Tetramorium semilaeve (André)

Type location Mediterranean Region (Tetramorium caespitum var semilaeve, André, 1883a: 286, worker; Emery, 1891b: 2, queen; Forel, 1902a: 148, male; raised to species first by Dalla Torre, 1893: 134; also Bondroit, 1918: 109) - no type images on Antweb (April 2015).

Bolton (1995: 414) lists numerous subspecies but the whole situation appears in great need of clear resolution.

André's (1883a) description is among the "Tetramorium caespitum" varieties at Bondroit's (1918) note is at .

Egypt records - Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated);
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).

This is somewhat similar to the Sinai specimens collected by M James and diagnosed by BT as Tetramorium schmidti but that clearly has more numerous erect hairs on the alitrunk dorsum and is yellow.

This was earlier diagnosed as Tetramorium brevicorne by Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated) but the paper by Sanetra, Güsten & Schulz (1999) shows that to have been an error. 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 distributed reticulate microsculpture; on caespitum this is restricted to, at the most, the more basal part of the node; also the occiput on brevicorne often has rugosity developed into a conspicuous arched pattern.

The photomontage of the jugurtha type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0915050.

Described as Tetramorium caespitum L. stirps semilaeve Andre var. jugurtha n.v. by Santschi 1921b: 430; as Tetramorium semilaeve var. jugurtha Sants. by Menozzi, 1934: 162; type location Tunisia. Menozzi noted it as found all along the Mediterranean coast of Africa.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium semilaeve B Taylor det.

Egypt M Sharaf

8.iv.1998 Sinai 28°33' N 33°56' E

Wadi Arbaein

1

The photomontage is of a worker from among those listed above as collected by Mostafa Sharaf. Note the wholly smooth petiole and postpetiole, whereas the head and dorsal alitrunk are finely but weakly striate; very similar to the jugurtha shown above.