Research Article |
Corresponding author: Lech Borowiec ( cassidae@biol.uni.wroc.pl ) Academic editor: Brian Lee Fisher
© 2015 Lech Borowiec, Christophe Galkowski, Sebastian Salata.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Borowiec L, Galkowski C, Salata S (2015) What is Tetramorium semilaeve André, 1883? (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 512: 39-62. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.512.10006
|
Tetramorium semilaeve André, 1883 is redescribed based on the type series and new material from terra typica (Pyrénées-Orientales). Lectotype worker is designated. Detailed descriptions of gyne and male are given. A review of material from the Mediterranean area suggests that in the past the name Tetramorium semilaeve has been applied to more than one species and the true T. semilaeve is common only in the western part of the Mediterranean basin. The structure of the male genitalia is the most reliable set of characters allowing a proper distinction of species in Tetramorium semilaeve species group. All names attributed to the former name “semilaeve” are discussed.
Mediterranean Subregion, Crematogastrini, taxonomy, Tetramorium semilaeve
The genus Tetramorium Mayr, 1855 with 560 valid species and 21 valid subspecies is one of the most speciose ant genera of the subfamily Myrmicinae (
Tetramorium semilaeve André, 1883 was originally decribed as a variety of Tetramorium caespitum. No types were designated in the original description and
Specimens were compared using standard methods of comparative morphology. Photos were taken using a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereomicroscope, Nikon D5200 photo camera and Helicon Focus software.
All given label data are in their original spelling; a vertical bar (|) separates data on different rows and double vertical bar (||) separates labels.
Our scheme of description corresponds with the revisions of Tetramorium chefketi and T. ferox groups (
Abbreviation of the depositories:
CG coll. Christophe Galkowski, Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc, France;
DBET Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, University of Wrocław, Poland;
MNHN Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.
Measurements and indices:
CL length of head in full-face view, measured in a straight line from the anteriormost point of median clypeal margin to the mid-point of the posterior margin of the head. Concavity of posterior margin reduces CL;
CW maximum width of head in full-face view, including compound eyes;
CS cephalic size; calculated from the arithmetic mean of CL and CW. It is used as a less variable indicator of body size. For simplicity CS is used to describe body size;
EH the minimum diameter of the compound eye;
EL the maximum diameter of the compound eye;
EYE eye size index, calculated from the arithmetic mean of EL and EH, divided by CS;
OMD oculo-malar space. The minimal distance between anterior (lower) margin of the compound eye and the mandibular junction in profile;
FL the maximum distance between external borders of the frontal lobes;
FR the minimum width of the frons between the frontal carinae;
ML the diagonal length of mesosoma measured in lateral view from the anteriormost point of the pronotal slope to the posterior (or postero-ventral) margin of the propodeal lobes;
MW the maximum width of the pronotum from above;
NOH the maximum height of the petiolar node;
NOL the length of the petiolar node;
PEH the maximum height of the petiole in lateral view;
PEL the distance between the posteriormost point of the petiole and the petiolar spiracle;
PEW the maximum width of the petiole in dorsal view;
POC postocular distance. Measured from the reference line fitted on the posterior margin of compound eyes to median posterior margin of the head;
PPH the maximum height of the postpetiole in lateral view;
PPL the maximum length of the postpetiole in lateral view;
PPW the maximum width of the postpetiole in dorsal view;
SL the maximum length of the scape, measured from the proximal point of scape lobe to the distal end of scape;
SPL the minimum distance between the center of propodeal spiracle and the propodeal declivity;
SPSP the maximum length of propodeal teeth, measured in lateral view from the tip of spine to the propodeal spiracle;
WAIST (gyne only), waist index, calculated as (PEW+PPW)/CS.
Tetramorium caespitum var. semilaeve André, 1883: 286 (terra typica: “toute la region méditerranéenne de l’Europe, de l’Afrique et d’Asie”).
