Abstract
In this study we provide an update to the taxonomy of the ant genus Tetramorium Mayr in Madagascar. We report the first record of the Tetramorium setigerum species group in Madagascar and describe the only Malagasy representative as Tetramorium cavernicola sp. n., which is known only from a cave in Ankarana. In addition, we provide an overview of the 19 proposed Malagasy species groups, and discuss their zoogeography and relationships to other groups and larger lineages within the hyper-diverse genus Tetramorium. At present, we recognise a highly unique Malagasy Tetramorium fauna with 113 species endemic to the island of Madagascar out of a total of 125 translating into an endemism rate of 93%. We hypothesise that this fauna is based on one or a few colonisation events from the Afrotropical region, with subsequent adaptive radiation in Madagascar. Furthermore, we present an updated and illustrated identification key to the Tetramorium species groups in the Malagasy region.
Highlights
The genus Tetramorium Mayr, widely distributed throughout all zoogeographical regions, is among the most species-rich ant genera in the world
In this study we report the first record of the presence of the Afrotropical T. setigerum species group on Madagascar and describe the single representative in the region as a new species, T. cavernicola sp. n
The Tetramorium ant fauna of the Malagasy region can be divided into 19 species groups that represent different major lineages within this hyper-diverse genus
Summary
The genus Tetramorium Mayr, widely distributed throughout all zoogeographical regions, is among the most species-rich ant genera in the world. Most Tetramorium species are found in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World, where the genus can be considered hyper-diverse by the definition of Wilson (2003), and are key elements of most local ant communities, especially in the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions Recent studies in the latter region have revealed an astonishingly diverse and highly endemic Tetramorium fauna consisting of 107 valid species plus approximately 17 undescribed species (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2011, 2012a, 2012b, 2014b, unpublished data). We revised the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. kelleri, T. marginatum, T. tortuosum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups shortly afterwards (Hita Garcia and Fisher 2012a, 2012b) These studies treated 58 species, of which 45 were described as new, and raised the species count for the region to 84. This increased the current species count for Malagasy Tetramorium to 107 (not 106 as mentioned in the introduction of Hita Garcia and Fisher 2014b)
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