Key to Philippine Formicinae

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

This worker key is based on: General, D. and G. Alpert. 2012. A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines. ZooKeys. 200:1-111 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.200.2447.

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1

  • Antenna 8-segmented, folding back below eye; eyes always large . . . . . Gesomyrmex
  • Antenna with 9- to 12-segmented, folding back above eye; eyes variable in size . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

3

return to couplet #2

  • Propodeum and petiole armed with a pair of spines or teeth . . . . . Lepisiota
  • Propodeum and petiole without spines or teeth . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

  • Palps very short and extremely difficult to see; eyes minute . . . . . Acropyga
  • Palps long and prominent; eyes usually well-developed, often large . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

  • Antennal scapes extremely long, extending more than half their length beyond posterior margin of head; erect hairs absent on dorsum of mesosoma . . . . . Anoplolepis
  • Antennal scape, notably shorter, seldom extending much beyond posterior margin of head; erect hairs sometimes present on dorsum of mesosoma . . . . . Plagiolepis

6

return to couplet #2

  • Mandibles with 10 or more teeth or denticles . . . . . 7
  • Mandibles with fewer than 10 teeth or denticles . . . . . 8

7

return to couplet #6

  • Mandibles linear and longer than head length, with sharp teeth along most of their length and crossing at apices when closed; eyes enormous . . . . . Myrmoteras
  • Mandibles triangular and shorter than head length; eyes large but not taking up most of the sides of head . . . . . Oecophylla

8

return to couplet #6

  • Antennal sockets almost abutting posterior clypeal margin; ring of hairs present around acidopore . . . . . 9
  • Antennal sockets well posterior to posterior clypeal margin; ring of hairs often absent around acidopore . . . . . 15

9

return to couplet #8

  • Maxillary palp short and inconspicuous, with 2–4 segments . . . . . 10
  • Maxillary palp long and conspicuous, with 6 segments . . . . . 11

10

return to couplet #9

  • In side view, mesonotal constriction present; mandibles strongly curved . . . . . Euprenolepis
  • In side view, mesonotal constriction absent; mandibles not strongly curved . . . . . Pseudolasius

11

return to couplet #9

  • Mesosoma and head without coarse erect hairs . . . . . Overbeckia

12

return to couplet #11

  • In side view, mesosoma long and slender, with or without constriction of mesonotum . . . . . 12
  • In side view, mesosoma short and compact, without constriction of mesonotum . . . . . 14

13

return to couplet #12

  • In side view, pronotum only slightly convex; erect setae on head randomly scattered on surface . . . . . Paratrechina
  • In side view, pronotum convex; erect setae on head form 2 parallel rows . . . . . Prenolepis

14

return to couplet #12

  • Propodeum without a pair of erect setae . . . . . Nylanderia

15

return to couplet #8

  • In side view, metathoracic spiracles forming turbercles that are the highest prominences of the mesosoma . . . . . Forelophilus
  • In side view, metathoracic spiracles not forming tubercles that are the highest prominences of the mesosoma . . . . . 16

16

return to couplet #15

  • Petiole node lacking teeth or spines; first gastral tergite distinctly less than half total length of gaster . . . . . Camponotus
  • Petiole node armed with spines, teeth, or denticles; first gastral tergite large, at least half of total length of gaster . . . . . 17

17

return to couplet #16

  • Spines or teeth usually present on pronotum, propodeum, or both; body usually covered with short appressed hairs and some erect hairs . . . . . Polyrhachis
  • Spines or teeth absent from pronotum and propodeum, often present on petiole; body usually densely covered with long erect hairs . . . . . Echinopla