Tetramorium qualarum

Tetramorium qualarum is known from two collections. The types were found "on felled trees" in Tafo, Ghana. There was no information about the habitat. It was next found in Gabon, thirty-three years after the type collection. The specimen labels report it was found in a sweep sample of the undergrowth and low canopy of coastal lowland rainforest.

Identification
Bolton (1980) - Three species in the dumezi-group have a median notch or impression in the anterior clypeal margin. These are Tetramorium nodiferum, Tetramorium jauresi and T. qualarum. Tetramorium nodiferum is quickly separated as it has transverse rugulose sculpture on the propodeum, short frontal carinae, relatively small eyes (0.20-0.21 x HW), and numerous standing hairs on the head and body. In both T.jauresi and T. qualarum the alitrunk lacks rugulose sculpture, the frontal carinae are long, the eyes are larger (0.25-0.28 x HW) and standing hairs are sparse or absent on the alitrunk. Differences separating T. jauresi and T. qualarum are tabulated as follows.

 Tetramorium jauresi
 * Mandibles with delicate longitudinal striation (faint in some).
 * First gastral tergite reticulate-punctate or shagreened, at least on basal half.
 * Sparse short hairs present on first gastral tergite
 * Dorsal alitrunk finely reticulate-punctulate.
 * Scapes relatively shorter, SI 72-79.

Tetramorium qualarum
 * Mandibles smooth, without longitudinal striation.
 * First gastral tergite unsculptured
 * Hairs absent from first gastral tergite.
 * Dorsal alitrunk almost entirely smooth.
 * Scapes relatively longer, SI 83-86.

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

Nomenclature

 *  qualarum. Tetramorium qualarum Bolton, 1980: 351, figs. 122, 127 (w.) GHANA.

Worker
Holotype: TL 3.5, HL 0.86, HW 0.72, CI 84, SL 0.62, SI 86, PW 0.52, AL 1.04. Paratypes (2 measured): TL 3.4-3.7, HL 0.86-0.90, HW 0.72-0.74, CI 82-84, SL 0.60-0.62, SI 83-84, PW 0.52-0.54, AL 1.02-1.08. Maximum diameter of eye 0.19-0.20, about 0.26-0.27 x HW and with 10-12 ommatidia in the longest row.

Mandibles smooth and shining with scattered small pits, the surface in places with a few minute scratchlike marks but without longitudinal striae or rugulae. Anterior clypeal margin with a shallow and inconspicuous median impression. Frontal carinae weakly developed, running back beyond level of eyes but only feeble behind the level of the anterior margins of the eyes; posteriorly the carinae failing to reach the occipital margin and for much of their length weaker than the cephalic median carina. Scrobes vestigial, no more than a very shallowly concave area below the frontal carinae. Eyes of moderate size, maximum diameter 0.20, about 0.28 x HW and with 11-12 ommatidia in the longest row. With the head in full-face view the sides more or less straight, slightly concave at eye-level, not evenly shallowly convex. Propodeum armed with a pair of short acute triangular teeth which are about as long and as broad as the similarly shaped metapleural lobes. Petiole in profile high nodiform, the dorsal length of the node less than the height of the tergal portion, and with antero- and posterodorsal angles blunt. Node in dorsal view broader than long, subglobular, all surfaces rounding into adjacent surfaces without angular separation. Dorsum of head feebly and irregularly longitudinally rugulose, the rugulae widely separated and without a reticulum occipitally. Ground-sculpture between the rugulae minimal, consisting only of a delicate faint superficial patterning, the surfaces glossy. Dorsal alitrunk almost entirely smooth, with only the faintest traces of superficial punctulation and completely devoid of rugular sculpture. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster unsculptured. Dorsum of head with a few very short erect hairs but dorsal surfaces of alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and first gastral tergite without hairs. Second and subsequent gastral tergite fringed by short hairs similar to those on the cephalic dorsum. Scapes and tibiae are with sparse minute appressed pubescence only. Colour uniform mid-brown.

Paratypes: as holotype.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Ghana: Tafo, 25.ix.1968, on felled trees (C. A. Collingwood). Paratypes. 2 workers with same data as holotype (BMNH; ).