Tetramorium solidum

Found nesting in clays soils, with craters of soil around nest entrances. Queens of this species were collected in April and males were collected in September from the nests. Seed stores have been found in nests. This species has been collected either by digging up nests or from pitfall traps and yellow pan traps. (Mbanyana et al. 2018)

Identification
Mbanyana et al. (2018) - In the T. solidum-group, only T. solidum and Tetramorium aisha have sparse hairs that are restricted to the mesosoma and the petiole; other species in this group either have abundant hairs covering the whole body or lack erect hairs. Tetramorium solidum has very long and acute propodeal spines (PSLI 17–20), whereas the propodeal spines in T. aisha are very short (PSLI 5–9).

Distribution
Tetramorium solidum has been recorded from South Africa (Western Cape and Northern Cape) in Strandveld and transformed lands on tillite shales.

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

Habitat
Known from Montane Fynbos and Renosterveld, Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo. (Mbanyana et al. 2018)

Nomenclature

 *  solidum. Tetramorium solidum Emery, 1886: 362, pl. 17, fig. 7 (w.q.) SOUTH AFRICA. See also: Prins, 1973: 4; Bolton, 1980: 252.

Worker
Bolton (1980) - TL 4.1—5.1, HL 1.10-1.28, HW 1.06-1.26, CI 94-98, SL 0.74-0.88, SI 66-71, PW 0.68-0.74, AL 1.10-1.31 (10 measured).

Mandibles longitudinally rugose. Anterior clypeal margin with an extensive, deep and very conspicuous median emargination which is usually roughly semicircular. Frontal carinae very short, extending back from the frontal lobes as a fine ridge on each side which ends at about the level of the anterior margins of the eyes. Antennal scrobes absent. Eyes quite small, maximum diameter 0-26-0-28, about 0:21-0:23 x HW. (In all other members of the complex the diameter is 0:24 x HW or more.) Propodeal spines elongate and acute. Metapleural lobes low and rounded. Petiole in profile strongly nodiform, in dorsal view broader than long and distinctly broader behind than in front. Dorsum of head longitudinally costulate or rugulose, the sculpture strongest behind the clypeus, becoming weaker posteriorly and becoming very fine on the occiput where it diverges onto the lateral occipital lobes. Spaces between the longitudinal components with very finely punctulate or granular ground-sculpture. Dorsal alitrunk faintly longitudinally rugulose and with fairly distinctive fine punctulation. Pedicel segments predominantly finely punctulate dorsally, rarely with a couple of very faint rugulae. Base of first gastrak tergite weakly shagreened. Hairs numerous on clypeus, gastral segments behind the first and on first gastral sternite. Elsewhere long hairs distributed as follows: dorsum of head behind clypeus with 3—4 pairs; dorsum of pronotum with 2 or rarely 3 pairs; alitrunk at junction of mesonotum and propodeum with one pair; pedicel segments dorsally usually without hairs but rarely with one pair on one or both segments. First gastral tergite hairless. Ventral surface of head with a psammophore. Colour dark brown or blackish brown.

Mbanyana et al. (2018) - (N = 13) HL 0.905–1.076 (1.004); HW 0.905–1.151 (1.026); SL 0.669–0.831 (0.755); EL 0.207–0.275 (0.242); PH 0.452–0.580 (0.523); PW 0.575–0.698 (0.647); WL 0.964–1.153 (1.081); PSL 0.177–0.197 (0.188); PTH 0.295–0.374 (0.345); PTL 0.256–0.315 (0.290); PTW 0.305–0.396 (0.346); PPH 0.295–0.384 (0.363); PPL 0.246–0.325 (0.277); PPW 0.379–0.482 (0.432); OI 22–24 (24); CI 95–106 (102); SI 70–81 (74); DMI 56–61 (60); LMI 44–51 (48); PSLI 17–20 (19); PeNI 50–57 (53); LPeI 77–89 (84); DPeI 110–126 (119); PpNI 65–70 (67); LPpI 64–85 (76); DPpI 145–184 (157); PPI 119–134 (125).

Type Material
Mbanyana et al. (2018) - South Africa: pinned workers, Cape of Good Hope, L. Peringueyi leg. (: CASENT0904840; ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.
 * Emery C. 1886. Alcune formiche africane. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 18: 355-366.
 * Forel A. 1910. Zoologische und anthropologische Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise im westlichen und zentralen Südafrika ausgeführt in den Jahren 1903-1905 von Dr. Leonhard Schultze. Vierter Band. Systematik und Tiergeographie. D) Formicidae. Denkschriften der Medizinisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft zu Jena 16: 1-30.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * 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. 1967. The ants of our National Parks. Koedoe - African Protected Area Conservation and Science 10(1): 63-81.
 * Stitz H. 1923. Hymenoptera, VII. Formicidae. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Land- und Süsswasserfauna Deutsch-Südwestafrikas 2: 143-167.
 * Tshinguvho T. E., W. R. J. Dean, and H. G. Robertson. 1999. Conservation value of road verges in the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa: ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as bio-indicators. Biodiversity and Conservation 8: 16831695
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004