Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium solidum species group

This worker key is based on Mbayana et al (2018)

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 * Tetramorium
 * ''Afrotropical Tetramorium species groups
 *  Key to Afrotropical Tetramorium species groups
 * Tetramorium solidum species group diagnosis

1

 * Body with branched pilosity (Fig. 2C) ..... Tetramorium rothschildi
 * Body either lacking pilosity or with simple pilosity (Fig. 2A–B, D–I) . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Dorsum of mesosoma in profile without any erect hairs, with appressed pubescence only (Fig. 2D–H) . . . . . 3
 * Dorsum of mesosoma in profile with erect hairs (Fig. 2A–B, I) . . . . . 14



3
return to couplet #2
 * Body with short, broad, blunt, much flattened and strongly appressed glittering silvery hairs (Fig. 2D–F) . . . . . 4
 * Body without such hairs, only with sparse simple appressed pubescence (Fig. 2G–H) . . . . . 6

4
return to couplet #3
 * Appressed pubescence long, dense and strap-like, hairs often overhanging one another (Fig. 2E) ..... Tetramorium galoasanum
 * Appressed pubescence sparse and spaced out, not strap-like and not overlapping (Fig. 2D–E) . . . . . 5



5
return to couplet #4
 * The base of the first gastral tergite in profile forming a thick, laterally projecting downcurved flange, which obscures the tergosternal suture basally and base of the sternite; reddishbrown or red species (Fig. 3A) ….. Tetramorium setuliferum
 * The base of the first gasteral tergite in profile not projecting as above, the tergosternal suture and base of the sternite clearly visible; blackish brown to black species (Fig. 3B) ….. Tetramorium clunum

6
return to couplet #3
 * In dorsal view both waist segments much broader than long and transverse, especially postpetiole extremely broadened with very well developed alar extensions making it approximately as broad as pronotum (Fig. 3C) ….. Tetramorium grandinode
 * Waist segments, especially the postpetiole never shaped as above; if postpetiole with small alar extensions, then petiole not broadened (Fig. 3D–F) . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * Propodeum unarmed, lacking propodeal spines (Fig. 3G) ….. Tetramorium jordani
 * Propodeum armed with a pair of spines (Fig. 3H–I) . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Petiole in dorsal view broadened with lateral extensions on the sides (Fig. 3D) ….. Tetramorium lerouxi
 * Petiole in dorsal view without any lateral extensions as above (Fig. 3E–F) . . . . . 9

9
return to couplet #8


 * In full-face view head narrower in front of eyes than behind eyes (Fig. 3J) ..... Tetramorium barbigerum
 * In full-face view head broader in front of eyes than behind the eyes, or same width (Fig. 3K–M) . . . . . 10

10
return to couplet #9
 * In profile posterodorsal corner of petiolar node sharply angled and slightly projecting posteriorly (Fig. 3N) ..... Tetramorium duncani
 * In profile posterodorsal corner of petiolar node rounded or rectangular but not sharply angled as above (Fig. 3O–P) . . . . . 11

11
return to couplet #10
 * Head broader in front of eyes than behind eyes (Fig. 3K) ..... Tetramorium pogonion
 * Head same width in front of eyes as behind eyes (Fig. 3L–M) . . . . . 12

12
return to couplet #11 mesosoma usually very weakly sculptured (Fig. 4B) . . . . . 13
 * Dorsum of mesosoma completely longitudinally or irregularly rugulose/rugose (Fig. 4A) ..... Tetramorium signatum
 * Dorsum of mesosoma either predominantly shiny with only superficial punctate sculpture, or densely reticulate punctate, often with few faint longitudinal costulae, median area of



13
return to couplet #12
 * Propodeal spines short, broad and acute apically (PSLI 4–8) (Fig. 3H) ….. Tetramorium glabratum
 * Propodeal spines long and narrow (PSLI 16–23) (Fig. 3I) ….. Tetramorium rufescens

14
return to couplet #13
 * Abundant erect hairs on all dorsal surfaces of head and body (Fig. 2D–E) . . . . . 15
 * Only one to four pairs of hairs present on dorsum of mesosoma (Fig. 2L) . . . . . 18

15
return to couplet #14
 * Antennal scapes with erect hairs (Fig. 4C). . . . . 16
 * Antennal scapes without erect hairs, only with flattened pubescence (Fig. 4D) . . . . . 17

16
return to couplet #15 (Fig. 4F, H) ….. Tetramorium margueriteae
 * Dorsal surface of mesosoma with strongly developed irregular reticulate sculpture; colour orange (Fig. 4E, G) ….. Tetramorium peringueyi
 * Dorsal surface of mesosoma with short longitudinal rugulae; ground sculpture mainly smooth and shiny with peripheral patches of fine, superficial reticulations; colour uniformly black

17
return to couplet #16
 * Propodeum armed with acute spines (PSLI 10–16); colour light brown, with gaster a little bit darker compared to mesosoma (Fig. 4I) ..... Tetramorium dichroum
 * Propodeum with short propodeal teeth (PSLI 6); colour reddish brown, with gaster black (Fig. 4J) ….. Tetramorium brigitteae

18
return to couplet #14
 * Propodeum with elongate and acute spines (PSLI 17–21) (Fig. 4K) ….. Tetramorium solidum
 * Propodeum with short triangular teeth (PSLI 5–9) (Fig. 4L) ….. Tetramorium aisha