Tetramorium vony

T. vony is mainly found in tropical dry forests and only very rarely in tropical rainforests. Also, it has an altitudinal range from 60 to 1025 m, but appears to prefer lower elevations. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Identification
A member of the Tetramorium bonibony-species group

Tetramorium vony can be clearly distinguished within the T. bonibony group by the following character combination: mesosoma with well developed anterior face of pronotum but without anterodorsal median protuberance; petiolar node in profile triangular cuneiform, dorsally strongly anteroposteriorly compressed, and highly transverse in dorsal view (LPeI 31 - 41; DPeI 245 - 333); postpetiole as wide as to weakly wider than petiolar node (PPI 100 - 107); body of uniform yellow colour. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Distribution
The distribution of T. vony is mainly restricted to the north of Madagascar. There it occurs from Andavakoera, Antsahabe, and Bekaraoka north to Montagne des Français. However, a single specimen from the botanical garden at the Andasibe National Park was confidently identified as T. vony, although no other conspecific material is known between Andasibe and the northern localities mentioned above. Since T. vony was predominantly sampled from lower vegetation, it is possible that the specimen from the botanical garden was transported with plant material from the main distribution of the species in the north. (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  vony. Tetramorium vony Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012: 52, figs. 40, 42, 44, 66-68 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
HL 0.67 - 0.80 (0.73); HW 0.65 - 0.79 (0.72); SL 0.46 - 0.56 (0.50); EL 0.14 - 0.18 (0.16); PH 0.41 - 0.48 (0.44); PW 0.49 - 0.61 (0.54); WL 0.85 - 0.98 (0.92); PSL 0.23 - 0.33 (0.28); PTL 0.09 - 0.11 (0.10); PTH 0.27 - 0.33 (0.30); PTW 0.27 - 0.34 (0.30); PPL 0.21 - 0.25 (0.22); PPH 0.28 - 0.35 (0.31); PPW 0.28 - 0.34 (0.31); CI 96 - 99 (98); SI 68 - 72 (70); OI 22 - 24 (22); DMI 56 - 62 (58); LMI 46 - 49 (48); PSLI 33 - 42 (38); PeNI 53 - 59 (56); LPeI 31 - 41 (34); DPeI 245 - 333 (298); PpNI 55 - 59 (57); LPpI 69 - 77 (72); DPpI 133 - 143 (138); PPI 100 - 107 (102) (12 measured).

Head usually slightly longer than wide (CI 96 - 99). Anterior clypeal margin with median impression. Frontal carinae weakly to moderately developed, fading out between posterior eye margin and posterior head margin. Antennal scrobes absent. Antennal scapes short, not reaching posterior head margin (SI 68 - 72). Eyes of moderate size (OI 22 - 24). Mesosoma with well developed anterior face of pronotum, but without any anterodorsal median protuberance, mesosoma weakly marginate from lateral to dorsal mesosoma; promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent, mesosoma comparatively high, compact, and stout (LMI 46 - 49). Propodeal spines long to very long, spinose, and acute (PSLI 33 - 42); propodeal lobes small and triangular. Petiolar node in profile triangular cuneiform, strongly anteroposteriorly compressed dorsally, approximately 2.4 to 3.3 times higher than long (LPeI 31 - 41), anterior and posterior faces not parallel; node in dorsal view highly transverse, between 2.4 to 3.3 times wider than long (DPeI 245 - 333). Postpetiole in profile approximately rounded and weakly anteroposteriorly compressed, approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times higher than long (LPpI 69 - 77), in dorsal view between 1.3 to 1.5 times wider than long (DPpI 133 - 143). Postpetiole in profile appearing slightly more voluminous than petiolar node, in dorsal view approximately as wide as to weakly wider than petiolar node (PPI 100 - 107). Mandibles striate; clypeus with one distinct median longitudinal ruga and one or two often weaker rugae at each side; cephalic dorsum between frontal carinae anteriorly and centrally longitudinally rugose and posteriorly reticulate-rugose, dorsum with five to nine longitudinal rugae, rugae ending close to posterior head margin but often broken or with cross-meshes, always with one well-developed longitudinal median ruga, median ruga running from posterior head margin to posterior clypeal margin, approximately at eye level diverging into two rugae leading to posterior clypeal margin; lateral and ventral head mainly reticulate-rugose to longitudinally rugose. Ground sculpture on head weakly to moderately reticulate-punctate. Mesosoma laterally reticulate-rugose to irregularly longitudinally rugose, anteriorly often weakly sculptured; dorsal mesosoma mainly reticulate-rugose. Waist segments and gaster unsculptured, smooth, and shiny. All dorsal surfaces of body with abundant, moderately long, fine, and erect pilosity. Body of uniform yellow to light brown colour.

Type Material
Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR, Antsiranana, Réserve Spéciale de l'Ankarana, 13.6 km 192° SSW Anivorano Nord, 12.8636 S, 49.2258 E, 210 m, tropical dry forest, beating low vegetation, collection code BLF03016, 16.-21.II.2001 (B.L. Fisher, C. Griswold et al.) (: CASENT0404272). Paratypes, 43 workers with same data as holotype (: CASENT0404282; CASENT0404310; CASC: CASENT0404270; CASENT0404271; CASENT0404275; CASENT0404276; CASENT0404279; CASENT0404280; CASENT0404281; CASENT0404286; CASENT0404287; CASENT0404288; CASENT0404290; CASENT0404291; CASENT0404292; CASENT0404293; CASENT0404297; CASENT0404298; CASENT0404299; CASENT0404301; CASENT0404304; CASENT0404305; CASENT0404306; CASENT0404308; CASENT0404309; CASENT0404311; CASENT0404312; CASENT0404320; CASENT0404321; CASENT0404332; : CASENT0404277; : CASENT0404278; : CASENT0404289).

Etymology
The name of the new species is Malagasy and means "yellow". The epithet is treated as a noun in apposition, and thus invariant.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Garcia H. F. and B. L. Fisher. 2012. The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy regiontaxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups. Zootaxa 3365: 1-123