Taxonomic history
Lectotype designation: Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012a PDF: 80.Combination in Xiphomyrmex: Wheeler, 1922: 1032.Combination in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1979 PDF: 143.Status as species: Wheeler, 1922: 1032; Emery, 1924f PDF: 288; Bolton, 1979 PDF: 143 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 415; Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2012a PDF: 80 (redescription).[[ worker ]]. L. 3,7 mill. environ. Un peu plus petit que le T. Andrei dont il se distingue par les articles du pedicule qui sont luisants, presque lisses, et en particulier par le 1 er article, longuement petiole devant, avec un n oe ud squamiforme, concave devant et convexe derriere, comme celui du T. Bessonii , mais un peu plus epais. Les rides grossieres du thorax, et surtout celles de la tete, sont bien plus regulieres que celles de l´Andrei; celles de la tete sont transformees en stries. Mandibules faiblement striees. Le dos du thorax est plus large, plus court et plus deprime, plus distinctement borde de festons plus accentues, surtout celui du mesonotum qui est tres avance. Les yeux sont places plus en arriere, presque au milieu des cotes. Pilosite un peu plus courte et epines metasternal un peu plus longues que chez le T. Andrei . Couleur plus foncee, parfois plus brunatre, avec les antennes, les mandibules, les pattes, le pedicule et l'extremite de l'abdomen d'un rougeatre plus ou moins jaunatre ou brunatre. Du reste comme le T. Andrei .
[[ worker ]]. L. 4,5 mill. Ailes assez etroites, subhyalines, avec les nervures et la tache marginale pales. Thorax plus etroit que la tete. Du reste comme l'ouvriere.
Foret d' Andrangoloaka (confins de l' Imerina).
(Figs 12, 15)
Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) steinheili Forel , 1892: 520. Syntype workers, females, Madagascar: Foret d'Andrangoloaka, confins de l'lmerina {Sikora) (MHN, Geneva) [examined].
Worker. TL 4.3 - 4.4, HL 1.00, HW 0.94 - 0.96, CI 94 - 96, SL 0.72 - 0.76, SI 77 - 80, PW 0.68 - 0.72, AL 118 - 1.20 (2 measured).
Mandibles striate; median clypeal carina sharp. Extensions of frontal carinae long and strong, slightly sinuate from origin to behind the level of the eyes and then strongly divergent, directed towards the occipital corners. Pronotum and mesonotum obtusely marginate at the sides, in dorsal view separated by an impression. Metanotal groove absent, not impressed in profile. Propodeal spines long and stout, metapleural lobes elongate-triangular, acute or blunted apically. Petiole node anteroposteriorly compressed, in dorsal view much broader than long. Dorsum of head regularly longitudinally rugulose, the alitrunk more coarsely rugose, predominantly longitudinal but the rugae meandering and with a few crossmeshes present. Pedicel and gaster unsculptured, smooth and shining. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with numerous fine, erect to suberect hairs. Leading (anterior) edges of antennal scapes with short, projecting, suberect to subdecumbent hairs which are shorter than the maximum width of the scape. Colour reddish brown, the gaster paler than the alitrunk.
In overall appearance steinheili resembles some of the members of the tortuosum-group, but the unsculptured pedicel segments and the fact that the petiole is distinctly anteroposteriorly compressed seem to indicate that the affinities of steinheili are with humbloti and its relatives. Despite this I feel that there is a distinct possibility that this species may truly be related to andrei and its allies, and convergent upon the weitzeckeri-group in pedicel structure.
Material examined
Madagascar: Andranobe, Route d'Andriamena (A. Peyrieras); Bemanevika, Souspref. Bealanana {A. Peyrieras).