Tetramorium semilaeve:
Tetramorium caespitum r. semilaeve:
Tetramorium caespitum ssp. semilaeve:
Lectotype worker (here designated, no. ANTWEB1008880): Pyrénées | Orientales || Type || TYPE || MUSEUM PARIS | COLLECTION | ERNEST ANDRÉ | 1914 (MNHN); two paralectotype workers: Pyrénées-Orientales | (de Saulcy ||TYPE || Tetr. caespitum | race semilaeve || MUSEUM PARIS | COLLECTION | ERNEST ANDRÉ | 1914 (MNHN); three paralectotype workers: Pyr. | orient. | (d. Saulcy) || TYPE II T. | semilaeve || MUSEUM PARIS | COLLECTION | ERNEST ANDRÉ | 1914 (MNHN).
Pinned material. 4 gynes, 6 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales | Banyuls, Route du col, 196 m | 42.467 N / 3.141 E | 12 VI 2010, C. Galkowski || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-FR00043 (DBET); 3 workers, 4 males: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales | Banyuls, Col de Séris, 290 m | 42.452 N / 3.141 E | 12 VI 2010, C. Galkowski || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-FR00040 (DBET); 2 gynes, 3 workers, 3 males: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales | Banyuls, Col de Séris, 290 m | 42.452 N / 3.141 E | 12 VI 2010, C. Galkowski || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-FR00041 (DBET); 4 gynes, 2 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales | Banyuls, Col de Séris, 290 m | 42.452 N / 3.141 E | 12 VI 2010, C. Galkowski || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-FR00042 (DBET); 1 worker: [FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales ] Banyuls | Berland || MUSEUM PARIS | BANYULS-S-MER | PYRÉNÉES-ORIENTALES | L. BERLAND 1925 (MNHN); 3 gynes, 9 workers, 1 male: [FRANCE, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur] Plan de Tour | 25.6.83 || F. BERNARD || MUSEUM PARIS (MNHN); 1 gyne: [FRANCE] CORSE – près Corte | Vallee moyenne du | Tavignano 11.VI.1976 I Rec. CASEVITZ-WEULERSSE II pris s/pierre I ecles au labo. | 17.VI.1976 || Museum Paris (MNHN).
Alcohol material. 10 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Col de Séris, 42.452 N / 3.141 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 8 gynes, 6 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Col de Séris no. 2, 42.452 N / 3.141 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 18 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Col de Séris no. 3, 42.452 N / 3.141 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG);19 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Cap Béar, 42.515 N / 3.132 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 27 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Route du col, 42.467 N / 3.142 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 20 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Paulilles, 42.501 N / 3.126 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 17 workers: FRANCE, Pyrénées Orientales, Banyuls, Bartissol, 42.481 N / 3.124 E, 12 VI 2010, leg. C. Galkowski (CG); 7 workers: FRANCE, Corsica, Bastia, 42.655 N / 9.449 E, IV 2011 (CG); 7 workers: FRANCE, Corsica, Piana, 42.231 N / 8.552 E, 23 VII 2011 (CG); 2 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Cala D’Or, 14 m, 39,36666 N / 3,21666 E, 7 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 2 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Cala Egos, 11 m, 39,35 N / 3,21666 E, 7 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 21 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Cap de ses Salines from Punta de Mila to Punta Galera, 5 m, 39,26666 N / 3,03333 E, 9 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 5 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Parc Natural Mondrago n. Cala Egos, 12 m, 39,35 N / 3,18333 E, 11 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 1 gyne, 7 workers, 4 males: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Cap de ses Salines from Punta de Mila to Punta de sa Cresta, 8 m, 39,26666 N / 3,06666 E, 12 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 6 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Ermita de Betlem n. Arta, 378 m, 39,71666 N / 3,31666 E, 12 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 4 workers: SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Colonia Sant Jordi, 4 m, 39,31666 N / 2,98333 E, 15 V 2009, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 4 workers: Spain, Andalucia, Malaga Pr., road Ojén-Refugio de Juanar, 544 m, 36,59358 N / 4,85621 W, 6 V 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 5 workers: SPAIN, Andalucia, Malaga Pr., Igualeja, 720 m, 36,63259 N / 5,1179 W, 7 V 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 4 workers: SPAIN, Andalucia, Malaga Pr., road Marbella-Istán, 145 m, 36,53324 N / 4,94905 W, 11 V 2014, leg. L. Borowiec; 50 workers: SPAIN, Andalucia, Cádiz Pr., nr. Getares, 36,06698 N / 5,44166 W, 8 V 2014, 21 m, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 5 workers: SPAIN, Andalucia, Cádiz Pr., road Tarifa-El Bujeo, 262 m, 36,05206 N / 5,55 W, 9 V 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 10 workers: SPAIN, Andalucia, Cádiz Pr., Venta de Ojén, 248 m, 36,15910 N / 5,58684 W, 9 V 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 20 workers: SPAIN, Catalonia, Alt Empordà, Cap de Creus n. Cadaques, 203 m 42°18N/3°13W, 2 IX 2011, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); SPAIN, Catalonia, Alt Empordà, n. Llançà, 79 m, 42°21N/3°06W, 2 IX 2011, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 10 workers: ITALY, N Calabria, Scalea city-castle hill, 49 m, 39,81859 N/15,78963 E, 25 VIII 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 5 workers: ITALY, N Calabria, n. Grisolia loc. 2, 484 m, 39,71887 N/15,88376 E, 2 IX 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET); 4 workers: ITALY, N Calabria, n. Papasidero loc. 1, 162 m, 39,87390 N/15,90534 E, 5 IX 2014, leg. L. Borowiec; (DBET) 5 workers: ITALY, N Calabria, n. Tortora, 388 m, 39,94668 N/15,80452 E, 6 IX 2014, leg. L. Borowiec (DBET).
