Tetramorium simillimum (F. Smith)

Type location Great Britain (Myrmica simillima, F. Smith, 1851: 118, worker; André, 1883a: 289, queen & male) Dorset (lost)
junior synonyms
bantouana (Tetramorium pusillum Em. var. bantouana nov., Santschi, 1910c: 382, illustrated, all forms) from Congo, M'Bamou, by Weiss - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0915080
brevispinosa (Wasmannia auropunctata Rog. subsp. brevispinosa n. subsp., Borgmeier, 1928a: 36, illustrated, worker) from Brazil
denticulatum (Forel, 1902c: 235, worker) from India
exoleta (Tetramorium pusillum Em. var. exolata n. v., Santschi, 1914d: 366, worker) from Nigeria, at Lagos, F. Silvestri - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0906138
opacior (Forel, 1913k: 81, worker) from Sri Lanka
parallela (F Smith, 1859a: 147, worker) from Indonesia - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0102937
pygmaeum (Tetramorium pygmaeum n. sp., Emery, 1877b: 371, queen; Emery, 1901e: 62, male; Emery, 1915g: 17, worker) from Ethiopia, Keren, coll. Beccari - see, queen,  http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0904832
material of unavailable name breve (Tetramorium pusillum Em. var. bantuala Sants. var. breve n. var., Santschi, 1924b: 213, worker) from Zaïre, Luebo, by H. Schouteden - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0915081
(see Bolton, 1995) .

F Smith's (1851) description is at . André's (1883a: 289) description of the queen & male is at . Emery's (1877b) description of pygmaeum is at . Arnold (1917: 323) gave an expanded transcription for a specimen from Durban, this is at . Santschi's (1910c) description of bantouana is at . Santschi's (1914d) description of exoleta is at . Emery's (1901e) description of the pygmaeum queen and male is at . and his (1915g) description of the worker is at . Santschi's (1924b) description of breve is at . Borgmeier's (1928) description of brevispinosum is at . Bolton's modern descriptions are at (1977) (1979) and (1980: 319, illustrated side of head, alitrunk and pedicel profile) .

Widely distributed by commerce (Wheeler, 1922). Examples can be seen also on the Japanese Ant Color Image Database.

In Nigeria, nests in dead wood on ground, and in dead wood and in crevices on living trees. Will tend aphids on cocoa flowers and cherelles near the ground, and will build tents. Bolton (1980) listed the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Idi Ayunre (himself; B. Taylor), Lagos (B. Malkin) and Ile Ife (J.T. Medler).

Found in Ghana (as Tetramorium sp. F), in open ground under Lantana scrub at the Mampong Cemetery site by Room (1971). Bolton (1980) did not list that finding, although he had others from Legon (D. Leston) and CRIG (D. Louis).

Collingwood & Bolton (1975) report it as a tramp species of African origin, which can be found in hot-houses in Britain, and Bolton (1980) listed findings from all over Africa, plus mentioning the wide global distribution.

Bernard (1952) reported it from Guinea, Mt. Nimba, Ravine I and the Nion crest at 1300 m; several workers; yellow and a little slimmer than the type.

Worker analysis page
The above essentially is the situation prior to the reviews by Bolton (1977, 1979 & 1980). However, this seems an over-simplistic interpretation and an analysis of a range of specimens from different countries and locations is given on the Analysis page, which also has examples of Tetramorium caldarium.

See also Queens

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Senegal Lamine Diamé 54	24.v.2012 Doyene-KS 14°46'N 17°07'W	Sébikotane S. saiche Tetramorium sp 6	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Ghana S Sky Stephens 06G0036	2006	In personal collection of S Sky Stephens	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Ghana S Sky Stephens 06G0090	2006	In personal collection of S Sky Stephens	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun G Debout & A Dalecky Cameroon 95	15.iv.2001 Kribi 2°56' N 9°55' E	in herbaceous vegetation, about 20 cm tall, in garden of Catholic Mission	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Sample 7	31.viii.2008 Balangue 03°54'30" N 11°25'58	Queen & 2 workers	3
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Sample 16	1.ix.2008 Mbanga 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"		3
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Sample 53	28.vii.2010 Kno’ondoI 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"	Pitfall	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Tetramorium sp3	28.ix.2007 Boga 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"	Quadrat in mixed crop field	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Tetramorium spL	26.vii.2007 Matomb 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"	Tuna bait in fallow	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-2	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-8	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 09-t-2-1	8-9.xi.2007 Lésio-Louna 03°1613.9" S 015°28'21.2" E	Gallery Forest; 24h pitfall trap	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 97	8.viii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Edge of savannah; yellow tray trap	2
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 125	27.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Forest soil; winkler funnel	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 169	8.vi-20.vi.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pongara Base; winkler funnel	5
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 189	17-22.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Leaf litter, winkler funnel	1
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 231	27.vi-10.vii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Leaf litter, winkler funnel	2
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Tanzania V Grebennikov	09-11.x.2002 Usambara Mts 5°05' S 38°38' E	Amani NR, Zigi Lodge, 2200 m	2
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	13.vi.2003 Abuzabal, Qaliobia 30°15' N 31°21' E		2
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	21.vi.2003 Abuzabal, Qaliobia 30°15' N 31°21' E		2
Tetramorium simillimum B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	17.vii.2007 Marsah Matrouh 31°21' N 27°14' E	Kaseh Tourist Village	1