Tetramorium indocile

Nests in soil, often under stones. Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran in low to moderate rainfall areas.

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium caespitum complex. The species can be determined with a discriminant analysis of a set of morphological measurements. See Wagner et al. (2017) and https://webapp.uibk.ac.at/ecology/tetramorium/

Seifert (2021): Tetramorium sibiricum differs from Tetramorium indocile in having a longer scape, a more developed sculpture on postocular head sides, a narrower petiole and postpetiole, longer pronotal setae and a longer mesosoma and eye. The main differences to Tetramorium caespitum are the narrower petiole and postpetiole, the more developed sculpture and microsculpture on postocular head sides and on dorsum of 1st gaster tergite, the higher postpetiole, the longer scape and eye and a longer distance from spine tip to dorsocaudal corner of metapleural lobe.

Key to Siberian Species
Three species of the T. caespitum complex occur in Siberia west and north of the Reinig Line. This faunal divide separates East Siberian, Inner Mongolian, Chinese and Tibetan species from those of Central Siberia, West Siberia and the Turanian region (DE LATTIN, 1967).

The methodology of species identification applied by Seifert (2021) is extremely complex and data recording is by far the most time-consuming of any ant genus investigated so far by the author – a challenge even for experienced and specialized investigators having access to adequate equipment. An attempt to simplify the separation of the three West and Central Siberian species was done in writing a key that uses absolute primary data (i. e. without RAV-correction) and a strongly reduced character set.

1. Postoculo-temporal area of head with rather many costae and costulae, POTCos 11.4 ± 2.1. Anterior dorsum of 1st gaster tergite with more complex elements of stickman-like or reticulate microsculpture, MC1TG 16.6 ± 3.2. Propodeal spines and eye slightly longer. With all linear measurements given in mm, discriminant function 0.183*POTCos + 0.12*MC1TG – 34.79*FL + 46.67*EL + 17.54*ML + 28.28*MPSP – 99.07*PeW – 3.793 > 0 [error 0 % in 21 specimens] => Tetramorium sibiricum

– Postoculo-temporal area of head with fewer costae and costulae, POTCos 8.4 ± 2.4. Anterior dorsum of 1st gaster tergite with less complex elements of stickman-like or reticulate microsculpture, MC1TG 11.2 ± 3.0. Propodeal spines and eye slightly shorter. Discriminant < 0 [error 0 % in 338 specimens] => 2

2. Longest hair near anterolateral pronotal corner shorter, PnHL 0.168 ± 0.020 mm. Anterior dorsum of 1st gaster tergite with more complex elements of stickman-like microsculpture, MC1TG 13.5 ± 2.8. With all linear measurements given in mm, discriminant 0.127*POTCos – 0.173*MC1TG + 85.54*SWd – 49.08*MPSP + 62.52*MPPL + 21.985*PnHL – 9.026 < 0 [error 9.7% in 72 specimens] => Tetramorium indocile

– Longest hair near anterolateral pronotal corner longer, PnHL 0.212 ± 0.022 mm. Anterior dorsum of 1st gaster tergite with only scattered and less complex elements of stickman-like microsculpture, MC1TG 10.6 ± 2.7. Discriminant > 0 [error 1.9 % in 266 specimens] => Tetramorium caespitum

Distribution
According to the present data (Csősz et al., 2014) T. indocile is widely distributed in steppe-like habitats from Kyrgyzstan (E 76.74◦) to Spain (W 04.06◦), but seems to be generally rare in Southern and Western Europe.

Wagner et al. (2017) - Disjunct: Iberia, France, Central Europe, Italy, Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Armenia, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland , Ukraine.

Biology
Wagner et al. (2017) - Moderately thermophilic, TAS of 42 sites 15.6 ± 3.2 °C [11.5, 25.4], different from all species except Tetramorium caespitum and Tetramorium caucasicum. In Central Europe rare and in arid habitats like south-facing, fallow, rocky grassland in dry inner-alpine Rhône valley near Brig, on sandy cattle pasture near Mals in Vinschgau, vineyard near Budapest. Replaced by T. caespitum in less dry areas of Central Europe. In Armenia in montane steppic meadow, in Chelyabinsk area in steppe, in Kyrgyzstan in meadows, dry grasslands, Juniperus-heaths, river banks, stony steppes, semideserts. Nests in soil, often under stones.

Adult sexuals in nests on 17 July ± 24 [20 June, 16 August] (n = 7).

