Tetramorium ferox

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Csösz and Schulz (2010) - A member of the Tetramorium ferox species complex in the Tetramorium caespitum species group. The feebly rugulose general sculpture, the microreticulate ground surface, and the relatively sparse pubescence on the first gastral tergite make the T. ferox gynes unique within this group.

Tetramorium ferox workers cannot be confused with those of Tetramorium diomedeum or Tetramorium aegeum. The general appearance of the head and mesosoma of T. ferox workers is always rugulose, microreticulate and dull, but head and mesosoma of the latter two species are always shiny and usually at least partly smooth.

Tetramorium feroxoides workers usually bear much feebler (and often parallel) rugulae on head and mesosoma than T. ferox workers, but in a few cases T. feroxoides workers can be confused with the smallest T. ferox workers.

A discriminant function using various morphological measurements has also been defined and can be used to make determinations in this species group.

Distribution
Widely distributed over the western Palaearctic, from Central Europe to the Caucasus and Turkey. (Csösz and Schulz 2010)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan.

Nomenclature

 *  ferox. Tetramorium caespitum var. ferox Ruzsky, 1903b: 309 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Subspecies of caespitum: Emery, 1909d: 703; Emery, 1916b: 194. Raised to species: Cori & Finzi, 1931: 239; Soudek, 1931: 10; Menozzi, 1933b: 75 (in key); Kratochvíl, 1944: 72; Tarbinsky, 1976: 112; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 155. Senior synonym of silhavyi: Bernard, 1967: 235; Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 201; Radchenko, 1992b: 55; of confinis, perspicax: Csösz & Schulz, 2010: 20; material of the unavailable name striaticeps referred here by Radchenko, 1992b: 55.
 * silhavyi. Tetramorium (Lobomyrmex) ferox subsp. silhavyi Kratochvíl, in Novak & Sadil, 1941: 84, fig. 1 (w.q.) CZECHOSLOVAKIA. [Also described as new by Kratochvíl, in Kratochvíl, Novak & Snoflak, 1944: 72.] Junior synonym of ferox: Bernard, 1967: 235; Radchenko, 1992b: 55.
 * confinis. Tetramorium confinis Radchenko & Arakelian, 1990: 374, fig. 2 (w.q.m.) ARMENIA. Junior synonym of ferox: Csösz & Schulz, 2010: 20.
 * perspicax. Tetramorium perspicax Radchenko, 1992b: 56 (w.q.) TURKEY. [First available use of Tetramorium caespitum st. ferox var. perspicax Santschi, 1921a: 111; unavailable name.] Synonym of feroxoides: Radchenko, 1992b: 56. [Radchenko gives perspicax as senior name, but feroxoides has priority: Bolton, 1995b: 412.] Junior synonym of ferox: Csösz & Schulz, 2010: 21.

Worker
Csösz and Schulz (2010) - Medium to large size, CS 825 [693, 918]. Whole body and appendages greyish brown to dark brown. Head slightly longer than broad, CL/CW 1.03 [0.99, 1.09], with feebly convex sides, straight posterior margin with widely rounded corners. Eyes small, EYE 0.16 [0.15, 0.18]. Frons moderately wide, FR/CS 0.39 [0.36, 0.41], frontal lobes usually as wide as the frons, rarely slightly broader, FL/FR 1.01 [1.00, 1.03]. Scape long, SL/CS 0.79 [0.74, 0.83], with a feeble dorsal carina basally, its surface very finely microreticulate. Promesonotal dorsum slightly convex, metanotal groove shallow. Propodeal denticles moderately long. Petiolar node moderately high, NOH/NOL 1.05 [0.88, 1.29] trapezoid to cubic seen in profile.

Head longitudinally rugulose and microreticulate, posterior surface ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface microreticulate, appears dull. Mesosoma dorsum and mesopleura ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface coarsely microreticulate. Dorsum of petiolar node ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface microreticulate, median part smooth. Dorsum of postpetiole rugulose and microreticulate. First gastral tergite smooth, appears shiny. Ventral surface of head with a row of short setae only (without long C-shape hairs).

Queen
Csösz and Schulz (2010) - Medium to large size, CS 999 [955, 1095]. Whole body and appendages black. Head broader than long, CL/CW 0.92 [0.90, 0.94] with sides and posterior margin straight, with widely rounded corners. Head trapezoid in full face view, narrower at genae. Frons moderately wide, FR/CS 0.40 [0.39, 0.42]. Scape long, SL/CS 0.75 [0.70, 0.81], with a feeble dorsal carina basally, its surface smooth and shiny. Head slightly narrower than scutum, MW/CS 1.03 [0.99, 1.08]. Propodeal teeth long. Petiole and postpetiole wide, CS/PEW 1.65 [1.56, 1.78], CS/PPW 1.29 [1.11, 1.43].

Head dorsum, posterior surface and sides ruguloso-reticulate, ground surface microreticulate. Frons longitudinally rugulose and microreticulate. Scutum and scutellum longitudinally rugulose. Sides of mesosoma, rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate, ventral part of katepisternum always rugulose, or microreticulate. Dorsum of petiolar node and postpetiole coarsely reticulate and microreticulate. First gastral tergite smooth, appears shiny. Ventral surface of head with a row of short setae only (without long C-shape hairs).

Male
Csösz and Schulz (2010) - Head sides feebly convex, posterior margin widely rounded. Scutum much broader than head. Propodeal denticles reduced, propodeum nearly rounded in profile. Dorsum of petiolar node blunt, dorsolaterally sharp and angulate. Whole body and appendages black. Head, scutum, scutellum, anepi- and katepisternum as well as petiole and postpetiole finely rugulo-reticulate, between main sculpturation microreticulate. First gastral tergite smooth, appears shiny.

Type Material
Csösz and Schulz (2010) - Syntype workers, gynes, male (2w, 2q, 1m): Russia, Saratov (Ruzsky) [labels: ''Tetr. caespitum L., v. ferox'' Rusz, Ssaratov M.R.] (examined),.