Tetramorium proximum, Bolton, B., 1979

Bolton, B., 1979, The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Malagasy region and in the New World., Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 38, pp. 129-181 : 137

Tetramorium proximum sp. n.

(Figs 5, 6)

Holotype worker. TL 3.5, HL 0.82, HW 0.72, CI 88, SL 0.58, SI 80, PW 0.56, AL 1.02.

Mandibles smooth with scattered small pits. Clypeus with a distinct median notch or impression and developed median carina. Frontal carinae strong, extending back well behind the posterior margins of the eyes, the two carinae nearly parallel, only slightly divergent posteriorly. Scrobes shallow but well differentiated, capable of containing the scape. Pronotal corners angulate in dorsal view. Metanotal groove a broad, shallow impression; propodeal spines quite short, stout and acute, the metapleural lobes broadly triangular, almost but not quite as long as the propodeal spines. Node of petiole in profile high, narrow, the anterior and posterior faces more or less parallel, the dorsum convex (Fig. 6). In dorsal view the outline of the node almost circular, only a very little broader than long. Dorsum of head longitudinally rugose, the dorsal alitrunk with a strong rugoreticulum. Pedicel and gaster unsculptured, completely smooth, shining. Dorsum of head and promesonotum with a number of erect to suberect fine long hairs, the propodeum, pedicel and first gastral tergite without hairs but the last with sparse fine, very short, appressed pubescence. Remaining gastral tergites with long hairs as on promesonotum. Colour light brown, shiny.

Paratype workers. As holotype but varying in colour from light to quite dark brown, the most deeply coloured specimens with a reddish tinge on the alitrunk. Dimensions in range TL 3.2 - 3.5, HL 0.76 - 0.82, HW 0.64 - 0.70, CI 82 - 89, SL 0.54 - 0.58, SI 80 - 85, PW 0.48 - 0.56, AL 0.92 - 1.00 (10 measured).

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Perinei & vic., rain for. rot. wd., 18. iii. 1969 (W. L. Brown) (MCZ, Cambridge). Paratypes. 10 workers and 1 female, same data as holotype (MCZ, Cambridge; BMNH).

This is one of the four species constituting the cognatum complex within the schaufussi-group, and as such lacks pilosity on the first gastral tergite. The separation of proximum is dealt with under the discussion of cognatum , but it can be noted here that good diagnostic characters of proximum within its species-group include absence of pilosity on propodeum, pedicel and first tergite coupled with a distinct rugoreticulum on the promesonotum and very dilute short gastral pubescence which is appressed.

Non-paratypic material

Madagascar: no loc (Staudinger); 2 specimens without data in Forel Coll. (MHN, Geneva); Parc Nat.

Mont. d'Ambre (W. L. & D. E. Brown); vic .. Andasibe (= Perinet) (W. L. & D. E. Brown).