Key to Australian Myrmecina Species
The following key to Australian Myrmecina is based on Shattuck (2009).[1]
1
- First segment of funiculus expanded laterally, with strongly convex sides and appearing essentially spherical => Myrmecina australis
- First segment of funiculus narrower, with nearly straight sides and essentially cone-shaped => 2
2
- Sculpturing on pronotum forming continuous transverse carinae which form shallow arches to deep “V”s => 3
- Sculpturing on pronotum running longitudinally and generally with the central carina (or carinae) running nearly the length of the mesosoma, or occasionally sculpturing ill-defined and irregular => 4
3
- Sides of head behind compound eyes with 2–3 longitudinal carinae running the length of the head => Myrmecina silvarugosa
- Sides of head behind compound eyes smooth => 5
4
- Sides of head behind compound eyes with 2–3 longitudinal carinae running the length of the head => Myrmecina alpina
- Sides of head behind compound eyes smooth => 6
5
- Dorsal surface of pronotum immediately behind the collar with at most very weak sculpturing (sometimes nearly smooth) => Myrmecina silvalaeva
- Dorsal surface of pronotum continuously sculptured, the area immediately behind the collar not differing significantly from more posterior regions => 7
6
- Dorsal surface of pronotum immediately behind the collar with at most very weak sculpturing (sometimes nearly smooth) => 8
- Dorsal surface of pronotum continuously sculptured, the area immediately behind the collar not differing significantly from more posterior regions => 9
7
- Antennal scapes smooth; body larger (head width > 0.8mm) => Myrmecina silvampla
- Antennal scapes with low longitudinal ridges; body smaller (head width < 0.7mm) => 10
8
- Body larger (head width > 0.65mm, mid-tibial length > 0.35mm); head squarer (cephalic index (HW/HLx100) > 95) => Myrmecina eruga
- Body smaller (head width < 0.60mm, mid-tibial length < 0.30mm); head more elongate (cephalic index (HW/HLx100) < 95) => Myrmecina pumila
9
- Dorsal surface of pronotum with irregular, ill-defined sculpturing => Myrmecina rugosa
- Dorsal surface of pronotum with continuous longitudinal carinae => 11
10
- Majority of carinae on pronotum and mesonotum gently curved across width of mesosoma => Myrmecina silvatransversa
- Majority of carinae on pronotum and mesonotum “V”-shaped => Myrmecina silvangula
11
- Erect hairs on gaster (and most on mesonotum) strongly curved so their tips are nearly parallel with the surface of the body (known only from the Wessell Islands, Northern Territory) => Myrmecina wesselensis
- Erect hairs on gaster (and longer ones on mesonotum) only weakly curved with their tips at a strong angle with body (coastal Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales) => 12
12
- Carinae extending continuously from the dorsal surface onto the lateral surfaces of the mesosoma and not interrupted as they cross the angle separating the dorsal and lateral surfaces => Myrmecina difficulta
- Dorsal and lateral surfaces of mesosoma separated by an indistinct angle or ridge which interrupts or breaks the mesosomal sculpturing => Myrmecina inaequala
References
- ↑ Shattuck,S.O. (2009) A revision of the Australian species of the ant genus Myrmecina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 2146, 1–21.