Tetramorium rothschildi ( Forel, 1907 )

Mbanyana, Nokuthula, Garcia, Francisco Hita, Robertson, Hamish Gibson & Roux, Johannes Jacobus Le, 2018, A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa, European Journal of Taxonomy 454, pp. 1-59 : 38-40

Tetramorium rothschildi ( Forel, 1907)

Figs 2C , 19 , 24

Triglyphothrix rothschildi Forel, 1907: 134 (included in Bolton 1976: 334).

Diagnosis

Tetramorium rothschildi is the only species in the T. solidum group with branched hairs ( Fig. 2C , 19 ).

Material examined

Holotype

ETHIOPIA: pinned worker, Harar, 1 Mar.1905, Maurice de Rothschild leg. ( MNHN: CASENT0915429 ).

Other material

TANZANIA (27 pinned workers): Mkomazi Game Reserve, Kisima pitfall site, 4°01′30″ S, 38°02′27″ E, lightly wooded on red laterite soil, dominant trees Acacia mellifera , A. reficiens, A. senegal and A. zanzibarica , 2–4 Jan. 1997, G. McGavin leg. (SAM-HYM-C011140); Mkomazi Game Reserve, Ibaya , 3°58′ S, 37°48′ E, 18 Nov. 1994, grassland, pitfall traps, A. Russell-Smith leg. (SAM-HYM-C009595); Mkomazi Game Reserve, on top of Kisima Mountain , 4°06′ S, 38°05′ E, 1 Dec. 1995, nest entrance in the open (round with no crater of soil around), mountain top grassland with scattered trees and bushes, H.G. Robertson leg. (SAM-HYM-C008700); Ibaya Game Reserve, 1 Nov. 1995, H.G. Robertson leg. ( CASENT0248479 ).

KENYA: foragers, Laikipia District, Mpala Research Centre, 0.29° N, 36.90° E, 1650 m a.s.l., 7 Oct. 1999, Acacia woodland, on ground, R.R. Snelling leg. ( CASC: CASENT0217078 ); Narok, Rift Valley, Maasai Mara National Reserve , Mara River , riverbank close to Serena Lodge , 1.42478° S, 34.9099° E, 1493 m a.s.l., hand collected on the ground, savannah, FHG00030, 1 Jul. 2007, F. Hita Garcia leg. ( BMNH: CASENT0764432 , CASENT0764433 , CASENT0764435 ).

GHANA: Tumu , 25 Dec. 1969, P. Room leg. ( BMNH: CASENT0764594 , CASENT0790132 ).

Measurements (worker N =5)

HL 1.033 –1.131 (1.068); HW 1.072 –1.259 (1.121); SL 0.698 –0.797 (0.745); EL 0.197 –0.226 (0.212); PH 0.541 –0.600 (0.570); PW 0.659 –0.757 (0.708); WL 0.934 –1.141 (1.060); PSL 0.216 –0.285 (0.252); PTH 0.325 –0.413 (0.378); PTL 0.315 –0.374 (0.342); PTW 0.354 –0.433 (0.384); PPH 0.354 –0.413 (0.385); PPL 0.285 –0.334 (0.299); PPW 0.393 –0.492 (0.444); OI 18–21 (19); CI 102–111 (105); SI 63–70 (67); DMI 64–72 (67); LMI 48–58 (54); PSLI 21–26 (24); PeNI 53–57 (54); LPeI 85–97 (91); DPeI 107–117 (112); PpNI 56–66 (63); LPpI 73–81 (78); DPpI 133–172 (149); PPI 105–122 (116).

Distribution

This species is known from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana.

Remarks

Tetramorium rothschildi was first placed in the genus Triglyphothrix because of its branched pilosity ( Bolton 1976). After Bolton (1985) revised the status of Triglyphothrix , he placed this species in the T. solidum group because of the deep indentation on the anterior clypeal margin. Despite Bolton’s decision and our current treatment of this species as a member of the T. solidum group, we are not at all convinced that this species is a genuine member of the group. It is possible that T. rothschildi represents a convergent evolutionary lineage and the similarities in morphology are based on a similar granivore lifestyle. However, at present, it is not possible to address this question without a molecular phylogenetic framework. This species has been recorded from Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania. Tetramorium rothschildi has been found nesting in red laterite soils; nests sometimes have grass husks around the entrance. Pitfall traps and hand collecting methods have been used to collect this species.

Figures

Fig. 2. Body in profile showing pilosity and pubescence. A. T. dichroum Santschi, 1932 (CASENT0746320). B. T. peringueyi Arnold, 1926 (CASENT0250873). C. T. rothschildi (Forel, 1907) (CASENT0764434). D. T. clunum Forel, 1913 (CASENT0764600). E. T. galoanasum Santschi, 1910 (CASENT0915015 – Antweb, William Ericson). F. T. setuliferum Emery, 1895 (MCZ_ENT00512567). G. T. glabratum Stitz, 1923 (SAM-HYM-C024395). H. T. rufescens Stitz, 1923 (CASENT0250852). I. T. solidum Emery, 1886 (CASENT0250960).

Fig. 19. Tetramorium rothschildi (Forel, 1907) (CASENT0764434). A. Body in profile. B. Body in dorsal view. C. Head in full-face view.

Fig. 24. Map showing the distribution of species in the Tetramorium solidum group.