Tetramorium venator

Tetramorium venator Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2014a PDF: 94, figs. 3, 4D, 6B, 7C, 7D, 12 (w.) KENYA. Afrotropic. Primary type information: KENYA, Western Kenya, Kakamega Forest, Bunyala Forest Fragment, 0.37889 N, 34.69917 E, 1448 m, disturbed primary forest, Kakamega 2008 survey, leaf litter, pitfall trap, Transect 35, position 10 m, 1.VIII.2008 (G. Fischer); CASENT0195574; CASC AntCat AntWiki

Tetramorium venator is the most widespread and abundant species of the group. It is found throughout much of the equatorial forest belt from Liberia in the west to Kenya in the east (Fig. 3). Even though there was no material from Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea or South Sudan available for this study, we expect that Tetramorium venator will be found in most or all of these countries. Based on the available data, this species lives in the leaf litter stratum of primary, secondary, or disturbed rainforests. Additionally, Tetramorium venator seems to be found at lower elevations in West and Central Africa, but also occurs at mid elevations further east in the eastern D.R. Congo, Tanzania, and Kenya, where it reaches its highest known elevation at the type locality at 1448 m. Based on unpublished stable isotope data from the type series, Tetramorium venator is a predatory species, and we assume that it feeds on termites. This is supported by some series from Cameroon that were collected while foraging in the nests of Cubitermes Wasmann.