Tetramorium ataxium Bolton

Type location Nigeria (Bolton, 1980: 295, illustrated, head and alitrunk-pedicel profile; worker) .

Bolton's description (1980), with slightly larger dimensions (TL 3.0-3.5 mm), is at .

Nigeria specimens (as Tetramorium species T¹, Taylor, 1980a: 55). WORKER. TL 2.86 mm, HL 0.67, HW 0.61, SL 0.56, PW 0.42
Superficially similar to Tetramorium lucayanum, but with a smaller eye, and the margin of the alitrunk not clearly defined. Sculpturation of the head, alitrunk and pedicel more reticulate and less rugose. Clypeus very convex, with a pronounced medial carina, projecting slightly on the anterior margin. Propodeal spines long, acute and triangular pointing upwards; metapleural lobes fairly large, upward pointing triangles. Petiole with a more rounded anterior face. Colour dark red-brown.

Bolton (1980) described the holotype worker and 6 paratype workers from Nigeria, at IITA (B.R. Critchley, 16-23.ix.1974), other findings from Mokwa (B. Labesikan) and Ile Ife (J.T. Medler). Nests in the soil and in dead wood on the ground and forages on the wood. Also at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Idi Ayunre, collected by B. Bolton and myself. I found it on a cocoa trunk at 100 cm above ground, perhaps tending Homoptera; also on rotting blackwood at Block E6/1.

Listed by Bolton (1980) from Ghana at Mampong, Legon, Kibi, Mt. Atewa (D. Leston), Mampong (P.M. Room) and CRIG (B. Bolton). Since described as widespread from their leaf litter collections (140 workers plus 4 from soil samples, at 11 sites) in the semi-deciduous forest zone, by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b).

Curiously, although under Tetramorium angulinode Bolton outlined at some length how he had established specimens collected in Guinea by Lamotte and thought by Bernard (1952) to be of "Tetramorium humerosum" actually were of this species, he (Bolton) made no reference to the story under ataxium. The Guinea records given by Bernard (1952) were all from Mt. Nimba by Lamotte - several workers (TL 2.2-3.0) from each of Kéoulenta, savanna (common); station B8.8, N'Zo; also 4 alate queens from station B8.8 (TL 3.7-4.0).  They can now be seen on Antweb at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0914276 (queen) and
http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0914277 (Kéoulenta).

Bernard also defined a new bicoloured subspecies "muscicola" of "humerosum" from N'Zo, these specimens were assigned to Tetramorium coloreum by Bolton.

Other countries, all West African, listed by Bolton (1980) were Ivory Coast, at the Palmeraie de Lame (36 workers, T. Diomande, 23.i.1976) and Lamto (J. Lévieux).

The photomontage of the holotype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0901197.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium ataxium B Taylor det.	Senegal Tambacounda B Ndiaye	6.viii.2009 Maka Madina 13°03'42" N 12°07'03" W	Maka Madina 6-VIII-09 St 3 186 m; Soudanian savannah, hand collection	2
Tetramorium ataxium B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 158	17-22.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pongara Base; winkler funnel; leaf litter	3
Tetramorium ataxium B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 14-t-1-1	16-17.xi.2007 Lésio-Louna 03°16'56.5" S 015°28'28.3" E	Wooded Savannah; 24h pitfall trap	1
Tetramorium ataxium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-13	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 ataxium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-16	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	1

The photomontage is of a worker from Congo, Brazzaville; collectors Yves Braet & Eric Zassi (pitfall trap t 1.13),

The photomontage is of a second worker from Congo, Brazzaville, pitfall trap t 1.16, 19.viii.2007, collected by Yves Braet & Eric Zassi, 2007.

The photomontage is of a worker from Gabon, Pongara NP; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 158).

The photomontage is of a worker from Senegal, Tambacounda; collector B Ndiaye.