Tetramorium sanetrai Schulz & Csoesz

Csösz S., Radchenko, A. & Schulz, A., 2007, Taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic Tetramorium chefketi species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 1405, pp. 1-38 : 1

8. Tetramorium sanetrai Schulz & Csoesz New species (figs 54-60)

Description of Worker (figs 57-60.). Morphometric data of holotype worker: CL: 720; CW: 695; FR: 245; FL: 265; SL: 550; ML: 770; MW: 430; PEW: 200; PEH: 240; NOH: 140; NOL: 115; PEL: 155; PPW: 250; PPL: 155; PPH: 220; SPL: 80; SPSP: 140; EL: 145; EH: 100; ED: 190; Small to medium size, CS 740 [683, 783]. Whole body and appendages dark brown to black. Head nearly square, CL/CW 1.01 [0.98, 1.04], with very feebly convex sides, straight occipital margin and rounded occipital corners. Eyes small, EYE 0.172 [0.164, 0.185]. Frons moderately narrow, FR/CS 0.37 [0.36, 0.38], frontal lobes as wide as frons, FL/FR 1.0 [1.0, 1.02]. Scape short, SL/CS 0.74 [0.72, 0.75], without, or with very short dorsal carina basally, moderately shiny, or very feebly costulate distally. Pronotum with weakly marked humeri formed by stronger rugae. Promesonotal dorsum slightly convex, metanotal groove rather deep. Propodeal teeth rather long. Petiolar node cubic, robust, with broad, slightly convex node in profile, NOH/NOL 0.89 [0.83, 0.97], petiole relatively low and long, PEH/NOL 1.54 [1.47, 1.63]. General appearance coarsely rugose, ground surface microreticulate, dull. Head dorsum longitudinally rugulose and feebly microreticulate. Alitrunk dorsum rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate. Mesopleuron usually coarsely rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate. Dorsum of petiolar node and dorsum of postpetiole rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate. Polygonal striation continuous on 1st gastral tergite (see fig. 8.). Ventral surface of head with several short and few moderately long, straight, or few C-shape setae arising posterior to buccal cavity (see fig. 5.).

Description of Gyne (figs 54-56.). Small size, CS 986 [973, 995]. Whole body and appendages black. Head clearly wider than long, CL/CW 0.89 [0.86, 0.90], with feebly convex sides, straight occipital margin and rounded occipital corners. Frons moderately narrow, FR/CS 0.38 [0.37, 0.38], frontal lobes as wide as frons, FL/FR 1.0 [1.0, 1.0]. Scape very short, SL/CS 0.67 [0.66, 0.68], without dorsal carina basally, moderately smooth and shiny. Head wider than scutum, MW/CS 0.94 [0.94, 0.95]. Propodeal teeth long. Dorsal crest of petiolar node straight in frontal view; node with flattened dorsal plate in profile. Petiole and postpetiole relatively narrow, WAIST 0.98 [0.97, 0.99]. General appearance coarsely rugose, ground surface microreticulate, dull. Head dorsum, occiput and frons longitudinally rugose, ground surface feebly microreticulate. Scutum and scutellum usually longitudinally rugose, lateral and antero-medial surfaces of scutum smooth and shiny, scutellum more or less smooth medially. Sides of alitrunk, including anepisternum and katepisternum, rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate, ventral part of katepisternum always rugulose, or microreticulate. Dorsum of petiolar node coarsely reticulate and microreticulate, medially shiny, dorsum of postpetiole coarsely reticulate and microreticulate. Polygonal striation disrupted on 1st gastral tergite, superficially microreticulate basally. Ventral surface of head with several short and few longer, straight or “C”-shape setae, arising posterior to buccal cavity.

Description of Male. Whole body and appendages brownish black. Head with convex sides, rounded occipital margin and widely rounded occipital corners. Scutum wider than head. Propodeal teeth very short, propodeum slightly angulate in profile. Dorsal crest of petiolar node with sharp, slightly emarginated, with transversal edge in frontal view. Head and waist rugulose to reticulate, ground surface microreticulate, dull. Scutum finely rugulose, antero-laterally smooth and shiny. Scutellum rugulose and microreticulate. Sides of alitrunk finely rugose and microreticulate. Ventral part of katepisternum smooth and shiny. Dorsum of petiolar node finely reticulate and microreticulate. Postpetiole finely striate, shiny. Polygonal striae hardly visible on 1st gastral tergite.

Material examined (5 nest series including 43 workers, 11 gynes and 12 males).