Worker (Figs
Small to medium size, CS: 0.707 [0.622-0.76]. In most specimens whole body pale yellowish-brown and appendages yellow, the palest specimens completely yellow, the darkest specimens yellowish-brown but never dark brown or black. Head nearly square CL/CW: 1.042 [1.015-1.075], with almost parallel sides, straight or slightly concave occipital margin and narrowly rounded occipital corners. Eyes small, EYE 0.155 [0.143-0.166]. Frons moderately wide, FR/CS 0.358 [0.345-0.378], frontal lobes as wide as frons, FL/FR: 1.025 [0.996-1.066]. Scape short, SL/CS 0.756 [0.732-0.841], without dorsal carina basally, surface smooth and shiny. Promesonotal dorsum slightly convex, metanotal groove shallow, but distinct. Propodeal teeth short, spiniform, apex of spine located approximately at 2/3 height of mesosoma. Dorsal surface of petiole flat to slightly convex, NOH/NOL 1.1 [0.929-1.298], petiole relatively high, PEH/NOL 1.66 [1.399-1.922], postpetiole distinctly transverse (Figs
Gyne (Figs
Moderate size, CS 1.046 [0.986-1.094]. Whole body brown, appendages yellowish. Head wider than long, CL/CW 0.917 [0.882-0.985], with straight subparallel sides, shallowly emarginate occipital margin and narrowly rounded occipital corners. Frons moderately wide, FR/CS 0.377 [0.36-0.393], frontal lobes as wide as frons, FL/FR 0.978 [0.913-1.027]. Scape short, SL/CS 0.686 [0.654-0.717], without dorsal carina basally, smooth and shiny. Head as wide as scutum, MW/CS 1.024 [0.94-1.088]. Propodeal teeth very short. Dorsal crest of petiolar node in frontal view straight. Petiolar node dorsum steeply rounded backward. Petiole and postpetiole relatively narrow, WAIST 0.871 [0.817-0.918]. General appearance smooth and shiny. Head dorsum, occiput and sides rugulose, ground surface shiny or indistinctly microreticulate. Frons longitudinally rugulose (Fig.
Male (Figs
Whole body dark brown, appendages yellowish. Head with feebly convex sides, slightly rounded occipital margin and widely rounded occipital corners. Scutum distinctly wider than head. Propodeum rounded in profile or with only indistinct angulation in position of propodeal teeth. Dorsal crest of petiolar node with obtuse transversal edge, slightly emarginated in frontal view. Head distinctly granulate, dull, scutum in anterior part and laterally smooth and shiny, rest microreticulate. Scutellum ostly smooth and shiny, at corners microreticulate and in anterior part with thin transverse rugosities. Sides of alitrunk smooth and shiny. Dorsum of petiolar node microgranulate and microreticulate, dull, postpetiole mostly microreticulate only top partly smooth and shiny. First gastral tergite smooth and shiny. Male genitalia stout (Figs
Tetramorium semilaeve belongs to the group of Mediterranean species with workers pale-coloured, from yellow to yellowish-brown but never dark brown or black, head sculpture partly reduced, at least with postocular area and sides of frons without distinct striation but with at least half of the surface of the anterior part of head striate, striae on top of head not diverging laterally, pronotum mostly striate, sides of mesosoma only microreticulate and microgranulate without carinae, short propodeal spines, petiole and postpetiole dorsally with polished area, and first abdominal tergite smooth and shiny, without microreticulation or striation; gyne with flat mesonotal plate, without a distinct striation or the striation is indistinct, short not extending behind half length of the plate, scutellum without striation or only on sides with short, indistinct striae, postpetiole not enlarged; male genitalia stout, in lateral view only slightly constricted before apex, ventral and dorsal margins of parameres shallowly incised, top of inner margin of paramere before apical denticle straight with dentiform plate distinctly clearly extending beyond the sharp edge of paramere (Fig.
