Tetramorium calinum

This species appears to prefer open places and dry sandy soils as a nesting site.

Identification
A member of the T. angulinode group

Bolton (1980) - Medium sized, it is closest related to Tetramorium legone, which nests in similar situations, but in T. legone the base of the first gastral tergite is strongly sculptured. Apart from T. legone all other known species of the group lack the blanketing reticulate-punctate sculpture which is so conspicuous in T. calinum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Ghana, Ivory Coast.

Nomenclature

 *  calinum. Tetramorium calinum Bolton, 1980: 239, figs. 15, 16 (w.) GHANA.

Worker
Holotype: TL 3-5, HL 0:82, HW 0:80, CI 97, SL 0-54, SI 68, PW 0-62, AL 0-94. Paratypes (6 measured): As holotype, with range of dimensions TL 3-5—3-7, HL 0-80—0-82, HW 0-78-0-80, CI 97-100, SL 0:52-0:54, SI 65-69, PW 0:62-0:64, AL 0-88-0-92.

Mandibles smooth and shining with scattered minute pits. Anterior clypeal margin with a slight median impression. Frontal carinae strongly developed, curving downwards posteriorly around the upper portion of the apex of the scrobe. Antennal scrobes broad and conspicuous, strongly defined dorsally by the frontal carinae but only weakly defined ventrally by a ruga running above the eye. Scrobe with a median longitudinal carina anteriorly which runs to the level of the posterior margin of the eye. Pronotal corners in dorsal view sharply angulate, the promesonotum virtually transversely flat, only feebly convex. Metanotal groove not impressed in profile. Propodeal spines long, stout and acute; metapleural lobes triangular. Node of petiole in profile massive, blocky and rectangular, slightly longer than high. In dorsal view the petiole node somewhat longer than broad but the postpetiole much broader than long. Scrobal area strongly reticulate-punctate. Dorsal surface of head and alitrunk irregularly longitudinally rugulose, the spaces between the rugulae completely filled by a dense, coarse and very conspicuous reticulate-puncturation. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole more feebly and less regularly rugulose than the alitrunk but with the blanketing puncturation as strongly developed as on the alitrunk. Sides of pedicel segments conspicuously reticulate-punctate. Base of first gastral tergite unsculptured except for hair-pits. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous fine, short, acute hairs. Colour dark brown, the gaster black.

Paratypes: In some individuals there is a tendency for the propodeal spines to be slightly downcurved along their length, but this varies from series to series.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Ghana: Legon A/D., 30.iv.1970 (D. Leston). Paratypes: Six workers with same data as holotype (BMNH; ; ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton B. 1980. The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 40: 193-384.
 * Kone M., S. Konate, K. Yeo, P. K. Kouassi, K. E. Linsemair. 2010. Diversity and abundance of terrrestrial ants along a gradient of land use intensification in a transitional forest-savannah zone of Cote d'Ivoire. Journal of Applied Biosciences 29: 1809-1827.
 * Kone M., S. Konate, K. Yeo, P. K. Kouassi, and K. E. Linsenmair. 2012. Changes in ant communities along an age gradient of cocoa cultivation in the Oumé region, central Côte dIvoire. Entomological Science 15: 324339.
 * Kouakou L. M. M., K. Yeo, K. Ouattara, W. Dekoninck, T. Delsinne, and S. Konate. 2018. Investigating urban ant community (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in port cities and in major towns along the border in Côte d’Ivoire: a rapid assessment to detect potential introduced invasive ant species. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences 36(1): 5793-5811.
 * Kouakou L. M. M., W. Dekoninck, M. Kone, T. Delsinne, K. Yeo, K. Ouattara, and S. Konate. 2018. Diversity and distribution of introduced and potentially invasive ant species from the three main ecoregions of Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). Belgian Journal of Zoology 148 (1): 83–103.
 * Stephens S. S., P. B. Bosu, and M. R. Wager. 2016. Effect of overstory tree species diversity and composition on ground foraging ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in timber plantations in Ghana. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & management 12(1-2): 96-107.
 * Yeo K., L. M. M. Kouakou, W. Dekoninck, K. Ouattara, and S. Konate. 2016. Detecting intruders: assessment of the anthropophilic ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the city of Abidjan and along access roads in Banco National Park (Côte d’Ivoire). Journal of Entomology and Zoological Studies 4(4): 351-359.
 * Yeo K., T. Delsinne, S. Komate, L. L. Alonso, D. Aidara, and C. Peeters. 2016. Diversity and distribution of ant assemblages above and below ground in a West African forest–savannah mosaic (Lamto, Cote d’Ivoire). Insectes Sociaux DOI 10.1007/s00040-016-0527-6