Tetramorium pullulum Santschi
Type location Zaïre (Tetramorium guineense F.
stirps pullulum n. st., Santschi, 1924b: 211, illustrated,
worker; but what must be the same specimen named as Xiphomyrmex
uelense by Santschi, 1935: 267; raised to species by Bolton,
1980: 273, not illustrated) collected at Haut Uelé, by L.
Burgeon; junior synonym fernandensis (Menozzi, 1942: 174,
illustrated) from Fernando Po I., Moke, by H. Eidmann,
xii.1939; worker only described (see Bolton, 1995). Bolton (1980)
does not comment on this aberration of naming, and Santschi (1935)
describes the specimen without any hint of having seen it
previously .
Santschi's (1924b) description is at
.
Santschi's (1935a) description of uelensis is at
Menozzi's (1942) description of fernandensis is at
Bolton's modern description (1980) is at
.
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WORKER - TL 3.2-4.0 mm. Santschi's (1935) description was - black,
mandibles, antennae and tarsi brownish; anterior of tibiae
whitish. Area between frontal carinae stretching back to the
posterior angles of the head with five strong and spaced rugae,
the median three arising on the clypeus; the outer two close to
the frontal carinae. irregularly reticulate between the rugae; on
the vertex a strong ruga or transverse fold crosses from one
frontal carina to the other. The scape is smooth to the midpoint
and then more or less reticulated. The rugae of the head pass on
to the dorsum of the thorax and pedicel, somewhat more irregular
and with spaces smooth. Between the pro and mesonotum there is a
strong transverse ridge; the centre of the mesonotum and the sides
of the thorax have clear spaces. The postpetiole is more feebly
scupltured than the petiole, and the gaster is shiny with
microscopic longitudinal rugulae. Pilosity erect, brownish, quite
long and abundant on the body; appendages with long decumbent
pubescence.
Head rectangular, about one-fifth long than wide, anterior angles
dentate or sharp. Clypeus concave medially. Mandibles smooth, with
three apical teeth. The convex eyes occupy the median third of the
head. Scape reaching the occiput; mid-segments of funiculus
transverse; basal two segments of club slightly longer than wide
but apical segment as long as the other two together. Thorax
straighter than head; pronotum flat after the transverse ridge and
mesonotum horizontal in profile; propodeum dorsum oblique, spines
robust, slightly divergent, raised and slightly curved upwards;
metasternal spines shorter. Petiole node rectangular in profile,
as high as long; postpetiole node also as wide as long but about
one-third larger than the petiole node; posterior articulation
thick. Gaster as long as the thorax.
Bolton (1980) reported other specimens from Zaïre,
Sudan, Uganda and Angola. |
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