Tetramorium clunum

This is a ground-nesting species, sometimes with part of the nest underneath rocks. It has been recorded nesting in deep soils. Nothing is known about its feeding behavior but presumably feeds on seeds, as this is recorded for other species of this group. Yellow pan trap, pitfall trap and turning the stones are the methods that have been used to collect this species.

Identification
In the T. solidum-group there are only three species with short, broad, much flattened and strongly appressed glittering silvery hairs covering the body, namely, Tetramorium setuliferum, Tetramorium clunum and Tetramorium galoasanum. Tetramorium galoasanum is distinguished from the other two species by its long, dense, overlapping strap-like hairs, whereas in the other two species these hairs are sparse and spaced out. Tetramorium clunum is separated from T. setuliferum by the following characters: (1) first gastral tergite does not overhang the tergosternal suture in profile; (2) first gastral tergite is sculptured throughout whereas in T. setuliferum only the base is sculptured; (3) dorsum of head behind clypeus with at least one pair of erect hairs, whereas T. setuliferum lacks elongate erect hairs on the dorsum of head; and (4) tergum of postpetiole without lateral alar prominences; whereas T. setuliferum has these present (Mbanyana, 2013)

Distribution
Tetramorium clunum has been recorded from South Africa (Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Northern Cape) and Namibia.

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

Habitat
Collected from Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo and the Namib Desert.

Nomenclature

 *  clunum. Tetramorium setuliferum st. cluna Forel, 1913j: 218 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Raised to species: Bolton, 1980: 244.

Worker
Mbanyana et al (2018) - (N = 11) HL 0.885–1.062 (0.958); HW 0.919–1.090 (0.991); SL 0.688–0.757 (0.723); EL 0.207–0.266 (0.239); PH 0.482–0.570 (0.544); PW 0.570–0.669 (0.609); WL 0.922–1.023 (0.963); PSL 0.157–0.177 (0.168); PTH 0.285–0.344 (0.307); PTL 0.295–0.340 (0.315); PTW 0.305–0.381 (0.325); PPH 0.413–0.530 (0.461); PPL 0.187–0.246 (0.207); PPW 0.374–0.472 (0.401); OI 22–27 (24); CI 101–105 (103); SI 69–76 (73); DMI 61–67 (63); LMI 51–62 (57); PSLI 15–19 (18); PeNI 49–57 (53); LPeI 97–113 (103) DPeI 92–112 (103); PpNI 63–71 (66); LPpI 40–58 (45); DPpI 152–218 (195); PPI 117–127 (124).

Type Material
Mbanyana et al (2018) - Syntypes. South Africa: workers, Eastern Cape, Willowmore, Dec. 1912, H. Brauns leg. (: CASENT0901182; : CASENT0909155).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Forel A. 1913. Ameisen aus Rhodesia, Kapland usw. (Hym.) gesammelt von Herrn G. Arnold, Dr. H. Brauns und Anderen. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1913(Suppl.): 203-225.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Mbanyana N., F. Hita Garcia, H. G. Robertson, and J. J. Le Roux. 2018. A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa. European Journal of Taxonomy 454: 1-59.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004