The Ants of Africa
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Terataner
Contents - Myrmicinae - MYRMICINAE Introduction

Genus Terataner Emery (1912b: 103)

In Tribe FORMICOXENINI.

Diagnostic Features - Antennae 12-segmented, with a 3-segmented club. Pronotum anteriorly and promesonotum laterally marginate. Promesonotal suture absent but the lateral margination is broken at the pro-mesonotal margin. Metanotal grove weakly impressed. propodeum unarmed, metapleural lobes present. Petiole with paired dorsal teeth.

Emery's (1912b) genus description is at {original description}.

Bolton (1973a) described this as a totally arboreal genus, adding (1981b) that nesting is in rotten parts of standing timber, often some considerable distance above the ground. In his later review four species were described from West and Central African forests (Bolton, 1981b). These he described as forming a single complex, the luteus-complex, separated in two groups on the basis of the postpetiole in dorsal view having a very broad and broadly rounded posterior arch (elegans and luteus), or having a narrow and narrowly rounded posterior arch (piceus and velatus). Carroll (1979) observed genus members in Liberia but did not differentiate the species; all were collected only from hard, dry, dead stems on trees and never from wet wood; burrows were some 3 mm in width.


Key to African species (adapted from Bolton, 1981b):

1 {Terataner transvaalensis}In full face view head with posterior of frontal carinae angled outwards 2
-- {Terataner elegans face}In full face view head with posterior of frontal carinae fading out in a single line 3
2 {Terataner bottegoi}Eyes near flat; posterior of frontal carinae with a ridge of tubercles; in dorsal view sides of pronotum strongly convergent posteriorly; dorsal alitrunk with abundant short whitish hairs; TL 4.8-6.0 mm; colour black .
. {Terataner bottegoi} East Africa - bottegoi
-- {Terataner transvaalensis}Eyes distinctly convex and breaking outline of face; sides of pronotum near parallel; few erect hairs on dorsal alitrunk; TL 6.0 mm; bicolorous, head and gaster black, alitrunk red East & Southern Africa - transvaalensis
3 {Terataner luteus pedicel}Postpetiole in dorsal view with the posterior arch very broad and broadly rounded 4
-- {Terataner velatus pedicel}Postpetiole in dorsal view with the posterior arch narrow and narrowly rounded 5
4 {Terataner luteus}Yellow; TL 5.0-5.8 mm; pronotal dorsum distinctly broader than long West Africa & Congo Basin - luteus
-- {Terataner elegans}Dark brown to black, alitrunk usually reddish; TL 4.9-5.6 mm; pronotal dorsum about as long as broad .
. {Terataner elegans} West Africa - elegans
5 {short description of image}First gastral tergite without hairs; reticulate-punctate pronotal dorsum without strong rugulae; TL 4.6-5.5 mm; colour mid- to blackish-brown West Africa & Congo Basin - piceus
-- {Terataner velatus}First gastral tergite with strong hairs on basal half; reticulate-punctate pronotal dorsum with strong longitudinal rugulae; TL 4.5 mm; colour mid- to blackish- brown West Africa - velatus
Contents MYRMICINAE Introduction
© 2007, 2012, 2013 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
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