A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa

  • Nokuthula Mbanyana Iziko Museums of South Africa, P.O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000
  • Francisco Hita Garcia Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa
  • Hamish Gibson Robertson Iziko Museums of South Africa, P.O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000
  • Johannes Jacobus Le Roux Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag XI, Matieland, 7602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2018.454
Keywords: ant taxonomy, arid regions, identification key, new species, systematics

Abstract

Ants of the Tetramorium solidum group occur in Africa, with the vast majority of species endemic to the arid regions of southern Africa. The first revision of the genus was published more than 30 years ago and ant surveys have since considerably expanded the number of specimens available for study. The revision of this group reveals five new species, expanding the total number to 19. Almost all the species in this group occur in the southern parts of the Afrotropical region, with the exception of T. setuliferum Emery, 1895 and T. rothschildi (Forel, 1907). These two species have broad distributions within African grasslands and savannas, with T. setuliferum occurring in southern Africa and T. rothschildi in East Africa and the Sahel. Five new species are described in this revision: T. aisha sp. nov., T. brigitteae sp. nov., T. duncani sp. nov., T. lerouxi sp. nov. and T. margueriteae sp. nov. An illustrated key is presented and descriptions of new species are provided, supported by montage images and distribution maps.

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Published
2018-08-07
How to Cite
Mbanyana, N., Hita Garcia, F., Robertson, H. G., & Le Roux, J. J. (2018). A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa. European Journal of Taxonomy, (454). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2018.454
Issue
No. 454 (2018): A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa
Section
Entomology
Copyright (c) 2018 Nokuthula Mbanyana, Francisco Hita Garcia, Hamish Gibson Robertson, Johannes Jacobus Le Roux

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