Tetramorium peringueyi

Tetramorium peringueyi has been found nesting in sandy soils and in deep dolerite reddish soils. The nests normally have more than one entrance. They occur in open areas at the basal parts of plants, often with a crater of soil around the entrance. This species feeds on seeds and stores them inside the nest; seed stores have been recorded within 8 cm of the soil surface. In one of the samples collected, the larvae and alates were found at about 22 cm down. Pitfall trapping, sugar baiting and hand collecting have been used to collect this species. (Mbanyana et al. 2018)

Identification
Mbanyana et al. (2018) - Tetramorium peringueyi is morphologically similar to Tetramorium dichroum, Tetramorium margueriteae and Tetramorium brigitteae. They all have numerous simple, erect hairs covering the body. This species is separated from T. dichroum and T. brigitteae by the presence of erect hairs on the leading edges of the antennal scapes, whereas the other two species only have a sub-erect pubescence. Tetramorium peringueyi and T. margueriteae can be distinguished based the characters listed under T. margueriteae.

Distribution
South Africa (Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape), Namibia and Botswana.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa.

Habitat
Known from grasslands, open Karoo, highland savanna, Kimberley Thornveld, Gariep Rocky Desert, and Gariep Plain Desert.

Nomenclature

 *  peringueyi. Tetramorium peringueyi Arnold, 1926: 260 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. See also: Prins, 1973: 9; Bolton, 1980: 248.

Worker
Bolton (1980) - TL 4.4-5.7, HL 1.16-1.36, HW 1.14-1.36, CI 97-100, SL 0.82-0.96, SI 70-73, PW 0.70-0.84, AL 1.26-1.46 (15 measured).

Mandibles coarsely longitudinally rugose. Anterior clypeal margin with an extensive, broad median emargination so that the border is concave. Frontal carinae very reduced, rapidly fading out behind the frontal lobes. Antennal scrobes absent. Maximum diameter of eye 0.24-0.27, about 0.20—0.02 x-HW. Alitrunk in profile with even outline, without an impression at the metanotal groove. Propodeal spin stout and elongate, broad basally and rapidly tapering to an acute apex. Metapleural lobes blunt, irregularly rounded, the free margin uneven. Petiole in profile strongly nodiform; in dorsal view broader than long and broader behind than in front. Postpetiole in dorsal view broadly oval, much broader than the petiole and without lateral alar extensions. Dorsum of head with strongly developed, widely spaced longitudinal rugae which have widely spaced and feeble cross-meshes occipitally forming a weak, broad reticulum. Spaces between rugae finely and densely punctulate. Dorsal alitrunk predominantly longitudinally rugose, with a reticulum or irregular rugosity on the pronotum and sometimes elsewhere on the alitrunk also. Pedicel segments rugose dorsally. First gastral tergite longitudinally finely striate or costulate basally and usually also with faint punctulation, although this may be feeble in some individuals. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with abundant short, stout erect hairs. Tibiae of middle and hind legs with numerous short, stout, erect hairs, such hairs also present on the antennal scapes. Ventral surface of head with strongly developed psammophore. Colour orange-red to deep red.

Mbanyana et al. (2018) - (N = 17) HL 0.993–1.170 (1.096); HW 1.040–1.2719 (1.138); SL 0.777–0.885 (0.827); EL 0.216–0.263 (0.238); PH 0.462–0.639 (0.532); PW 0.649–0.767 (0.724); WL 1.050–1.249 (1.175); PSL 0.197–0.285 (0.238); PTH 0.354–0.433 (0.386); PTL 0.320–0.393 (0.356); PTW 0.344–0.460 (0.403); PPH 0.344–0.472 (0.400); PPL 0.256–0.393 (0.340); PPW 0.415–0.587 (0.492); OI 19–23 (21); CI 99–109 (104); SI 69–75 (73); DMI 57–65 (62); LMI 38–56 (45); PSLI 17–26 (22); PeNI 51–60 (56); LPeI 83–108 (92); DPeI 102–122 (113); PpNI 63–77 (68); LPpI 68–103 (85); DPpI 131–156 (145); PPI 118–128 (122).

Type Material
Mbanyana et al. (2018) – Syntypes. 18 pinned workers, South Africa. Northern Cape, Kimberley, 1916, Power leg. (: SAM-ENT-0011759, SAM-ENT-0011966; : CASENT0901179).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1926. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Appendix. Annals of the South African Museum. 23: 191-295.
 * Bolton B. 1980. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 40: 193-384.
 * Dean, W. R. J. and Bond, W. J. 1990. Evidence for Rapid Faunal Changes on Islands in a Man-Made Lake. Oecologia. 83:388-391.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Marsh A. C. 1985. Forager abundance and dietary relationships in a Namib Desert ant community. S. Afr. J. Zool. 20: 197-203.
 * Marsh A. C. 1986. Ant species richness along a climatic gradient in the Namib Desert. Journal of Arid Environments 11: 235-241.
 * Marsh A. C. 1986. Checklist, biological notes and distribution of ants in the central Namib Desert. Madoqua 14: 333-344.
 * Mbanyana N. 2013. Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of seed-harvesting ants in the Tetramorium solidum-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Masters of Science in the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University 115 pages.
 * Mbanyana N., F. Hita Garcia, H. G. Robertson, and J. J. Le Roux. 2018. A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa. European Journal of Taxonomy 454: 1-59.
 * Prins A. J. 1973. African Formicidae (Hymenoptera) in the South African Museum. Description of four new species and notes on Tetramorium Mayr. Annals of the South African Museum 62: 1-40.