The Ants of Africa

The Ants of Africa
Genus Tetramorium
Tetramorium quadrispinosum Emery

Tetramorium quadrispinosum Emery

Type location South Africa (Tetramorium quadrispinosum n. sp., Emery, 1886: 362, illustrated, worker)
junior synonyms
montanum (Tetramorium Blochmanni var. montanum nov. var., Forel, 1891b: 152, illustrated, worker) from Madagascar - no images available on Antweb (June 2014).
angolense (Tetramorium quadrispinosum Em. stirps angolense n. st., Santschi, 1930b: 71, worker & queen) from Angola - no images available on Antweb (June 2014).
beirae (Tetramorium quadrispinosum Emery race beirae n. r., Arnold, 1926: 252, worker) from Mozambique - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0901245
calvum (Tetramorium blochmanni For. var. calvum n.var., Stitz, 1923: 162, worker) from Namibia - no images available on Antweb (June 2014).
eudoxia (Tetramorium Blochmanni For. r. continentis For. v. eudoxia n. var., Forel, 1914d: 231, worker; Santschi, 1918b: 122 - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0909150; and its junior synonym Tetramorium 4 spinosum Em. stirps elegans n. st., Santschi, 1918b: 125, worker) from South Africa - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0901244
otaviensis (Tetramorium quadrispinosum Emery race otaviense n. r., Arnold, 1926: 253, worker) from Namibia - no images available on Antweb (June 2014).
repertum (Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery v. repertum n. var., Santschi, 1926b: 242, worker) from Mozambique - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?name=casent0235205
unavailable name benguelense (Tetramorium quadrispinosum Em. stirps elegans Sants v. benguelense n. v., Santschi, 1937d: 234, worker) from Angola - no images available on Antweb (December 2014)
worker only described (see Bolton, 1995) .

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum} Emery's (1886) description is at . Arnold (1917: 277) gave a translation, this is at . Forel's (1891b) description of montanum is at . Forel's (1914d) description of eudoxia is at . Arnold (1917: 277) gave a translation of eudoxia, this is at . Santschi's (1918b) description of elegans is at . Arnold (1926: 277) gave a translation of eudoxia, beirae and otaviensis, this is at . Stitz's (1923) description of calvum is at . Santschi's (1926b) description of repertum is at . Santschi's (1930b) description of angolense is at . Santschi's (1937d) description of benguelense is at . Bolton's modern description (1980) is at .

WORKER - TL 3.5 mm; generally more finely sculptured than T. sericeiventre and with a glossy gaster (Bolton, 1980: 330, not illustrated). From the Elandskrans specimen shown below, also differs in having an evenly curved anterior to the pronotum when seen from above.

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum } The photomontage of the type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0235197.

The almost identical type worker of repertum can be seen at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?name=casent0235205.

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum } The photomontage of a worker from South Africa in the BMNH is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0280925. It is some 35% bigger than the type or repertum. The workers sent to me from South Africa and Sudan, see below, however, are the same size. The reported sizes of the various varieties range from under 3.0 to about 3.8 mm.

Note the colour variation from bright chestnut to near black shown by the Sudan workers collected from a single transect (below)

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	South Africa S Danflous	16.xii.2007 Elandskrans x°x'x" S y°y'y" E	Western Cape; z m; nest under a stone. 2 males & 2 workers	4
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2013.02.33	2013 Abu Hijar 12˚52' N 34˚0' E	very dark variant	2
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.07.1	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	1
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.08	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	1
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.16	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	2
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.17	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	1
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.21	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	2
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.27	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	2
Tetramorium quadrispinosum B Taylor det.	Sudan Awatif Omer 2014.34	Wad alaieiz Sinjah 13˚09'0" N 33˚56'0" E	transect	2

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum worker} The photomontage is of workers from South Africa, Elandskrans, Western Cape; collector Sam Danflous; nest under a stone.

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum male} The photomontage is of male specimens collected from South Africa, Elandskrans, Western Cape, S x°x'x" E y°y'y"; z m; Sam Danflous, 16.xii.2007; nest under a stone.

This appears to be similar to the male of T. sericeiventre arenarium as described by Santschi (1937g: 82) from Sudan, but is about 25% bigger overall and the forewing.

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum worker} The photomontage is of a worker from Sudan, Abu Hijar; collector Awatif Omer (2013.02.33).

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum worker} The photomontage is of a worker from Sudan, Wad alaieiz; collector Awatif Omer (2014.16).

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum worker} The photomontage is of a worker from Sudan, Wad alaieiz; collector Awatif Omer (2014.08).

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum} The specimens in these field photographs, nest below, were taken in Pretoria, South Africa, by Joan Young; nos 100_6382 to 6385.

{Tetramorium quadrispinosum nest} Nest activity, Joan Young. The remains of presumably prey can be recognised as including Pheidole and Camponotus, plus beetle wing carapaces and plant debris.

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