A taxonomic revision of seed harvester ants of the Tetramorium solidum group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in southern Africa Author Mbanyana, Nokuthula 157A51ED-7C85-4CA3-84E4-B7BD1E2A7E8F Iziko Museums of South Africa, P. O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919 - 1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X 1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. nmbanyana@iziko.org.za Author Garcia, Francisco Hita B7ADF56F-935D-4BD8-ADB3-50E96F8BB463 fhitagarcia@gmail.com Author Robertson, Hamish Gibson 972FAB6C-C5FA-45EA-9A17-9F156845BE4F Iziko Museums of South Africa, P. O. Box 61, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919 - 1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X 1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. hrobertson@iziko.org.za Author Roux, Johannes Jacobus Le 2995D443-01FA-4F65-BFEE-ECA07B73504A jleroux@sun.ac.za text European Journal of Taxonomy 2018 2018-08-07 454 1 59 journal article 22298 10.5852/ejt.2018.454 654c9653-fbef-4d0d-9e07-619084ac1162 3817358 07F6B28D-ECA4-4F14-8132-0A58DE156057 Tetramorium clunum Forel, 1913 Figs 2D , 3B , 8 , 24 Tetramorium setuliferum st. cluna Forel, 1913: 218 . Diagnosis In the T. solidum group there are only three species with short, broad, flattened and strongly appressed glittering silvery hairs covering the body ( Fig. 2 D–F), namely, T. s etuliferum , T. clunum and T. galoasanum . Tetramorium galoasanum is distinguished from the other two species by its long, dense, overlapping strap-like hairs, whereas in the other two species these hairs are sparse and spaced out. Tetramorium clunum is separated from T . setuliferum by the following characters: (1) first gastral tergite does not overhang the tergosternal suture in profile ( Fig. 3B ); (2) first gastral tergite is sculptured throughout whereas in T . setuliferum only the base is sculptured; (3) dorsum of head behind clypeus with at least one pair of erect hairs, whereas T . setuliferum lacks elongate erect hairs on the dorsum of head; and (4) tergum of postpetiole without lateral alar prominences, whereas these are present in T . setuliferum . Material examined Syntypes SOUTH AFRICA : workers , Eastern Cape , Willowmore , Dec. 1912 , H. Brauns leg. ( BMNH : CASENT0901182 ; MHNG : CASENT0909155 ). Other material SOUTH AFRICA (26 pinned specimens ): Eastern Cape : Fish River Valley , Jun. 1965 ( SAM- HYM-C004009); Willomore , Sep. 1919 , H. Brauns leg. (SAM-HYM-C004010); Willowmore , 33° S , 22° E , 500 m a.s.l., nest in sandy soil, 1 Dec. 1976 , C.F. Jacot-Guillarmod leg. ( CASC : CASENT0217964 ; BMNH : CASENT0764600 to CASENT0764602 ). – Western Cape : Oudtshoorn , Grootkop Nature Reserve , 33.577917° S , 22.217028° E , 373 m a.s.l., 10 Mar. 2006 , Succulent Karoo , pitfall trap, B. Braschler leg. (SAM-HYM-C024965); Josephskraal , 33.04182° S , 20.72157° E , 896 m a.s.l., Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo , deep soil on elevated flood plain, 16 Apr. 2008 , N. Mbanyana and H.G. Robertson leg. (SAM-HYM-C020467); Nature’s Valley , 33°58′38″ S , 23°33′39″ E , 10 m a.s.l., 8 Dec. 1967 , A.J. Prins leg. (SAM-HYM-C015136). – Northern Cape : Melton Wold , 31.46189° S , 22.72417° E , 1331 m a.s.l., 9 Jan. 2009 , N. Mbanyana and H.G. Robertson leg. (SAM-HYM-C023304). Measurements (worker N =11) HL 0.885 –1.062 (0.958); HW 0.919 –1.090 (0.991); SL 0.688 –0.757 (0.723); EL 0.207 –0.266 (0.239); PH 0.482 –0.570 (0.544); PW 0.570 –0.669 (0.609); WL 0.922 –1.023 (0.963); PSL 0.157 –0.177 (0.168); PTH 0.285 –0.344 (0.307); PTL 0.295 –0.340 (0.315); PTW 0.305 –0.381 (0.325); PPH 0.413 –0.530 (0.461); PPL 0.187 –0.246 (0.207); PPW 0.374 –0.472 (0.401); OI 22–27 (24); CI 101–105 (103); SI 69–76 (73); DMI 61–67 (63); LMI 51–62 (57); PSLI 15–19 (18); PeNI 49–57 (53); LPeI 97–113 (103) DPeI 92–112 (103); PpNI 63–71 (66); LPpI 40–58 (45); DPpI 152–218 (195); PPI 117–127 (124). Distribution Tetramorium clunum has been recorded from South Africa ( Eastern Cape , Western Cape and Northern Cape ) and Namibia , where it occurs in Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo and Namib Desert. This is a ground-nesting species. It has been recorded nesting in deep soils. Nothing is known about its feeding behaviour, but presumably this species feeds on seeds, as this is recorded for most other species of this group. This species has been collected in yellow pan traps, pitfall traps and by turning stones.