Nomenclature

 *  indocile. Tetramorium caespitum var. indocile Santschi, 1927a: 53 (w.q.m.) KAZAKHSTAN.
 * Subspecies of caespitum: Pisarski, 1967: 402.
 * Junior synonym of caespitum: Radchenko, 1992b: 50; Bolton, 1995b: 409.
 * Status as species: Pisarski, 1969b: 304; Csösz, et al. 2014: 477; Radchenko, 2016: 382; Wagner, et al. 2017: 116 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of kutteri: Wagner, et al. 2017: 116.
 * kutteri. Tetramorium semilaeve var. kutteri Santschi, 1927a: 57 (w.) SWITZERLAND.
 * Subspecies of semilaeve: Novák & Sadil, 1941: 85 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 410.
 * Junior synonym of indocile: Wagner, et al. 2017: 116.

Worker
Wagner et al. (2017) - Smaller than most other species of complex, CS = 717 ± 52 [575, 822] μm. Dark brown to blackish.

Head moderately elongate, CL / CW = 1.011 ± 0.014 [0.982, 1.051]. Eye medium-sized, EYE / CS = 0.174 ± 0.005 [0.162, 0.181]. Scape moderately long, SLd / CS = 0.764 ± 0.013 [0.734, 0.790]. Mesosoma moderately long and moderately wide, ML / CS = 1.155 ± 0.020 [1.107, 1.205], MW / CS = 0.637 ± 0.011 [0.609, 0.667].

Promesonotal dorsum convex, metanotal groove shallow. – Head dorsum and occiput with longitudinal costae and costulae. Postoculo-temporal area of head with rather few longitudinal costae and costulae, POTCos = 6.08 ± 1.69 [2.63, 9.75]. Mesosoma dorsum longitudinally rugulose, lateral side of propodeum with rather pronounced smooth and shiny area, Ppss = 50.0 ± 23.8 [17.6, 110.5]. – Dorsum of petiolar node often smooth, rarely feebly microreticulated. General surface appearance on average rather smooth and shiny compared with other species. – Connected stickman-like or reticulate microsculpture: small units scattered over 1st gastral tergite, MC1TG = 14.01 ± 2.44 [6.41, 19.96]. – Some workers with long c-shaped, crinkly, or sinuous hairs on ventral head posterior to buccal cavity.

Male
Wagner et al. (2017) - Paramere structure belongs to caespitum-like form: ventral paramere lobe with one or two sharp corners; without distinct emargination between paramere lobes in posterior view, paramere lobes reduced in size; in ventro-posterior view, second corner on ventral paramere lobe missing or < 87 μm apart from first. In posterior view, two sharp corners on ventral lobe.

Type Material


In order to avoid any further nomenclatural problems lectotype designation for the type series is essential. We investigated 5 workers, one gyne and one male mounted on two pins. The lectotype worker by the present designation is labeled as: TYPE [—] “T. caespitum L. v indocile Sant [/] SANTSCHI det. 19 “26” [—] “Semiretschie”[/] “Kisil-Kija Pass” [/] “(Kusnezow)” [—] Sammlung Dr. F. SantschiKairouan [—] NATURHIST. MUSEUM BASEL [—] “9” [—]. The lectotype is positioned on the proximal end of the third card from the top. The lectotype worker is considered the best preserved one, a leg of a paralecto type worker is caught by its mandibles (Fig. 3A–C),but it does not hinder examination.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Csősz S., H. C. Wagner, M. Bozsó, B. Seifert, W. Arthofer, B. C. Schlick-Steiner, F. Steiner, and Z Pénzes. 2014. Tetramorium indocile Santschi, 1927 stat. rev. is the proposed scientific name for Tetramorium sp. C sensu Schlick-Steiner et al. (2006) based on combined molecular and morphological evidence (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger 253: 469-481.
 * Kiran K. C. Karaman, A. Lapeva-Gjonova, and V. Aksoy. 2017. Two new species of the "ultimate" parasitic ant genus Teleutomyrmex KUTTER, 1950 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Western Palaearctic. Myrmecological News 25: 145-155.
 * Pashaei Rad S., B. Taylor, R. Torabi, E. Aram, G. Abolfathi, R. Afshari, F. Borjali, M. Ghatei, F. Hediary, F. Jazini, V. Heidary Kiah, Z. Mahmoudi, F. Safariyan, and M. Seiri. 2018. Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 64(2): 145-159.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2019. Comments to distribution of several Greek Tetramorium Mayr, 1855 species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 28(2): 1-9.
 * Schifani E., and A. Alicata. 2018. Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 87 (4): 323–348.
 * Wagner H. C., W. Arthofer, B. Seifert, C. Muster, F. M. Steiner, and B. C. Schlick-Steiner. 2017. Light at the end of the tunnel: Integrative taxonomy delimits cryptic species in the Tetramorium caespitum complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 25: 95-129.