HOLOTYPE [[worker]]: ITALY - Calabria Prov. Catanzaro, 3 km NW Umbriatico, 350 mH , 19.05.1994, nr. 1305 leg. A. Schulz, R. Güsten, M. Sanetra (1[[worker]] / HNHM) ; PARATYPES: ITALY - Catanzaro, 3 km NW Umbriatico, 350 mH , Calabria Prov. 19.05.1994, nr. 1305 leg. Schulz, Güsten, Sanetra (2[[workers]] / HNHM) ; Catanzaro, 3km NW. Umbriatico, 350mH , Calabria, Prov. 19.05.1994, Nr. 1305 & 1309 leg. A. Schulz, R. Güsten, M. Sanetra (2[[workers]] / HNHM, 3[[workers]], 1[[queen]], 1[[male]] / PCAS, 3[[workers]], 1[[queen]] / SMNK) ; Cosenza, 1km NW. Frascineto, 500mH , Calabria, Prov. 21.05.1994, Nr. T350 & 1366 leg. A. Schulz, R. Güsten, M. Sanetra (2[[workers]], 2[[queens]], 1[[male]] / HNHM, 2[[workers]], 1[[queen]], 1[[male]] / MCSN, 1[[worker]], 1[[queen]], / PCAS) ; Foggia, Gargano N. 528, ca. 2 km NE Abzweig n. Carpino, 700 mH Puglia Prov. 23.05.1994, nr. T353 leg. R Güsten, M. Sanetra (3[[workers]] / HNHM, 3[[workers]] / MCSN, 3[[workers]] / PCAS) ; Foggia, Gargano N. 528, ca. 2 km NE Abzweig n. Carpino, 700 mH Puglia Prov. 23.05.1994, nr. 383 leg. R Güsten, M. Sanetra (3[[workers]], 2[[queens]], 3[[males]] / HNHM, 6[[workers]], 2[[queens]], 3[[males]] / PCAS, 3[[workers]], 1[[queen]], 2[[males]] / SMNK) ;

Morphometrics: (15 workers and 3 gynes measured).

Diagnosis. Workers of T. sanetrai n. sp. can be separated from related species by the absence of psammophore, relatively coarse body sculpture, cubic petiolar node (NOH/NOL and PEH/NOL, Table 1.) and very short scape (SL/CS, Table 1.). Workers of T. sanetrai n. sp. mostly resemble those of T. rhodium and T. alternans . Tetramorium alternans has microreticulate sculpture on dorsum of petiole and postpetiole with very feeble rugulae, and microreticulate, in contrast with T. sanetrai n. sp. dorsum of petiolar node and postpetiole rugoso-reticulate and microreticulate. Differentiation between T. sanetrai n. sp. and T. rhodium is based on microreticulation of the body including gaster and scape sculpture. Tetramorium rhodium has stronger microreticulation between the primary ornamentation, best visible on head, petiole and postpetiole dorsum, which is strongly and irregularly rugose with densely microreticulate ground surface. In T. sanetrai n. sp. especially the dorsal surface of petiole is partially unsculptured and shining between the rugulae. The scape of T. rhodium is strongly sculptured, parallel costulae cover the whole surface of scape, in contrast to T. sanetrai n. sp. the scape is smooth and shinning at least proximally, distal end sometimes very feebly costulate. First gastral tergite of T. rhodium is basally microreticulate, that of T. sanetrai n. sp. is never microreticulate, but polygonally striate. Moreover, CS/PEW and CS/PPW give appropriate discrimination between T. sanetrai n. sp. and T. rhodium (Table 1.).

For separation between T. sanetrai n. sp. and T. rhodium the following Discriminant D(5) function is provided: 0.114 FR - 0.016 CS + 0.043 SL - 0.026 PEW - 0.086 PPW - 13.907 results of D(5) analysis: T. sanetrai n. sp. D(5) = -2.448 ±0.833 [-3.977, -1.137] (n= 15), T. sanetrai n. sp. holotype D(5) = -1.257, p<0.001. T. rhodium D(5) +2.425 ±1.155 [+4.643, +1.155] (n= 22), T. rhodium syntype series D(5) mean = +2.652 (n= 4). The less complicate Discriminant D(3b) function gives separation: D(3b) = 0.118 MW - 0.121 PEH - 0.084 PPH - 4.585. T. sanetrai n. sp. D(3b) = -2.643 ±0.901 [-4.022, -0.882] (n= 15), T. sanetrai n. sp. holotype D(3b) = -1.302, p<0.001. T. rhodium D(3b) = +2.643 ±1.449 [-0.619, +4.595] (n= 22), T. rhodium syntype series D(3b) mean +3.665 (n= 4). Petiole and frons characters (NOH/NOL, PEH/NOL, FR/CS, Table 1.) give appropriate separation between T. sanetrai n. sp. and T. alternans .

For separation between T. sanetrai n. sp. and T. alternans the following Discriminant D(2b) function is provided below: T. sanetrai n. sp. vs. T. alternans D(2b)= 0.093 FR - 0.148 NOL - 2.941 results of D(2b) analysis. T. sanetrai n. sp. D(2b) = -2.647 ±0.866 [-4.206, -0.982] (n= 15), T. sanetrai n. sp. holotype D(2b) = - 1.528, p<0.001; T. alternans D(2b) +2.647 ±0.878 [+1.069, +4.647] (n= 34), T. alternans lectotype D(2b) = +1.969, p<0.001, T. kahenae lectotype D(2b) = +1.070, p =0.01.

Gynes of T. sanetrai n. sp. can be distinguished by lacking of psammophores, smooth scape, wide scutum, (MW/CS Table 2.) relatively narrow petiole and postpetiole, (WAIST Table 2.) and rugo-reticulate katepisternum. Gynes of T. sanetrai n. sp. mostly resemble those of T. chefketi , but scape length (SL/CS, Table 2.) gives discrimination between them.

For further combination of morphometric characters see Table 1-2.

Distribution. Based on the studied material this species seems to be endemic to the South Italian mountains.

Etymology. This species [ sanetrai ] is dedicated to Matthias Sanetra for his fundamental work with the genus Tetramorium .