Tetramorium semilaeve prefers very warm and dry places. Most observed nests were located in the littoral zone on the flat, sandy areas covered with sparse vegetation or on stony pastures. The locality with the highest altitude in the examined material here is from Andalucia, Igualeja placed 720 m a.s.l.
France, Banyuls, Col de Séris: Camponotus aethiops (Latreille), Lasius myops Forel, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Temnothorax recedens (Nylander), Tetramorium sp.;
France, Banyuls, Cap Béar: Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), Temnothorax niger (Forel), Tetramorium sp.;
France, Banyuls, Route du col: Cataglyphis piliscapa (Forel), Lasius lasioides (Emery), Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Solenopsis fugax (Latreille), Tetramorium sp.;
France, Banyuls, Paulilles: Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, Iberoformica subrufa (Roger), Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), Temnothorax kutteri (Cagniant ), Temnothorax niger (Forel), Tetramorium sp.;
France, Corsica, Bastia: Aphaenogaster spinosa Emery, Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier), Formica cunicularia Latreille, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Temnothorax exilis (Emery), Tetramorium sp.;
France, Corsica, Piana: Aphaenogaster spinosa Emery, Formica cunicularia Latreille, Messor minor (André), Messor wasmanni Krausse, Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Solenospis fugax (Latreille), Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), Tetramorium sp., Tetramorium meridionale Emery;
Mallorca, Cap de ses Salines from Punta de Mila to Punta de sa Cresta: Crematogaster laestrygon Emery, Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Plagiolepis schmitzii Forel, Temnothorax sp.;
Mallorca, Cap de ses Salines from Punta de Mila to Punta Galera: Camponotus ruber Emery, Crematogaster auberti Emery, Lasius lasioides (Emery), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Plagiolepis schmitzii Forel;
Mallorca, Cala D’Or: Messor cf. structor;
Mallorca, Parc Natural Mondrago: Camponotus ruber Emery, Crematogaster laestrygon Emery, Linepithema humile (Mayr), Messor bouvieri Bondroit, Messor cf. structor, Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille);
Mallorca, Ermita de Betlem n. Arta: Crematogaster auberti Emery, Crematogaster laestrygon Emery, Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier), Lasius grandis Forel, Lasius lasioides (Emery), Messor bouvieri Bondroit, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Plagiolepis xene Stärcke, Tapinoma madeirense Forel, Temnothorax algiricus Forel, Temnothorax recedens (Nylander);
Mallorca, Colonia Sant Jordi: Linepithema humile (Mayr), Messor bouvieri Bondroit, Messor cf. structor, Monomorium salomonis (Linnaeus), Temnothorax sp.;
Andalucia, road Ojén-Refugio de Juanar: Aphaenogaster gibbosa (Latreille), Camponotus foreli Emery, Camponotus pilicornis (Roger), Iberoformica subrufa (Roger), Plagiolepis schmitzii Forel, Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander);
Andalucia, road Marbella-Istán: Camponotus foreli Emery, Crematogaster auberti Emery, Crematogaster sordidula (Nylander), Iberoformica subrufa (Roger), Monomorium salomonis (Linnaeus), Plagiolepis schmitzii Forel;
Andalucia, nr. Getares: Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola), Camponotus barbaricus Emery, Crematogaster auberti Emery, Goniomma hispanicum (André), Messor barbarus (Linnaeus), Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), Temnothorax cf. flavispinus;
Andalucia, road Tarifa-El Bujeo: Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola), Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, Camponotus barbaricus Emery, Camponotus gestroi, Messor barbarus (Linnaeus), Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), Temnothorax cf. flavispinus;
Andalucia, Venta de Ojén: Camponotus cruentatus (Latreille), Cataglyphis iberica (Emery), Temnothorax cf. luteus;
