Tetramorium saudiae

Known only from the holotype, nothing is known about the biology of .

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia.

Nomenclature

 *  saudiae. Leptothorax saudiae Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 325, fig. 9 (w.) SAUDI ARABIA.
 * Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.
 * Combination in Tetramorium: Sharaf et al., 2017: 13.

Taxonomic Notes
Sharaf et al. (2017) - Collingwood & Agosti (1996) described Leptothorax saudiae based upon a single specimen deposited in. The specimen in WMLC with a red label [Saudi Arabien, Al Muraywah, 28 46N, 45 00E, 27–28 Oct. 86, 420 m, W. Buttiker] is not specified as the holotype, yet the label information matches the original description exactly. This specimen, therefore, definitely represents the Leptothorax saudiae holotype. However, contrary to Bolton's transferral of the species to Temnothorax (Bolton 2003), this specimen clearly belongs to the genus Tetramorium based on the following observations: it possesses lateral portions of clypeus that are raised into sharp ridges or shield walls in front of the antennal insertions and the propodeal spiracles are low on the sides and distinctly behind the midlength of the sclerite. This taxon is herein formally transferred to the genus Tetramorium.

Worker
Holotype: TL 2.8; HL 0.81; HW 0.60; SL 0.62; EL 0.17; spine 0.14.

Head subrectangular with rounded occipital corners but straight occipital margin and only very slight curvature of the sides in dorsal view. The pronotum is slightly angled at each corner. The alitrunk has no mesopropodeal furrow and general dorsal outline is rather flat with the propodeum gently curving to its basal face; the propodeal spines are short, blunt and semi-erect. The petiole is thick but raised dorsally to a sharply pointed triangle. The whole dorsum including the gaster has scattered strong hairs which are thick but bluntly pointed rather than clavate. The head dorsum and clypeus are strongly striate. The promesonotum is longitudinally striate, the striae merging into the strongly punctate propodeum. The petiole is brilliant without sculpture and the postpetiole and gaster dorsum are both shining but with weak superficial sculpture. The body colour is uniformly brown with much paler antennae and legs.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, Saudi Arabia, Al-Muraywah, 28°46'N 45°00'E, 28.x.1985, W Buttiker.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Sharaf M. R., S. A. Akbar, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. El-Gharbawy, and A. S. Aldawood. 2017. Taxonomy of the Myrmicine ant genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in the Arabian Peninsula. European Journal of Taxonomy 280: 1–17.