Tetramorium saudicum Sharaf, 2013

Radchenko, A. G. & Scupola, A., 2015, Taxonomic Revision Of The Striativentre Species Group Of The Genus Tetramorium (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Vestnik Zoologii 49 (3), pp. 219-244 : 240-241

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1515/vzoo-2015-0024
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6461995
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AAA223-B066-690A-42B6-7D57015DFC92
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Tetramorium saudicum Sharaf, 2013
status

Treatment

Tetramorium saudicum Sharaf, 2013: 574 View Cited Treatment , workers, Saudi Arabia (in Sharaf et al., 2013).

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d. Paratypes, 3 workers, “ Saudi Arabia, Rawdhat Khorim , 25-22-986 N, 47-16-712 E, 559 m, 24.II.2012, HP (A) No. 0067” (nest of holotype) ( SIZK) .

Measurements of workers (in mm; n = 3), ordered as: min-max: HL 0.80–0.81, HW 0.78–0.78, FW 0.32–0.33, FLW 0.36–0.37, OL 0.20–0.21, GnL 0.19–0.21, SL 0.61–0.62, ML 0.96–0.99, PNW 0.52–0.52, PL 0.33–0.33, PW 0.24–0.25, PH 0.26–0.28, PndL 0.20–0.21, PPL 0.21–0.22, PPW 0.28–0.30, PPH 0.21–0.23, ESL 0.10-0.13, ESD 0.21–0.22, HTL 0.55– 0.56.

Indices: CI 1.03–1.04, SI 1 0.74–0.77, SI 2 0.77–0.79, FI 0.41–0.42, FLI 1.12–1.13, OI 1 0.25–0.27, OI 2 1.00–1.06, PI 1 1.20–1.24, PI 2 0.31–0.32, PndI 1.16–1.22, PPI 1 0.76–0.80, PPI 2 0.35–0.38, ESLI 0.13–0.17.

For some more measurements see Sharaf et al. (2013).

T a x o n o m i c n o t e s. T. saudicum the most resembles T. sabatinellii and differs from it by some morphometrics features (see Note to the latter species and Key).

A key to species of Tetramorium striativentre species group (workers and queens 1)

1. Whole surface of first gastral tergite densely longitudinally striato-punctated ( fig. 1 View Fig , d; 2 View Fig , c; 6 View Fig , d; 7 View Fig , b; 10 View Fig , d; 11 View Fig , e)..................................................................................................................................................................2

– Only basal half of first gastral tergite densely longitudinally striato-punctated, remainder part of tergite smooth and shiny or at most with fine superficial microreticulation ( fig. 5 View Fig , d; 14 View Fig , d; 15 View Fig , e)....................5

2(1). Frontal carinae not curved, gradually converging anteriorly, so that frontal lobes not extended laterally (FLI in workers 1.00–1.06, mean 1.01, in queens <1.00, mean 0.96); longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum relatively fine, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes> 15 (mean in workers 18, in queens — 21) ( fig. 6 View Fig , c; 7 View Fig , c). Petiolar node transversal (mean PndI in workers 1.34, in queens — 1.78); both petiolar node dorsum and postpetiolar dorsum with regular longitudinally-concentric rugae ( fig. 6 View Fig , b; 7 View Fig , b). Propodeum with short denticles (mean ESLI in workers 0.10, in queens — 0.08) ( fig. 6 View Fig , a; 7 View Fig , a). .................................................................................................................................. T. striativentre Mayr View in CoL

– Frontal carinae curved above antennal insertions, frontal lobes distinctly extended (FLI ≥ 1.08, means in workers 1.12 … 1.17, in queens 1.09 … 1.15); longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum various ( fig. 1 View Fig , c; 2 View Fig , d; 10 View Fig , c; 11 View Fig , d). Petiolar node of various shape, petiolar node dorsum with sinuous longitudinal rugae, postpetiolar dorsum with longitudinal rugae ( fig. 1 View Fig , b; 2 View Fig , e; 10 View Fig , b; 11 View Fig , c). Propodeum with longer teeth or even thin spines (means ESLI in workers 0.15 … 0.19, in queens 0.11 … 0.17) ( fig. 1 View Fig , a; 2 View Fig , a; 10 View Fig , a; 11 View Fig , a)'............................................................................................................................................................................3

