AnimaliaHymenopteraFormicidaeLiuCongGuénardBenoitGarciaFrancisco HitaYamaneSeikiBlanchardBenjaminYangDa-RongEconomoEvanNew records of ant species from Yunnan, ChinaZookeys26120152015477177810.3897/zookeys.477.8775 Tetramorium difficile Bolton, 1977Figure 36Material examined.

CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna: XTBG (21.918°N, 101.271°E), Secondary forest, 05.vi.2013, 2 workers, 552 m, Winkler sifting, B. Guénard, B. Blanchard and C. Liu.

Distribution.

Known form Yunnan (new record), northern India, and Vietnam (Figure 36C).

Tetramorium difficile worker, CASENT0713193. A Head in front view B Mesosoma in profile view C Global distribution map.

Taxonomic note.

Tetramorium difficile is a member of the Tetramorium tonganum group and can be identified with the key provided by Bolton (1977). However, Tetramorium difficile under its current definition is morphologically very close to Tetramorium tonganum. It is likely that both are conspecific and the material listed as Tetramorium difficile represents intraspecific forms of the very widespread Tetramorium tonganum.

Natural history.

Tetramorium difficile has been collected from leaf litter in secondary forest, and little is known about its bionomics.

BoltonB (1977) The ant tribe Tetramoriini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The genus Tetramorium Mayr in the Oriental and Indo-Australian regions, and in Australia.Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology36: 67–151.