Contents Contents The Ants of Egypt
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Tetramorium - Tetramorium semilaeve (André)
caespitum-group

Tetramorium semilaeve (André)

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Mediterranean Region (Tetramorium caespitum var semilaeve, André, 1883a: 286, worker; Emery, 1891b: 2, queen; Forel, 1902a: 148, male; raised to species first by Dalla Torre, 1893: 134; also Bondroit, 1918: 109) - no type images on Antweb (April 2015).

Bolton (1995: 414) lists numerous subspecies but the whole situation appears in great need of clear resolution.


{Tetramorium semilaeve}André's (1883a) description is among the "Tetramorium caespitum" varieties at {original description} Bondroit's (1918) note is at {original description}.

Egypt records - Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated);
Sharaf list - Material examined: Wadi El-Talaa, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 15.xi.1998 (2); Wadi El-Talaa, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 19.ii.1998 (2); Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 3.iv.1998 (8) (SHC); Sahab (South Sinai), 14.xi.1998 (1) Leg.M.R.Sharaf (ASUC).

This is somewhat similar to the Sinai specimens collected by M James and diagnosed by BT as Tetramorium schmidti but that clearly has more numerous erect hairs on the alitrunk dorsum and is yellow.


{Tetramorium brevicorne pedicel} This was earlier diagnosed as Tetramorium brevicorne by Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated) but the paper by Sanetra, Güsten & Schulz (1999) shows that to have been an error. Sanetra et al. found that the scape length is not a reliable distinction for separating workers from caespitum and the sculpturation of the petiole nodes was a better characteristic. On brevicorne the postpetiole has more or less evenly distributed reticulate microsculpture; on caespitum this is restricted to, at the most, the more basal part of the node; also the occiput on brevicorne often has rugosity developed into a conspicuous arched pattern.


{Tetramorium semilaeve jugurtha }The photomontage of the jugurtha type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0915050.

Described as Tetramorium caespitum L. stirps semilaeve Andre var. jugurtha n.v. by Santschi 1921b: 430; as Tetramorium semilaeve var. jugurtha Sants. by Menozzi, 1934: 162; type location Tunisia. Menozzi noted it as found all along the Mediterranean coast of Africa.


Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium semilaeve
B Taylor det.
Egypt
M Sharaf

8.iv.1998
Sinai
28°33' N
33°56' E
Wadi Arbaein

1
{album}

{Tetramorium semilaeve}The photomontage is of a worker from among those listed above as collected by Mostafa Sharaf. Note the wholly smooth petiole and postpetiole, whereas the head and dorsal alitrunk are finely but weakly striate; very similar to the jugurtha shown above.

©2005, 2006, 2008, 2015 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

href="tetramorium_semilaeve.htm"