Tetramorium postpetiolatum

Specimen records show this is a species of wet forest habitats, and can nest in dead downed wood and in the ground. Workers forage on the ground, with the majority of collections from sampling leaf litter.

Identification
Bolton (1980) – Very similar to Tetramorium coloreum, the two species differ as follows.

T. postpetiolatum
 * Disc of postpetiole unsculptured.
 * Base of first gastral tergite unsculptured.
 * Mandibles smooth or at most with only faint sculpture.
 * Metapleural lobes acutely triangular, low.
 * Dorsum of petiole node relatively longer in profile
 * Petiole node in dorsal view as long as broad or broader than long

T. coloreum
 * Disc of postpetiole finely longitudinally rugulose.
 * Base of first gastral tergite sculptured.
 * Mandibles distinctly longitudinally striate.
 * Metapleural lobes very long, spiniform, elevated.
 * Dorsum of petiole node relatively shorter in profile
 * Petiole node in dorsal view longer than broad.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Uganda.

Nomenclature

 *  postpetiolatum. Tetramorium coloreum var. postpetiolata Santschi, 1919h: 88 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Raised to species: Brown, 1957b: 75. See also: Bolton, 1980: 301.

Worker
Bolton (1980) - TL 3.2-3.4, HL 0.76-0.82, HW 0.70-0.76, CI 92-95, SL 0.56-0.60, SI 77-81, PW 0.50-0.54, AL 0.90-0.94 (10 measured).

Answering to the description given for Tetramorium coloreum and in particular sharing the very conspicuous colour pattern of that species; with head, gaster and legs yellow and alitrunk dark brown, the two strongly contrasting. In T. postpetiolatum there is a tendency for the petiole to be as darkly coloured as the alitrunk and the postpetiole to be much lighter, almost as light as the gaster. Measurements of T. postpetiolatum as given above, and size of eye, fall within the limits given under T. coloreum.

Type Material
Bolton (1980) - Syntype workers, ZAIRE: Penghe, 25.i.1914, no. 113 (Bequaert) [examined].