Calabria, Scalea city-castle hill: Aphaenogaster campana Emery, Camponotus piceus (Leach), Hypoponera eduardi (Forel), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier), Lepisiota frauenfeldi (Mayr), Linepithema humile (Mayr), Messor capitatus (Latreille), Messor wasmanni Krausse, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis taurica Santschi, Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander);
Calabria, n. Grisolia loc. 2: Aphaenogaster campana Emery, Bothriomyrmex communistus Santschi, Camponotus aethiops (Latreille), Camponotus lateralis (Olivier), Camponotus piceus (Leach), Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier), Lasius myops Forel, Messor capitatus (Latreille), Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Plagiolepis xene Stärcke, Solenopsis fugax Latreille, Temnothorax exilis (Emery), Temnothorax flavicornis (Emery), Temnothorax leviceps (Emery);
Calabria, n. Papasidero loc. 1: Aphaenogaster campana Emery, Camponotus aethiops (Latreille), Camponotus dalmaticus (Nylander), Camponotus lateralis (Olivier), Camponotus nylanderi Emery, Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier), Crematogaster sordidula (Nylander), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier), Messor capitatus (Latreille), Messor wasmanni Krausse, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Temnothorax flavicornis (Emery), Temnothorax leviceps (Emery), Temnothorax recedens (Nylander);
Calabria, n. Tortora: Aphaenogaster campana Emery, Camponotus lateralis (Olivier), Camponotus nylanderi Emery, Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier), Lasius myops Forel, Messor wasmanni Krausse, Pheidole pallidula (Nylander), Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latreille), Temnothorax leviceps (Emery), Temnothorax lichtensteini (Bondroit), Temnothorax recedens (Nylander).
Numerous names of various taxonomic rank have been attributed to the taxon “semilaeve”. Below we listed all these names with comments (tt = terra typica):
Tetramorium caespitum r. depressum Forel, 1892: 455; as a form of Tetramorium semilaeve: Santschi, 1936: 202 (tt: Canary Islands) – this taxon is common in the Canary Islands and was also recorded from north-western Africa usually as subspecies of T. semilaeve (
Tetramorium caespitum subsp. judas Wheeler & Mann, 1916: 172; as subsp. of Tetramorium semilaeve: Menozzi, 1933: 12 (tt: Palestine) – our materials showed than none of the populations from the Near East are conspecific with the true T. semilaeve but we are not sure how many species occur in this region due to absence of a sufficient number of samples with males and gynes;
Tetramorium hippocratis Agosti & Collingwood, 1987: 56 (= Tetramorium caespitum semilaeve var. hippocratis Emery, 1921: 217) (tt: Turkey, unavailable name) – we examined syntype images available on AntWeb (Available from: https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0904822) of this taxon and in our opinion it represents a distinct species more similar to Tetramorium sahlbergi Forel than to T. semilaeve André;
Tetramorium caespitum st. semilaeve var. ernesti Santschi, 1921a: 431 (tt: France and Algeria) – unavailable name;
Tetramorium caespitum st. semilaeve var. romana Santschi, 1921a: 431 (tt: ?) – unavailable name;
Tetramorium caespitum subsp. semilaeve var. fortunatarum Emery, 1925: 190 (tt: Canary Islands) – although
Tetramorium caespitum subsp. semilaeve var. palmense Wheeler, 1927: 113 (tt: Canary Islands) – unavailable name, likely conspecific with T. depressum;
Tetramorium semilaeve var. lipareum Santschi, 1927: 55 (tt: Lipari and Sicily Islands) –
Tetramorium semilaeve var. punctatum Santschi, 1927: 55 (tt: Sicily) –
Tetramorium semilaeve var. siciliense Santschi, 1927: 56 (tt: Sicily) –
Tetramorium semilaeve var. kutteri Santschi, 1927: 57 (tt: Switzerland) – we had no opportunity to study the syntypes of this name but according to the original description this taxon is characterized by dark brown colour, a character never observed in populations of T. semilaeve, and in our opinion it is probably related to (or conspecific with) T. diomedeum Emery or T. hungaricum Röszler, which are the only taxa from this region with dark-brown colour combined with partly reduced head sculpture;
