Tetramorium hortorum

Tetramorium hortorum has been collected from savannah and woodlands habitats. Robertson found two ground nests, one (sam-hym-c000999) in an open area away from the base of any plant and the other (sam-hym-c000556) with an entrance at the base of a grass tuft. He observed mites on the workers in the latter colony.

Identification
Bolton (1980) - In the last analysis T. hortorum is really no more than a densely sculptured version of Tetramorium bulawayense and the two may eventually be shown to be variants of a single species. For the present, however, I have elected to keep them separate as no intermediates are known, despite the fact that sculptural density and intensity are notoriously variable in this species-group.

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

Nomenclature

 *  hortorum. Tetramorium hortorum Arnold, 1958: 121, fig. 2 (w.) ZIMBABWE. See also: Bolton, 1980: 327.

Worker
Bolton (1980) - TL 3.0-3.2, HL 0.72-0.74, HW 0.60-0.64, CI 83-86, SL 0.62-0.66, SI 103-105, PW 0.45-0.50, AL 0.86-0.96 (5 measured).

Answering to the description of Tetramorium bulawayense in all particulars except sculpture, which is. denser and coarser in T. hortorum, as follows. Dorsum of head finely, densely and conspicuously longitudinally rugulose with dense reticulatepunctulate or granular ground-sculpture. Occipital region with a weak ruguloreticulum or at least with numerous anastomoses or cross-meshes. Sides of head in front and behind eye with reticular rugulae, the sides above the eye densely punctulate and sometimes with sparse rugulae. Dorsal alitrunk finely rugulose, longitudinal on the promesonotum but predominantly transverse on the propodeum. Some traces of reticulation may be present on pronotum. Entire alitrunk with dense reticulate-punctate ground-sculpture between the rugulae. Petiole and postpetiole finely rugulose, usually irregular or even reticulate in places, the interspaces punctulate. First gastral tergite finely and densely sculptured, at least basally. Otherwise as T. bulawayense.

Type Material
Bolton (1980) - Syntype workers, RHODESIA: Victoria Falls, 14.ii.1953 (G. Arnold) [examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection