Tetramorium punctiventre

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium scabrosum-species group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  punctiventre. Tetramorium punctiventre Emery, 1887b: 453 (q.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 1977: 118.

Bolton (1977) - I have not seen the holotype of this species, nor have I been able to find any material matching the original description. From that description it is not possible to decide whether punctiventre is correctly placed in Tetramorium or should go into Triglyphothrix, and Emery's comparison of this species with Triglyphothrix lanuginose (=Tetramorium lanuginosum) does little to settle the matter. For the present and with some misgivings I tentatively place punctiventre in the scabrosum-group, fully realizing that this may prove to be incorrect.

The principal characters of this enigmatic species are as follows. First gastral tergite basally punctate and with longitudinal rugulae. Propodeal spines long. Petiole node in dorsal view transversely ovate. Frontal carinae produced back beyond the level of the eyes, the antennal scrobes broad. Mandibles striate. Dominant sculpture on head and alitrunk a dense rugose-punctation.

In Tetramorium species of these regions gastral sculpture of the form described is very rare, but in Triglyphothrix gastral sculpture is reasonably common (Bolton, 1976), though of these species only the very conspicuous Tetramorium fulviceps is known to occur in New Guinea and this is certainly not equatable with punctiventre.

Type Material
Bolton (1977) - Holotype female, New Guinea: Hatam (Beccari) (probably in ).