Tetraponera F. Smith

Eguchi, K., Viet, B. T. & Yamane, S., 2011, Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), Part I - Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmicinae., Zootaxa 2878, pp. 1-61 : 31-32

Tetraponera F. Smith 1852

Taxonomy. The genus Tetraponera was recently revised by Ward (2001). Workers of Vietnamese species have the following features.

Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view subrectangular, with round posterolateral corner; frontal lobe weakly developed, not expanding over torulus; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median part of clypeus short anteroposteriorly, steep or vertical; posteromedian portion of clypeus not extended backwards between frontal lobes; mandible narrow, with 3-5 teeth on masticatory margin and 0-2 denticles on basal margin; antenna 12- segmented, not forming club or gradually incrassate; eye very large, located at or a little behind midlength of sides of head; mesosoma elongated; promesonotal suture always present and flexible; metathoracic spiracle sometimes present; metanotal groove deeply impressed dorsally (but rarely present as a weak transverse furrow); propodeum unarmed; propodeal spiracle situated high on side and far forward; pretarsal claws each with a preapical tooth on inner margin; petiole, postpetiole and first gastral segment not fused laterally; postpetiole developed, in dorsal view broadly attached to first gastral segment; sting present, usually well developed.

Vietnamese species. Seven species have been recognized by us from Vietnam: attenuata F. Smith [= sp. eg-1] (Nam Cat Tien, Nui Chua, Pu Mat, Tay Yen Tu, Van Ban); microcarpa Wu & Wang [= sp. eg-7] (Tay Yen Tu); modesta (F. Smith) [= sp. eg-4] (Tay Yen Tu); nitida (F. Smith) [= sp. eg-5] (Nui Chua, Pu Mat); pilosa (F. Smith) [= sp. eg-6] (Nam Cat Tien); rufonigra (Jerdon) [= sp. eg-2] (Tay Yen Tu); sp. eg-3 [cf. allaborans (Walker)] (Nam Cat Tien, Nui Chua, Pu Mat, Van Ban).

Bionomics. Vietnamese Tetraponera species are arboreal and nest in living and dead branches of standing trees. We often encountered colonies nesting in or moving from newly fallen branches.