Tetramorium latinode Collingwood & Agosti, 1996

Sharaf, Mostafa R., Al Dhafer, Hathal M. & Aldawood, Abdulrahman S., 2015, The Tetramoriumsquaminode species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Arabian Peninsula, with a new record from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and keys to Arabian species, ZooKeys 502, pp. 99-115 : 102

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Tetramorium latinode Collingwood & Agosti, 1996

Tetramorium latinode Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 335, fig. 12 (w.) YEMEN.

Tetramorium latinode Holotype worker, YEMEN: Ma‘bar, pitfall trap, 11.v.1992 (M. Mahyoub & A. Drews) (WMLC).

Diagnosis.

Worker (Figs 1-6). Head. Head longer than broad; anterior clypeal margin with a median notch or impression; frontal carinae long and sinuate, reaching back almost to posterior margin of head; antennal scrobes distinct; eyes large (EL 0.12-0.17) with ten ommatidia in longest row. Mesosoma. Mesosoma profile a continuous curve; metanotal groove very weakly impressed; propodeal spines long and strong. Petiole. Petiole much higher than long in profile, in dorsal view much broader than long but slightly narrower than postpetiole which is clearly broader than long. Postpetiole. Postpetiole in profile lower than petiole and broadly rounded. Sculpture. Mandibles feebly longitudinally striated; cephalic dorsum and mesosoma irregularly but quite densely longitudinally reticulate-rugulose, petiole dorsum smooth and shining, postpetiole dorsum more or less smooth and shining with vestiges of patchy pattern, gaster smooth and shining. Pilosity. Body dorsum densely clothed with long, fine, soft finely barbulate hairs which are fewer on mesosoma and waist; antennae and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence. Colour yellow, gaster brown to brownish yellow.

Material examined.

34 workers, Saudi Arabia, Al Bahah, Amadan forest, Al Mandaq, 20°12.163'N, 41°13.906'E, 1881 m, 19.v.2010 (M. R. Sharaf & A. S. Aldawood Leg.); 1 worker, Saudi Arabia, Asir, Abha, Raydah, 18°11.679'N, 42°23.691'E, 1851 m, 8.vi.2014, (Pitfall trap) (Al Dhafer et al. Leg.); the following materials with data as the previous materials except coordinates and altitudes as follow: 1 worker, 18°11.618'N, 42°23.420'E, 1772 m; 2 workers, 18°11.695'N, 42°23.818'E, 1897 m; 2 workers, 18°12.265'N, 42°24.744'E, 2820 m; 5 workers, 18°12.315'N, 42°24.607'E, 2761 m; 5 workers, 18°12.095'N, 42°24.536'E, 2578 m. (KSMA).

Alate gyne.

Head little longer than broad with nearly straight or feebly convex sides; posterior margin of head weakly concave; eyes large and consist of 14 ommatidia in the longest row, EL about 0.27 × HW; antennae 12-segmented; frontal carinae long and sinuate, reaching back almost to posterior margin of head where they merge with the remaining sculpture of cephalic dorsum; antennal scrobes well developed; propodeal spines long and acute; petiole, postpetiole, pilosity and head sculpture as in worker. Bicoloured, body yellowish, gaster brown.