect hairs present on head, scape, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole. Gaster bare.

Lower parts of head, antennae, and legs yellow; rest of head, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole yellowish brown.

Gaster brownish yellow.

Type Material
Holotype (gyne) from Turkey, Artvin, Yusufeli, 3 km NW of Kınalıçam Village, N 40° 45' 36", E 41° 34' 46", 1801 m above sea level (a.s.l.), 25.VI.2013, 13 / 1592c, leg. K. Kiran, C. Karaman & V. Aksoy (in Collection of Biological Department, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey). Paratypes: 16 gynes, 7 males from same nest as the holotype (14 gynes, 5 males in Collection of Biological Department, Trakya University, Edirne; 1 gyne, 1 male in Sofia University, Bulgaria; 1 gyne, 1 male in Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, Germany.

Etymology
The species is dedicated to Dr. Bernhard Seifert for his great contributions to this study.