Tetramorium species groups

It is convenient to organize species by region and species groups. This approach has been followed by most of the more informative taxonomic treatments of Tetramorium. The contents of this page are an attempt to organize information from various papers, as detailed in the list of references at the bottom of the page. There still remains much work to be done, with future taxonomy both adding to and potentially changing previous groups, arrangements and identification keys. With this in mind this page and other Tetramorium species groups webpages are provisional - and are not meant to represent a complete or definitive overview of this diverse and widely distributed genus.

Afrotropical region Tetramorium
More than half of the ~ 450 species occur in this region.

Tetramorium tortuosum species group
This is a large group but is not diverse in the Afrotropical region. The three species are all in the:

Tetramorium capillosum species complex

 * Tetramorium capillosum
 * Tetramorium hecate
 * Tetramorium tabarum

This species complex is endemic to this region.

Tetramorium weitzeckeri species group
Key to the Afrotropical weitzeckeri-group species.

Indo-Australian
Key to the Australian Tetramorium

Malagasy Tetramorium
The species of the Malagasy region can be placed into the following species groups.

Key to Malagasy Tetramorium species groups

Tetramorium bicarinatum species group
A number of species in this group are tramp species. There are three members of the group in the Malagasy region.


 * ''Tetramorium bicarinatum
 * ''Tetramorium insolens
 * ''Tetramorium pacificum

Tetramorium bessonii species group
An endemic Malagasy group with 5 species.

Key to Tetramorium bessonii-group workers


 * Tetramorium artemis
 * Tetramorium bessonii
 * Tetramorium malagasy
 * Tetramorium orientale
 * Tetramorium ryanphelanae
 * Tetramorium wardi

Tetramorium dysalum species group
The group has 2 described and more than 15 undescribed species. All appear to be endemic to the Malagasy region.

Key to Tetramorium dysalum-group species


 * Tetramorium ambatovy
 * Tetramorium dysalum
 * Tetramorium mackae
 * Tetramorium mallenseana
 * Tetramorium orc
 * Tetramorium robitika
 * Tetramorium sargina
 * Tetramorium steinheili
 * Tetramorium vohitra
 * Tetramorium yammer

Tetramorium kelleri species group
Endemic to Madagascar, there are two species in this group.


 * Species with smaller eyes (OI 20); relatively longer antennal scapes (SI 101–104); and long propodeal spines (PSLI 35–38) (Figs. 1, 2) . . . . . Tetramorium ankarana
 * Species with larger eyes (OI 24–26); relatively shorter antennal scapes (SI 89–99); and extremely long propodeal spines (PSLI 49–68) (Figs. 3, 4) . . . . . Tetramorium kelleri


 * Tetramorium ankarana
 * Tetramorium kelleri

Tetramorium marginatum species group
An endemic Madagascar group comprised of 6 species.

Key to Tetramorium marginatum-group species


 * Tetramorium hector
 * Tetramorium marginatum
 * Tetramorium norvigi
 * Tetramorium shamshir
 * Tetramorium silvicola
 * Tetramorium valky

Tetramorium bonibony species Group
An endemic Madagascar group comprised of 8 species.

Key to Tetramorium bonibony-group species


 * Tetramorium bonibony
 * Tetramorium kali
 * Tetramorium nosybe
 * Tetramorium olana
 * Tetramorium popell
 * Tetramorium sada
 * Tetramorium trafo
 * Tetramorium vony

Tetramorium obesum species group
The single member of this group that occurs in the Malagasy species is well known is a well known, widespread tramp species.


 * ''Tetramorium lanuginosum

Tetramorium ranarum species group
An endemic species group only found in the Malagasy region that holds 7 valid and more than 25 tentatively undescribed species.

Tetramorium schaufussii species group
An endemic Madagascar group that includes 6 described species and possibly dozens more that are undescribed.

Tetramorium sericeiventre species group
This group is present in the Malagasy region in the form of two species, one of which is shared with the Afrotropical and Southern Palaearctic regions, while the other represents a new species (T. mahafaly) endemic to Madagascar.


 * ''Tetramorium mahafaly
 * ''Tetramorium sericeiventre

Tetramorium severini species group
This species group contains a single species, T. severini, that is one of the most conspicuous Tetramorium species found in Madagascar.


 * Tetramorium severini

Tetramorium simillimum species group
This group includes species from other regions. Within the Malagasy region there are 5 described species and potentially 2 new species.

Tetramorium tsingy species group

 * Propodeum with minute teeth; first gastral tergite with short, fine erect pilosity (Fig. 156) . . . . . Tetramorium tyrion


 * Propodeum with moderately short spines; first gastral tergite with short and strongly appressed pubescence (Fig. 157) . . . . . Tetramorium tsingy


 * Tetramorium tsingy
 * Tetramorium tyrion

Tetramorium tortuosum species group
This group is widespread and present in most zoogeographic regions except the Palaearctic. Nevertheless, the highest species richness can be found in the Oriental and Indo-Australian regions while the Afrotropics and the New World are relatively species-poor. In the Malagasy region it is represented by about 20 species.

Key to Tetramorium tortuosum-group workers

Tetramorium andrei species complex

 * Tetramorium ala
 * Tetramorium andohahela
 * Tetramorium andrei
 * Tetramorium electrum
 * Tetramorium elf
 * Tetramorium isectum
 * Tetramorium isoelectrum
 * Tetramorium nify
 * Tetramorium voasary

Tetramorium jedi species complex

 * Tetramorium avaratra
 * Tetramorium jedi
 * Tetramorium pleganon

Tetramorium noeli species complex

 * Tetramorium aherni
 * Tetramorium ambanizana
 * Tetramorium noeli
 * Tetramorium singletonae

Tetramorium smaug species complex

 * Tetramorium adamsi
 * Tetramorium marojejy
 * Tetramorium latreillei
 * Tetramorium nazgul
 * Tetramorium sabatra
 * Tetramorium smaug

Tetramorium tosii species group
An apparently endemic group from the Malagasy region.


 * ''Tetramorium tantillum
 * ''Tetramorium tosii

Tetramorium weitzeckeri species group
This group is diverse in the Afrotropical region: Afrotropical Tetramorium weitzeckeri species group. The sole representive of this group in the Malagasy region also occurs in the Afrotropics.

Tetramorium humbloti

New World Tetramorium
Relatively depauperate with just 13 species.

Palaearctic Tetramorium
See Steiner et al., 2005; Schlick-Steiner et al., 2006a; Csösz et al., 2007; Csösz & Schulz, 2010; Steiner et al., 2010.