Tetramorium zambezium Santschi

Type location Zimbabwe (Tetramorium zambezium n. sp., Santschi, 1939b: 244, worker), Rhodesia, Victoria Falls, ix.1917, G. Arnold; worker only described.
In Bolton (1995: 416) as revived status .

Santschi's (1939b) description is at . Bolton's modern description (1980) under delagoense is at .

WORKER - TL 2.33 mm, HL 0.56, HW 0.48, SL 0.44, PW 0.34 (Bolton, 1980, has TL 2.1-2.9 mm; illustrated part full-face view; in my guide as Tetramorium species M)
Not drawn by me but morphologically very similar to T. simillimum - the diagnostic difference being the presence of a single stiff hair projecting anteriorly immediately behind the eye. Colour very dark yellow-brown, with lighter extremities. Head, alitrunk and pedicel reticulopunctate with longitudinal rugae on dorsal surfaces. Erect setae more abundant and longer, especially on the alitrunk. Propodeal spines short, upturned and triangular. Petiole node as in simillimum.

Note this has been separated from Tetramorium delagoense with which it was synonymized by Bolton (1980) but revived and used by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b), who found no "delagoense" and abundant "zambesium"; and listed in the new catalogue, as "revived status" (Bolton, 1995: 416). Also revived from synonymy with delagoense was Tetramorium intextum (from Kenya and Zimbabwe).

Bolton (1980) described delagoense as a variable species with a wide distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, but for zambesium, apparently the forests of West and Central Africa seems a closer definition and refers to the "black or blackish-brown specimens".

In Nigeria, it nests in the ground and we found it on the lower parts of cocoa tending aphids at CRIN. Bolton (1980) also listed collections at CRIN (himself), IITA (B.R. Critchley) and Ile Ife (J.T. Medler).

From Ghana, Bolton (1980) listed the finding by Room (1971) (as Tetramorium sp. M) in leaf litter and dead wood on the ground under cocoa at the Mampong Cemetery site, and others at Aburi (D. Leston) and CRIG (himself). Belshaw & Bolton (1994b) list Tetramorium zambesium as widespread (2293 workers from 17 sites) in leaf litter.

Also from Ivory Coast at Lamto (W.H. Gotwald & R. Schaefer).

The photomontage of a syntype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0280859.

The type worker can be seen at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0906142.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Sample 75	28.vii.2010 Nko’ondo 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"	Aphid survey	1
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 19-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 zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 02-t-2-2	19-20.xi.2007 Lésio-Louna 03°20'12.0" S 015°28'43.6" E	Wooded Savannah; 24h pitfall trap	1
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-3	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 zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-5	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	2
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-6	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	2
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-7	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	2
Tetramorium zambezium 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 zambezium 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 zambezium B Taylor det.	Congo Y Braet t-1-14	19.viii.2007 Brazzaville 4° 15' 33" S 15° 17' 5" E	24h pitfall trap; forest around the GERDIB laboratories; 317 m asl	3
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 20	20.vii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pitfall traps under forest cover	1
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 133	8.viii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Riverine leaf litter; 72 h winkler funnel	1
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 157	17-22.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Leaf litter, winkler funnel	7
Tetramorium zambezium B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 180	8.vi-20.vi.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pongara Base; winkler funnel	1

The photomontage is of a worker from Congo, Brazzaville; collectors Yves Braet & Eric Zassi (t 1.7).

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

The photomontage is of a worker from Cameroun; Nko'ondo; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk unmounted 22).

The photomontage is of a worker from Gabon, Pongara National Park; Point Wingombé; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 20)..

The photomontage is of a worker from Gabon, Pongara National Park; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 157).

The photomontage is of a specimen from Gabon, Pongara National Park; Camp Base; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 180).