A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa
Author
Mbanyana, Nokuthula
157A51ED-7C85-4CA3-84E4-B7BD1E2A7E8F
Iziko Museums of South Africa, P. O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919 - 1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X 1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
nmbanyana@iziko.org.za
Author
Garcia, Francisco Hita
B7ADF56F-935D-4BD8-ADB3-50E96F8BB463
fhitagarcia@gmail.com
Author
Robertson, Hamish Gibson
972FAB6C-C5FA-45EA-9A17-9F156845BE4F
Iziko Museums of South Africa, P. O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919 - 1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X 1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
hrobertson@iziko.org.za
Author
Roux, Johannes Jacobus Le
2995D443-01FA-4F65-BFEE-ECA07B73504A
jleroux@sun.ac.za
text
European Journal of Taxonomy
2018
2018-08-07
454
1
59
journal article
22298
10.5852/ejt.2018.454
654c9653-fbef-4d0d-9e07-619084ac1162
3817358
07F6B28D-ECA4-4F14-8132-0A58DE156057
Tetramorium jordani
Santschi, 1937
Figs 3G
,
14
,
24
Tetramorium jordani
Santschi, 1937: 62
.
Tetramorium aspinatum
Prins, 1973: 12
(included in
Bolton
1980: 248
).
Diagnosis
Tetramorium jordani
is the only species in the
Tetramorium solidum
group with the combination of no propodeal spines (the propodeum is only angulated with PSLI 1–3) and a hairless body (
Fig. 3G
). The only other species without propodeal spines is
T. brigitteae
sp. nov.
, which has erect hairs covering the entire body.
Material examined
Type
material
NAMIBIA
:
2 syntypes
of
Tetramorium jordan
Santschi
, 1937
: W of
Maltahohe
,
1500 m
a.s.l.,
12 Dec. 1933
,
K. Jordan
leg. (
BMNH
:
CASENT0901180
;
NHMB
:
CASENT0915021
).
SOUTH AFRICA
:
syntypes
of
Tetramorium aspinatum
Prins, 1973
, 8 pinned
workers
,
Northern Cape
,
Port Nolloth
,
20 Apr. 1963
,
J.J. Cillie
leg. (SAM-ENT0011753).
Other material
SOUTH AFRICA
(112 pinned
workers
):
Northern Cape
:
Rondabel
542 (
Farm
),
30°50′ S
,
17°45′ E
,
4 Sep. 1996
, on vegetated red dunes,
V.B. Whitehead
leg. (SAM-HYM-C008958);
Rietfontein
bos,
23 Apr. 1963
(SAM-HYM-C019259);
Calvinia
,
24 Apr. 1963
(SAM-HYM-C019261);
Springbok
,
20 Apr. 1963
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C019260);
Van Rhynsdorp
,
5 May 1959
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C019262);
Clanwilliam
,
4 Jan. 1962
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C019265);
Nardou Pass
,
4 Jan. 1960
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C019266);
Kamieskroon
,
6 Oct. 1959
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C019267).
–
Western Cape
:
Namakwa Sands
,
31°15′54.2″ S
,
17°55′50.8″ E
,
31 Mar.– 4 Apr. 2003
, pitfall trap, minespoil,
Strandveld, N. Netshilaphala
leg. (SAM-HYM-C018132);
West Coast Fossil Park
(
4 km
270° W of
Langebaanweg
),
32°58.444′ S
,
18°06.731′ E
,
4–11 Sep. 2002
, pitfall trap,
Sand Plain Fynbos dominated by
Lebeckia
,
S. van Noort
,
D. Larsen
and
E. Bartnick
leg. (
SAM-
HYM-C018894);
West Coast Fossil Park
(
5.5 km
290° E of
Langebaanweg
),
32°57.51′ S
,
18°06.728′ E
,
4–11 Sep. 2002
, pitfall trap, rehabilitated mine dump,
S. van Noort
,
D. Larsen
and
E. Bartnick
leg. (
SAM-
HYM-C018895);
West Coast Fossil Park
(
3 km
280° W of
Langebaanweg
),
32°58.020′ S
,
18°07.285′ E
,
4–11 Sep. 2002
, pitfall trap, rehabilitated mine dump,
S. van Noort
,
D. Larsen
and
E. Bartnick
leg. (SAM-HYM-C0188900);
foragers,
16 mi.
from
Clanwilliam
near
Calvinia
,
5 Jan. 1962
,
J.J. Cillie
leg. (SAM-HYM-C015544);
Petersfield
,
Citrusdal
,
6 Mar. 1969
,
A.J. Prins
leg. (SAM-HYM-C018314);
Clanwilliam
,
Farm Sawadee
,
32.3388° S
,
18.987817° E
,
332 m
a.s.l.,
Fynbos
, pitfall trap,
A. Botes
leg. (SAM-HYM-C024971).
Fig. 14.
Tetramorium jordani
Santschi, 1937
(CASENT0248475).
A
. Body in profile.
B
. Body in dorsal view.
C
. Head in full-face view.
NAMIBIA
:
Namib Naukluft
National Park,
Big Slip Face
,
23.39° S
,
15.20° E
,
11 Sep. 1987
, collected from nest,
H.G. Robertson
leg. (SAM-HYM-C000509);
Namib Naukluft Khomabes
,
23.33° S
,
14.59° E
,
11 Sep. 1987
, collected from nest,
H.G. Robertson
leg. (SAM-HYM-C000498);
Fish River Canyon
,
1 Sep. 1998
,
A. Chapman
leg. (
BMNH
:
CASENT248475
).
Measurements
(worker N =13)
HL
0.974
–1.135
(1.071); HW
0.915
–1.121
(1.064); SL
0.777
–0.846
(0.795); EL
0.256
–0.295
(0.266);
PH
0.364
–0.492
(0.453); PW
0.593
–0.734
(0.673); WL
1.072
–1.170
(1.158); PSL
0.010
–0.030
(0.017); PTH
0.305
–0.364
(0.340); PTL
0.285
–0.334
(0.306); PTW
0.305
–0.388
(0.342); PPH
0.452
–0.555
(0.490); PPL
0.256
–0.319
(0.289); PPW
0.416
–0.492
(0.460); OI 23–28 (25); CI 94–109 (99); SI 69–85 (75); DMI 47–65 (58); LMI 32–44 (39); PSLI 1–3 (2); PeNI 48–56 (51); LPeI 85–94 (90); DPeI 104– 123 (112); PpNI 62–75 (68); LPpI 55–63 (59); DPpI 136–177 (159); PPI 122–150 (135).
Distribution
This species has been recorded from arid regions of
South Africa
(
Western Cape
and
Northern Cape
) and
Namibia
in the following habitats: Succulent Karoo, Namib Desert, Lowland Fynbos and Renosterveld, Montane Fynbos and Renosterveld and Nama Karoo.
Remarks
Tetramorium jordani
nests in sandy soils, with nests located either at the base of plants or with the entrance in the open, away from plants. The nest usually has a crater of soil around the entrance. In sand dunes of the Namib Desert, the tunnels inside the nest have crust-like walls to stop sand from falling in, and the entrance of one nest observed was funnel shaped due to the crust-like lining and the fact that the loose sand around the entrance was blown away by the wind. The species has been collected using yellow pan traps, pitfall traps and hand collecting.
Tetramorium jordani
feeds on seeds.