Tetramorium quasirum, 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 : 150-151

Tetramorium quasirum sp. n.

Holotype worker. TL 2.4, HL 0.64, HW 058, CI 91, SL 040, SI 69, PW 0.42, AL 0.70.

Mandibles longitudinally striate; anterior clypeal margin with a median notch or impression. Eyes relatively small, maximum diameter 0.12, about 0.21 x HW, the eye noticeably elongate, about twice longer than broad. Frontal carinae not strongly developed, behind the level of the eyes no more strongly marked than the cephalic rugular sculpture which they merge into posteriorly. Antennal scrobes shallow and inconspicuous but less strongly sculptured than remainder of head. Propodeal spines acute, feebly upcurved along their length; metapleural lobes bluntly triangular. Petiole in profile strongly nodiform with roughly parallel, vertical anterior and posterior faces and an evenly convex dorsum, the length of the dorsum about equal to the height of the tergal portion of the node. Antero- and posterodorsal angles of the node narrowly rounded in profile and blunt. In dorsal view the node slightly longer than broad. Postpetiole evenly convex in profile. Dorsum of head closely and irregularly longitudinally rugulose with some feeble cross-meshes, and merging into a disorganized reticulum posteriorly. Spaces between the rugulae conspicuously punctulate. Dorsal alitrunk reticulate-rugulose, more strongly marked than on head, the individual rugulae low and blunt, with a beaded appearance due to aligned punctulation on their upper surfaces. Spaces between them with feeble and sparse punctulation, less strong than on head. Dorsum of petiole with feebly marked sculpture, postpetiole and gaster smooth. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous fine hairs, the gaster also with conspicuous long pubescence. Colour dark brown.

Paratype workers. As holotype, some of them a lighter shade of brown. Dimensions TL 2.4 - 2.6, HL 0.62 - 0.64, HW 0.56 - 0.59, CI 90.94, SL 0.39.0.42, SI 69 - 73, PW 0.40 - 0.43, AL 0.69 - 0.72, maximum diameter of eye 0.11 - 0.12 (0.20 - 0.21 x HW) (10 measured).

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Bongolava, Pref. Tsiroanomandidy, 6 - 11. xii. 1974, forest humus and litter, series AB 48 (A. Peyrieras) (MCZ, Cambridge). Paratypes. 14 workers with same data as holotype (MCZ, Cambridge; BMNH).

NON-PARATYPIC MATERIAL

A second series consisting of 4 workers and a female bear the data Madagascar: Rte d'Anosibe, km 33, 4 - 12. iv. 1975, forest humus and litter, AB 49 (A. Peyrieras). These match the type-series well but are darker in colour, being black or nearly black.

This small species is related to ranarum but is smaller, has slightly larger eyes and much less strongly developed frontal carinae.