3(2). Petiolar node subcircle (mean PndI in workers 1.02, in queens — 1.40) ( fig. 10 View Fig , b; 11 View Fig , c). Longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum relatively fine, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes> 15 (mean 23) ( fig. 10 View Fig , c; 11 View Fig , d)............................................................................................ T. schneideri Emery View in CoL

– Petiolar node transversal (means PndI in workers 1.20 … 1.35, in queen 1.40) ( fig. 1 View Fig , b; 2 View Fig , e). Longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum coarser, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes <15 (means 12 … 13) ( fig. 1 View Fig , c; 2 View Fig , d). ....................................................................................................................... 4

4(3). Scape somewhat shorter, mean SI1 0.75, SI2 0.78. Petiolar node somewhat narrower, mean PndI 1.20; postpetiole somewhat narrower, mean PPI1 0.77, mean PPI2 0.36. Gena only somewhat longer than maximal diameter of eye, mean OI2 1.04. ........................................................................ T. saudicum Sharaf

– Scape somewhat longer, mean SI1 0.80, SI2 0.84. Petiolar node somewhat wider, mean PndI 1.35; postpetiole somewhat wider, mean PPI1 0.70, mean PPI2 0.39. Gena distinctly longer than maximal diameter of eye, mean OI2 1.10 ......................................................................................................... T. sabatinellii sp. n.

1 Queens of T. pisarskii and T. saudicum are unknown.

5(1). Mesosomal dorsum and waist dorsum with sinuous longitudinal rugae ( fig. 14 View Fig , b; 15 View Fig , c). Longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum coarser, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes ≤ 15 ( fig. 14 View Fig , c; 15 View Fig , d). ....................................................................................................... T. kabulistanicum Pisarski View in CoL

– Mesosomal dorsum with more regular, almost straight longitudinal rugae, waist dorsum with regular longitudinally-concentric rugae ( fig. 5 View Fig , b). Longitudinal rugosity on head dorsum less coarse, number of rugae between frontal carinae level with the eyes ≥ 20 ( fig. 5 View Fig , c) ................................ T. pisarskii sp. n.

A key to species of Tetramorium striativentre species group (males 2)

1. Surface of first gastral tergite finely, but densely longitudinally striato-punctated ( fig. 12 View Fig , e). Petiole very long and low, PI1 2.00 ( fig. 12 View Fig , c). .................................................................................... T. schneideri Emery

– Surface of first gastral tergite smooth and shiny ( fig. 3 View Fig , e; 8 View Fig , b; 16 View Fig , d). Petiole shorter and higher, PI1 <1.70 ( fig. 3 View Fig , a; 8 View Fig , a; 16 View Fig , a).......................................................................................................................................2

2(1). Genae very short, OI2 6.50; petiole longer and lower, PI1 1.68 ( fig. 3 View Fig , a, d). ............. T. sabatinellii sp. n.

– Genae longer, OI2 <5.50; petiole shorter and higher, PI1 <1.50 ( fig. 8 View Fig , b, c; 16 View Fig , a, c)..............................3

3(2). Petiole narrower and higher, PI1 <1.30, PI2 ≤ 0.45; genae longer, OI2 <4.20 ( fig. 3 View Fig , a–c). ………………… ................................................................................................................ T. striativentre Mayr

– Petiole wider and lower, PI1> 1.45, PI2> 0.50; genae shorter, OI2> 5.00 ( fig. 16 View Fig , a, c, e) ......................... ..................................................................................................................................... T. kabulistanicum Pisarski

We are sincerely grateful to curators of the museum collection for the providing material for investigation: Elena Fedosseva (ZMMU), Fabrizio Rigato (MSNM), Mostafa Rezek Sharaf (Er-Riyadh), Mauro Daccordi (Verona) and Marco Uliana (MSNVE), and to Vladimir Radchenko (Kyiv), who made photos of the male genitalia of T. striativentre . Finally, particular thanks to Guido Sabatinelli (Amman) for his courtesy and assistance in the field researches in Jordan.