Tetramorium smaug

Hita Garcia, F. & B. L. Fisher, 2012, The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region - taxonomic revision of the T. kelleri and T. tortuosum species groups., Zootaxa 3592, pp. 1-85 : 66

Tetramorium smaug species complex

This complex includes the species T. adamsi, T. latreillei, T. marojejy, T. nazgul, T. sabatra, and T. smaug. They are all characterized by the presence of very strongly developed longitudinal rugae on the forecoxae, and the absence of sculpture on the first gastral tergite (except in some specimens of T. manongarivo, which have costulate sculpture on the basal half of the first gastral tergite).

The species within this group can be further divided into those with massive propodeal spines and reduced hairiness ( T. latreillei, T. sabatra, and T. smaug), while the remaining three species are much hairier and have less massive propodeal spines ( T. adamsi, T. marojejy, and T. nazgul).