The Ants of Africa Genus Tetramorium species-groups - Part 1
Tetramorium Introduction

DIV1
Species groups
Part 1 - former Triglyphothrix

Some or all erect hairs of dorsum of head or body branched (bifid, trifid or quadrifid) Triglyphothrix Otherwise next primary division
grebennikovi-group	Small species, TL ca 2.0, without elongate simple hairs in a row on the anterior edges of the scapes or along the upper borders of the scrobes Otherwise next species-group
--	Head rectangular with width much less than length, CI 84; very strongly reticulo-rugose; mandibles smooth; clypeus without a raised tranverse carina; gaster with distinctive minute hair pits; TL ca 2.0 mm; dark brown, appendages golden-brown	Tetramorium grebennikovi	Tanzania - new species
ericae-group	Very small to minute species (TL < 2.4 mm), all with elongate simple hairs in a row on the anterior edges of the scapes and along the upper borders of the scrobes Otherwise next species-group
11-segmented antennae, palp formula 3,3
02*	Much reduced sculpture; TL 1.8 mm; black, tibiae yellowish-white	Tetramorium antrema	Cameroun & Congo
03*	Distinctly reticulo-rugose; clypeus with a raised tranverse carina; eyes with a distinctive anterior point; TL 1.6-1.9 mm; yellow-brown	Tetramorium muscorum	Pan-African forests
03*	Distinctly reticulo-rugose; clypeus without a raised transverse carina; TL 1.9-2.1 mm; head with long simple hairs; gaster and postpetiole smooth & shining; black, appendages yellow-brown (Cameroun specimen shown is somewhat lighter)	Tetramorium crypticum	Ghana & Cameroun
12-segmented antennae, palp formula normal 4,3
12*	Strongly bicoloured, head and gaster black, rest clear yellow; TL 1.7-1.9 mm	Tetramorium distinctum	Ghana
-	Unicolourous or at most with darker gaster
10*	Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk unsculptured other than median carina on head; TL 2.3-2.4 mm; dark blackish-brown	.	.
.	.	Tetramorium menkaura	Ghana
13*	Clypeus with a raised tranverse carina; TL 1.7-2.0 mm; dark brown, appendages lighter	.	.
.		Tetramorium minimum	West African & Congo Basin forests
15* (as paupera)	Clypeus without a raised tranverse carina; TL 1.8-2.0 mm; yellow to mid-brown, gaster may be darker	Tetramorium ericae	Zimbabwe
osiris-group	Larger and gaster with dense mat of quadrifid hairs; both upper scrobe margins and leading edges of scapes with a row of elongate simple hairs Otherwise next species group
23*	With very strong antennal scrobes and few erect long hairs; propodeum with short stout spines; petiole profile high (apex 0.65 x height); TL 3.4 mm; light yellowish-brown	Tetramorium reptana	Uganda
NA	Upper scrobe margins with obvious sngle hairs; first gastral tergite smooth but with small hair pits; petiole profile relatively low (apex 0.88 x height); TL 3.8 mm, head rectangular, CI 84; yellow-brown with slightly darker gaster 3.8	Tetramorium  nsp Cameroun fk 20	Cameroun
14*	Anterior of first gastral tergite with coarse punctate sculpture; TL 3.4 mm; uniform dark brown	Tetramorium yarthiellum	Zambia
16*	First gastral tergite smooth; distinctive narrow down-curved propodeal spines; TL 2.8-2.9 mm; brown with much darker gaster	.	.
.		Tetramorium osiris	Ghana
NA	Basal segment of gaster smooth and shining; propodeal spines quite long and distinctly upturned; TL 2.2-3.0 mm; petiole node evenly but shallowly domed; variable yellowish-brown to dark brown, gaster often darker (Egypt specimen)	Tetramorium lanuginosum	for comparison - sub-tropical tramp species (includes Egypt)
rothschildi-group	Large species, lacking antennal scrobes; anterior clypeal margin with deep median impression Otherwise next species group
06*	TL 3.8-4.7 mm; red-brown	.	./td>
.		Tetramorium rothschildi	Dry southern Sahel Ethiopia, Kenya & Ghana
inezulae-group	Without long simple hairs on scapes but with a row on the upper scrobe margin; most with compressed petiole node Otherwise next species group
07*	Uniquely, without branched hairs; alitrunk dorsum densely reticulo-punctate; TL 2.4-2.9 mm; yellow-brown	Tetramorium arnoldi	Zimbabwe
10*	Without propodeal spines; TL 2.4 mm; dorsum of head and alitrunk rugulose; clear ferruginous brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium imbelle	Ethiopia
