Tetramorium laparum

Bolton (1977) noted: apart from the types one other specimen is known; it bears only the data, Philippines: Los Banos, in house (MCZ). Other specimens have been collected since then but none have included any ecological information.

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium tonganum-species group.

Bolton (1977) - The shape of the pedicel segments, lack of long hairs on the legs and scapes and relatively elongate, narrow scapes relate this species to Tetramorium tonganum and its allies, but the very distinctive sculpture immediately separates laparum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  laparum. Tetramorium laparum Bolton, 1977: 127 (w.) PHILIPPINES.

Worker
TL 3.0, HL 0.68, HW 0.64, CI 94, SL 0.52, SI 81, PW 0.46, AL 0.78.

Mandibles striate; anterior clypeal margin entire, the median portion with an anterior narrow, translucent flange or apron. Frontal carinae weak but quite distinctive, being more strongly developed than the other cephalic sculpture, reaching back well beyond the eyes but occipitally merging into the other sculpture. Antennal scrobes feeble, broad but only shallowly impressed. Eyes prominent, their maximum diameter c. 0.15, about 0.25 x HW. Occipital margin in full-face view virtually straight, only exceedingly shallowly concave across the width of the head. Pronotal corners in dorsal view broadly rounded. Petiolar spines quite short but longer than meta pleural lobes, the spines strongly elevated, acute and feebly upcurved along their length. Metapleural lobes broad, roughly triangular, acute apically. Node of petiole in profile narrowing slightly from base to apex so that the dorsal length is less than the height of the tergal portion of the node. Anterodorsal and posterodorsal angles of node rounded, the anterior peduncle of the petiole feebly downcurved along its length. Petiole node in dorsal view distinctly broader than long. Dorsum of head weakly longitudinally rugulose with some reticulation occipitally but everywhere on the head the dominant sculpture is a fine, dense, blanketing reticulate-punctulation so that the surfaces appear matt and granular. Dorsal alitrunk finely reticulate-rugulose, the spaces filled with dense punctulation which is, however, not as strongly developed as on the head. Petiole node with traces of sculpture but postpetiole and gaster unsculptured. Dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous erect or suberect hairs, but antennal scapes and dorsal (outer) surfaces of hind tibiae only with decumbent or appressed pubescence, without longer hairs of any description. Colour uniform yellowish brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Philippines: Dumaguete, 28.iv.1948 (J. W. Chapman). Paratype. 1 worker with same data as holotype.