Tetramorium semilaeve var. hoggarense Santschi, 1929b: 103 (tt: Algeria) – we have examined the syntype images available on AntWeb (Available from: https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0915049) and a sample of workers collected in NE Morocco that well agrees with the syntype morphology. In our opinion it is a distinct species more similar to T. sahlbergi than to T. semilaeve. Its status needs revision based on sexual forms;
Tetramorium semilaeve st. guancha Santschi, 1929a: 150 (tt: Tenerife, =Tetramorium caespitum st. semilaeve var. guancha Santschi, 1921a: 431, unavailable name) –
Tetramorium semilaeve subsp. italica Menozzi, 1932: 11 (tt: Italy) – we had no opportunity to study syntypes of this name but according to the original description this taxon is characterized by black colour, a character never observed in populations of T. semilaeve. In our opinion it is probably related to T. diomedeum Emery or T. hungaricum Röszler, the only taxa from this region with dark colour combined with partly reduced head sculpture;
Tetramorium semilaeve subsp. depressiceps Menozzi, 1933: 71 (tt: Palestina) –
Tetramorium semilaeve var. jugurtha Menozzi, 1934: 162 (tt: Tunisia, Morocco, Sicily, Dalmatia, =Tetramorium caespitum st. semilaeve var. jugurtha Santschi, 1921a: 430, unavailable name) –
Tetramorium semilaeve st. syriacum var. cyprium Santschi, 1934: 279 (tt: Cyprus) – this is an unavailable name. Our material of the T. semilaeve complex from Cyprus showed that the Cyprian taxon belongs to species more close to “galatica” form rather than the true T. semilaeve (see comment below);
Tetramorium semilaeve var. galatica Menozzi, 1936: 292 (tt: Turkey, =Tetramorium caespitum st. biskrensis var. galatica Santschi, 1921b: 112, unavailable name) – we have examined two syntypes available on AntWeb (Available from: https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0904820 and https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0915047) from Turkey and several samples from western Turkey well agree with these syntypes. In our opinion it is a distinct species close to T. semilaeve. Its redescription is under preparation. Probably most records of T. semilaeve from northeastern part of Mediterranean basin refer to the taxon “galatica”;
Tetramorium semilaeve subsp. transbaicalense Ruzsky, 1936: 93 (tt: Russia) –
Tetramorium semilaeve var. gaetulum Santschi, 1936: 203 (tt: Morocco, =Tetramorium semilaeve st. guancha var. gaetulum Santschi, 1929a: 150 unavailable name) - we have examined syntype available on AntWeb (Available from: https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0915046) and in our opinion this taxon is more close to T. depressum-punctatum complex than to the true T. semilaeve. Its status needs revision based on sexual forms;
Tetramorium semilaeve subsp. atlante Cagniant, 1970: 430 (tt:Tunisia, =Tetramorium caespitum st. punicum var. atlantis Santschi, 1918: 155, unavailable name) – we have examined syntype from Tunisia available on AntWeb (Available from: https://www.antweb.org/specimen/CASENT0915045) and a nest sample with all castes collected in NE Morocco well agrees with the syntype. In our opinion it is a distinct species close to T. semilaeve but distinguished by the morphology of gynes and male genitalia. Its redescription is now under preparation;
Tetramorium banyulense Bernard, 1983: 98 (tt: France, Pyrénées-Orientales) – this name was synonymized with T. semilaeve by
From the 22 names listed above, 2 are unavailable for nomenclature, 9 have revised valid status (species or synonym), 2 are under redescription as valid species, and 9 are still difficult to interpretat due to lack of the nest samples with all castes. Our material from Greece and Turkey suggests that some undescribed species of T. semilaeve complex occur in this area and when nest samples with alates become available, they will be described in detail.
Thanks to Jolanta Świętojańska (University of Wrocław, Poland) for her assistance during field trips of the senior author and Marek L. Borowiec (University of California, Davis, USA) for language verification and other comments. The junior author would like to thank the University of Wrocław for supporting grant no. 1161/M/ KBTE/15.