TL max 3.3 mm	.	.	.
22*	Yellow or light yellow-brown; TL 1.8-2.1 mm; CI 89-95; dorsal alitrunk finely rugo-reticulate;	.	.
.		Tetramorium gestroi	Southern area of wet forests Angola, Gabon and Uganda
Dark brown to black	.	.	.
22*	TL 2.2-2.5 mm; CI 90-96; base of gaster smooth; eyes small; antennal scrobe with strong longitudinal median carina; dorsal alitrunk longitudinally rugose; black to blackish-brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium furtivum	Wet western forests Angola to Ghana
20*	Base of gaster densely punctate; antennal scrobe with weak median longitudinal carina, lower portion of scrobe sculptured above the eye; mandibles striate; TL 2.2-2.3 mm, CI 86-92; dark brown	Tetramorium trimeni	South Africa
20*	Base of gaster densely punctate; antennal scrobe with strong longitudinal median carina; TL 2.5-3.3 mm, CI 90-97; medium to dark brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium inezulae	East Africa includes eastern Zaïre
(17*)	Worker not known - may be sexuals of inezulae	Tetramorium desertorum	Botswana
TL at least 3.4 mm	.	.	.
17*	Eyes minute, diameter less than width of scape; TL 3.4-3.7 mm; mandibles striate; sculpturation rugulose and weakly longitudinal; yellow to yellow-brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium microps	Southern Africa
19*	First gastral tergite with only simple hairs; TL 3.6-3.8 mm; pale yellow-brown	Tetramorium talpa	Eastern Zaïre
21*	Large species TL 3.6-3.8 mm; brown, gaster usually darker	.	.
.		Tetramorium tenebrosum	Mozambique & Kenya
gabonense-group	Stocky with overall covering of branched trifid or quadrifid hairs
-	Without antennal scrobes
05*	Propodeum unarmed; TL 3.5 mm; brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium agnum	Zaïre & Congo
06*	Propodeum with short teeth; TL 2.7-3.6 mm; dark brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium eminii	Pan-African
-	With well developed antennal scrobes
23*	Propodeum unarmed; minute TL 2.3 mm; uniform light brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium dedefra	Angola & Uganda
-	Propodeum with spines or acute teeth
24*	Bicoloured, head bright golden-yellow, rest blackish-brown; TL 2.7 mm	.	.
,		Tetramorium pulcherrimum	Forests of western Uganda & eastern Zaïre
-	Unicolourous; head and/or gaster may be darker than alitrunk
-	Branched hairs on dorsal surfaces all appressed, lying flat	.	.
26*	TL 2.3-2.8 mm, CI 93-97; gaster with basal band of punctate sculpture; originally described as piceous, almost black, legs, antennae and mandibles dark ochreous	Tetramorium sericeum	Zimbabwe
new	TL 2.4 mm, CI 91; head slightly squarer; branched hairs coarser and, particularly on the gaster, distinctly bifid, arranged in distinctive angled lines;  gaster without obvious sculpturation; uniform dark brown;	Tetramorium (Trig.) n. sp. Congo 2008	Congo
-	Branched hairs on dorsal surfaces at least sub-erect	.	.
30*	TL 2.4 mm; mandibles smooth & shining; mid-brown, legs lighter, yellow brown	Tetramorium thoth	South Africa
TL > 3.0 mm	.	.	.
With long propodeal spines	.	.	.
27*	Petiole from above strongly crescent shaped; TL 4.0 mm; dark brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium monardi	Cameroun & Angola
32*	Clypeus with weak or incomplete median carina; postpetiole with little or no sculpturation; TL 3.8-4.6 mm	.	.
.		Tetramorium gabonense	Wet forests of Cameroun east to Central Africa
32*	Clypeus with strong median carina; postpetiole strongly sculptured; TL 3.0-3.6 mm; uniform mid-brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium constanciae	East Africa
With reduced propodeal spines	.	.	.
29*	Head convex in front view; lower portion of antennal scrobe densely reticulo-rugose; TL 3.4 mm	.	.
.		Tetramorium baufra	Zimbabwe
31*	Petiole node from above with convex anterior face; TL 3.2-3.9 mm; variable brown	.	.
.		Tetramorium brevispinosum	Wet forests of West & Central Africa
31* (as silvestrii)	Petiole node from above with flat anterior face; smaller TL 3.1 mm	.	.
.		Tetramorium surrogatum	Ethiopia

© 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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