Key to Aenictus wroughtonii group species

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The following worker key is based on Jaitrong, W., Ruangsittichai, J. 2018. Two new species of the Aenictus wroughtonii species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) from Thailand. ZooKeys, 775: 103-115 (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.775.26893).

Key to Asian species of the Aenictus wroughtonii species group based on worker caste.

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1

  • Antennal scapes short, when laid back only attaining mid-length or two-thirds of the head length . . . . . 2
  • Antennal scape long, when laid back attaining or extending beyond the posterolateral corner of the head . . . . . 4

2

return to couplet #1

  • HW 0.31–0.33 mm; antennal scape attaining only mid-length of the head; petiole excluding subpetiolar process shorter than high (Thailand) . . . . . Aenictus samungi
  • HW > 0.37 mm; antennal scape attaining two-thirds of the head length; petiole excluding subpetiolar process longer than high . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

  • Propodeal junction rounded; lateral faces of the petiole and postpetiole superficially reticulate; subpetiolar process present, its anteroventral corner angulate; postpetiole slightly longer than the petiole (Saudi Arabia) . . . . . Aenictus arabicus
  • Propodeal junction angulate; lateral faces of the petiole and postpetiole entirely smooth and shiny; subpetiolar process convex dorsally, anteroventrally not angulate; postpetiole slightly shorter than the petiole (Thailand) . . . . . Aenictus nuchiti

4

return to couplet #1

5

return to couplet #4

  • Subpetiolar process almost absent, anteroventrally not angulate (India) . . . . . Aenictus wroughtonii
Aenictus wroughtonii casent0907022 h 1 high.jpg
Aenictus wroughtonii casent0907022 p 1 high.jpg
  • Subpetiolar process weakly developed; its anteroventral corner angulate . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

  • Pronotum and petiole largely smooth and shiny . . . . . 7

7

return to couplet #6

  • HW 1.00–1.04 mm (Aktaç et al. 2004, measurements of syntypes); posterior margin of head concave (Greece, Iran, Israel, Turkey) . . . . . Aenictus rhodiensis
  • HW < 0.60 mm; posterior margin of head almost straight or convex . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

  • Scape short; SI 100 or less; body hairy; the longest pronotal hair 0.23–0.25 mm; subpetiolar process very low, with ventral outline almost straight (India, Nepal, Afghanistan) . . . . . Aenictus sagei
Aenictus sagei casent0281958 h 1 high.jpg
Aenictus sagei casent0281958 p 1 high.jpg
  • Scape long; SI 130–140; body with sparse hairs; the longest pronotal hair approximately 0.15–0.18 mm; subpetiolar process with ventral outline slightly convex (China, Vietnam, Thailand) . . . . . Aenictus artipus
Aenictus artipus casent0281956 h 1 high.jpg
Aenictus artipus casent0281956 p 1 high.jpg

9

return to couplet #4

  • Ventral outline of subpetiolar process convex, anteroventrally not angulate . . . . . 10
  • Ventral outline of subpetiolar process convex or almost straight; its anteroventral corner angulate . . . . . 11

10

return to couplet #9

  • Declivity of propodeum narrower, seen from back strongly tapering above; petiole longer than high (PI 84–86); body smaller with TL 2.6–2.7 mm; antenna longer with SI 122–135 (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines) . . . . . Aenictus camposi
Aenictus-camposiHolotypeH6.jpg
Aenictus-camposiHolotypeL4x.jpg
  • Declivity of propodeum broader and more rounded above; petiole almost as long as high (PI 95–100); body larger with TL 3.1–3.2 mm; antenna shorter with SI 114–118 (Sri Lanka) . . . . . Aenictus biroi
Aenictus biroi casent0905989 h 1 high.jpg
Aenictus biroi casent0905989 p 1 high.jpg

11

return to couplet #9

  • Ventral outline of subpetiolar process strongly convex in anterior half; mesonotum partly and propodeum almost entirely densely sculptured; pronotum clearly demarcated from mesonotum by a shallow transverse groove (Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand) . . . . . Aenictus vieti
  • Ventral outline of subpetiolar process almost straight; entire mesonotum and propodeum smooth and shiny, with at most superficial sculpture; pronotum only weakly demarcated from mesonotum (Thailand) . . . . . Aenictus stenocephalus