Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium ericae osiris inezulae gabonensis species groups

This worker key is based on Bolton (1976)

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 * Tetramorium

NOTE: Tetramorium desertorum is known only from the queen caste.

1

 * Antennae with 11 segments. . . . . 2
 * Antennae with 12 segments. . . . . 4

2
return to couplet #1
 * Dorsum of head and mesosoma finely but distinctly reticulate-rugulose. . . . . 3
 * Dorsum of head with a few scattered fine longitudinal rugulae with shining interspaces, mesosoma with fine longitudinal rugulae, not reticulate-rugulose..... Tetramorium antrema

3
return to couplet #2


 * Clypeus with a raised transverse carina at the level of the extreme anterior portions of the frontal carinae. The tranverse carinae as strongly developed as the median longitudinal carina which it crosses. Head and mesosoma yellow or yellow-brown..... Tetramorium muscorum
 * Clypeus without a raised transverse carina crossing the median longitudinal carinae. Head and mesosoma blackish-brown ..... Tetramorium crypticum

4
return to couplet #1
 * With the head in profile the antennal scrobe is either very short and shallow, without a sharp dorsal margin and not divided into upper and lower portions by a longitudinal carina, or is completely absent. The area of the scrobe is generally as strongly sculptured as the remainder of the head and always has hairs arising within the scrobal area. . . . . 5
 * With the head in profile the antennal scrobe developed, long and deep, reaching well beyond the posterior margin of the eye and with a sharp dorsal margin. The area of the scrobe less sculptured then the remainder of the head, without hairs arising within the scrobal area and generally divided into upper and lower portions by a medial carina, at least anteriorly. . . . . 7

5
return to couplet #4
 * ..... Tetramorium agna
 * . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #5
 * ..... Tetramorium rothschildi(No de estos grupos!!!)
 * ..... Tetramorium eminii

7
return to couplet #4
 * ..... Tetramorium arnoldi
 * . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * . . . . . 9
 * . . . . . 23

9
return to couplet #8
 * . . . . . 10
 * . . . . . 11

10
return to couplet #9
 * Dorsal surfaces of head and mesosoma unsculptured apart from the median carina on the head and a few scattered punctures ..... Tetramorium menkaura
 * Dorsal surfaces of head and mesosoma distinctly rugulose ..... Tetramorium imbelle

11
return to couplet #9
 * Hairs on anterior (leading) edge of antennal scape of varying length, the longest being simple and at least as long as the maximum width of the scape. If the longest hairs are subequal to the maximum scape width then elongate simple hairs are present on the dorso-lateral pronotal margins which are distinctly longer and more conspicuous than the neighbouring branched hairs .....12
 * Hairs on anterior (leading) edge of antennal scape of uniform length and generally branched, all distinctly much shorter than the maximum width of the scape, often less than half the maximum scape width and sometimes closely applied to the surface .....17

12
return to couplet #11
 * Strongly bicoloured species: head, gaster and usually also pedicel black; mesosoma, legs, antennae and mandibles clear yellow ..... Tetramorium distinctum
 * Either uniformly coloured species or with the gaster somewhat darker than the head and alitrunk, but not bicoloured black and yellow as above. . . . . 13

13
return to couplet #12
 * Clypeus with a raised transverse carina at the level of the extreme anterior portions of the frontal carinae, the transverse carina as strongly developed as the median longitudinal clypeal carina which it crosses ..... Tetramorium minimum
 * Clypeus without a transverse carina crossing the median longitudinal carina. . . . . 14

14
return to couplet #13
 * First gastral tergite basally with a broad belt of coarse punctate sculpture which extends approximately over the basal one-third of the sclerite ..... Tetramorium yarthiellum
 * First gastral tergite basally without a belt of punctate sculpture, smooth and shining. . . . . 15

15
return to couplet #14
 * ..... Tetramorium ericae
 * . . . . . 16

16
return to couplet #15
 * ..... Tetramorium lanuginosum
 * ..... Tetramorium osiris

17
return to couplet #11
 * ..... Tetramorium microps
 * . . . . . 18

18
return to couplet #17
 * . . . . . 19
 * . . . . . 21

19
return to couplet #18
 * ..... Tetramorium talpa
 * . . . . . 20

20
return to couplet #19
 * ..... Tetramorium trimeni
 * ..... Tetramorium inezulae

21
return to couplet #18
 * ..... Tetramorium tenebrosum
 * . . . . . 22

22
return to couplet #21
 * ..... Tetramorium furtivum
 * ..... Tetramorium gestroi

23
return to couplet #8
 * ..... Tetramorium dedefra
 * . . . . . 24

24
return to couplet #23
 * ..... Tetramorium pulcherrimum
 * . . . . . 25

25
return to couplet #24
 * ..... Tetramorium reptana
 * . . . . . 26

26
return to couplet #25
 * ..... Tetramorium sericeum
 * . . . . . 27

27
return to couplet #26
 * ..... Tetramorium monardi


 * . . . . . 28

28
return to couplet #27
 * . . . . . 29
 * . . . . . 32

29
return to couplet #28
 * ..... Tetramorium baufra
 * . . . . . 30

30
return to couplet #29
 * ..... Tetramorium thoth
 * . . . . . 31

31
return to couplet #30
 * ..... Tetramorium brevispinosum
 * ..... Tetramorium surrogatum

32
return to couplet #28
 * ..... Tetramorium gabonense
 * ..... Tetramorium constanciae