Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium flabellum species group

This worker key is based on Bolton (1980)

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 * Tetramorium
 * ''Afrotropical Tetramorium species groups
 *  Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium species groups

NOTE: Tetramorium flabellum is keyed under the former Triglyphothrix group

1

 * With the mesosoma in profile, the dorsum with standing hairs that are longer than broad . . . . . 2
 * With the mesosoma in profile, the dorsum without standing hairs ..... Tetramorium bellicosum

2
return to couplet #1
 * Strongly bicoloured species with head and gaster yellow and mesosoma black or blackish brown . . . . . 3
 * Uniformly coloured species or with gaster differing in shade from the rest of the body . . . . . 4

3
return to couplet #2
 * Disc of postpetiole longitudinally costulate or rugose ..... Tetramorium coloreum
 * Disc of postpetiole smooth and shining ..... Tetramorium postpetiolatum

4
return to couplet #2
 * Petiole in profile with the anterior face high, the dorsal and posterior faces fused and forming a single continuous steep convexity, without a posterodorsal angle ..... Tetramorium invictum
 * Petiole in profile with the dorsal and posterior faces separate and distinct, the two separated by a sharp or rounded posterodorsal angle . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Base of first gastral tergite sculptured with costulae, puncturation, or both . . . . . 6
 * Base of first gastral tergite unsculptured, smooth and shining except for hair-pits . . . . . 7

6
return to couplet #5
 * Alitrunk and pedicel segments dorsally blanketed by a fine, very dense reticulate-puncturation, rugulose sculpture which is present is very feeble and secondary to the very conspicuous puncturation. All dorsal surfaces of body with dense very short and fine pilosity..... Tetramorium granulatum
 * Alitrunk and pedicel segments dorsally with a distinct wide rugoreticulum, the spaces between which are mostly smooth and without puncturation. Dorsal alitrunk and gaster with scattered long stout blunt hairs ..... Tetramorium pylacum

7
return to couplet #5
 * Dorsum of postpetiole with an unsculptured or virtually unsculptured median longitudinal strip; the dorsum distinctly less strongly sculptured than the sides and very obviously less strongly sculptured than the petiole dorsum ..... Tetramorium sigillum
 * Dorsum of postpetiole sculptured, as strongly sculptured as the sides and usually about as strongly sculptured as the petiole dorsum . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Species with broader head and shorter scapes, CI 89-95, SI 80-85..... Tetramorium saginatum
 * Species with narrower head and longer scapes, CI 84-89, SI 95-103 . . . . . 9

9
return to couplet #8
 * Lightly coloured species, uniform yellowish brown to light orange-brown ..... Tetramorium kestrum
 * Much darker species, uniform blackish brown to black . . . . . 10

10
return to couplet #9
 * Hairs on dorsum of head (discounting those on clypeus and occiput) and on first gastral tergite markedly longer than the maximum diameter of the eye ..... Tetramorium geminatum
 * Hairs on dorsum of head (discounting those on clypeus and occiput) and on first basal gastral tergite not obviously longer than the maximum diameter of the eye ..... Tetramorium ataxium