Contents Contents The Ants of Egypt
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Tetramorium - Tetramorium brevicorne (Bondroit)
caespitum-group

Tetramorium brevicorne (Bondroit)

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Corsica (Tetramorium caespitum var debilis (part.), Emery, 1909d: 701; Tetramorium caespitum ssp caespitum var brevicorne Emery, 1916b: 194 - name only, brief details in key on p 196; Tetramorium caespitum var brevicorne, Bondroit, 1918: 108, worker & queen, Emery, 1925c: 185, illustrated, male & queen - no significant text; raised to species Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 53).


{Tetramorium brevicorne}Emery's (1909d) description of debilis is at {original description} - more heavily sculptured than debilis - now Tetramorium taueret. Emery (1916b: 196) separation - was sculpturation almost as the type - T. caespitum ssp caespitum - the scape not reaching the occipital margin by about its own diameter up to twice its own diameter; colour dark; TL 2.2-2.6 mm. Bondroit's (1918) note is at {original description}. Sanetra, Güsten & Schulz (1999) examined the original specimens and gave a modern description; this is at {original description}.


{Tetramorium brevicorne pedicel}Sanetra et al. found that the scape length is not a reliable distinction for separating workers from caespitum and the sculpturation of the petiole nodes was a better characteristic. On brevicorne the postpetiole has more or less evenly distibuted reticulate microsculpture; on caespitum< this is restricted to, at the most, the more basal part of the node; alos the occiput on brevicorne often has rugosity developed into a conspicuous arched pattern.

Egypt records - Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated); this may be the same as the Sinai specimens collected by M James and diagnosed by BT as Tetramorium schmidti.
Sharaf list - Material examined: Wadi El-Talaa, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 15.xi.1998 (2); Wadi El-Talaa, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 19.ii.1998 (2); Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 3.iv.1998 (8) (SHC); Sahab (South Sinai), 14.xi.1998 (1) Leg.M.R.Sharaf (ASUC).

©2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

href="tetramorium_brevicorne.htm"