Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen): zoogeography, distribution and description of a new species
Author
Sharaf, Mostafa R.
Author
Fisher, Brian L.
Author
Collingwood, Cedric A.
Author
Aldawood, Abdulrahman S.
text
Journal of Natural History
2017
J. Nat. Hist.
2017-01-27
51
5 - 6
317
378
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1271157
journal article
55739
10.1080/00222933.2016.1271157
f91a0e7b-c4c5-458a-858a-9de4cf82e13f
1464-5262
5184295
89612083-9CE6-48E8-8975-1CE5334E098B
Tetramorium pauper
Forel, 1907
(
Figure 22
(a–c))
Tetramorium pauper
Forel, 1907:14
(w.)
Kenya
. Afrotropical.
Diagnosis
Worker
. Anterior clypeal margin lacking a median notch; frontal carinae very short, ending just behind frontal lobes; antennal scrobes absent; eyes distinctly small with four ommatidia in the longest row; propodeum armed with reduced acute tubercles; cephalic dorsum superficially sculptured; body pilosity short, stout and blunt. Colour uniform yellowish brown or pale brown.
Figure 22.
Tetramorium pauper
. (a) Body in profile. (b) Head in full-face view, CASENT0746628, AntWeb.org, (Zach Lieberman). (c) Distribution map from recent records.
Material examined
Yemen
,
Socotra Island
,
Dixam
(
W. Zereg
),
24 April
2014
, 279 m, (M.
R
.
Sharaf
leg.),
12.46868°N
,
54.01091°E
(3 w,
KSMA
);
Yemen
,
Socotra Island
, Dixam,
24 April
2014
, 656 m, (M.
R
.
Sharaf
leg.),
12.49320°N
,
53.99145°E
(3 w,
KSMA
);
Yemen
,
Socotra Island
, Himihil Protectorate,
23 April
2014
, 355 m, (M.
R
.
Sharaf
leg.),
12.58954°N
,
54.30570°E
(1 w,
KSMA
);
Yemen
,
Socotra Island
, Haydibo, Erheno,
19 April 2014
, 33 m, (M.
R
.
Sharaf
leg.),
12.65023°N
,
54.04016°E
(20 w,
KSMA
)
.
Geographic range
A species originally described from
Kenya
and recorded for the first time from
Socotra Island
.
Ecological and biological notes
Tetramorium pauper
was found nesting inside a small decayed twig. The soil was moist due to irrigation of the date palm orchard. Several workers were nesting under a rock. A nest series was collected from a dry leaf litter next to a date palm tree using a sifting tray.