Key to Axinidris

This worker key is based on: Snelling, R. R. 2007. A review of the arboreal Afrotropical ant genus Axinidris. Pages 551-579 in Snelling, R. R., B. L. Fisher and P. S. Ward. Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E.O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80.

1

Propodeal ridge cariniform or absent; pronotal dorsum evenly rounded at sides. . . . . 2
Propodeal ridge compressed and strongly elevated, axiniform (Fig. 11); pronotal dorsum submarginate at side (Sudan; Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris acholli

Head of Axinidris acholli worker

Profile of Axinidris acholli worker

2

return to couplet #1

Pronotum and antennal scape shaft without erect hairs; gastral terga usually without erect hairs . . . . . 3
Pronotum with at least two erect hairs (caution: one or both, if only two are normally present, may be broken off or lying on the surface); antennal scape shaft and gastral terga with or without erect hairs. . . . . 10

3

return to couplet #2

Medial carina present at least on posterior half of dorsal face & at least slightly elevated at summit of declivity; propodeal spines various, but often more elongate and with surface between them concave in dorsal view. . . . . 4
Medial carina absent from entire length of dorsal face; propodeal spines triangular in dorsal view and surface between them straight . . . . . Axinidris bidens

Head of Axinidris bidens worker

Profile of Axinidris bidens worker

4

return to couplet #3

Pronotal dorsum conspicuously imbricate and only slightly shiny; mesonotum, mesepisternum and propodeum duller, finely and contiguously punctate; dorsal surfaces with abundant prostrate pubescence; distance between outer margins of propodeal spines subequal to width of propodeum at spiracles. . . . . 5
Pronotum and mesepisternum smooth and shiny, contrasting sharply with finely and contiguously punctate propodeum; pronotum with scattered prostrate pubescence; distance between outer margins of propodeal spines much less than width of propodeum at spiracles. . . . . 7

5

return to couplet #4

Vertex without erect hairs; gastral terga without erect hairs. . . . . 6
Vertex with one pair of short erect hairs below dorsal margin; gastral terga 3 and 4 each with several erect hairs (Liberia) . . . . . Axinidris occidentalis

6

return to couplet #5

Head longer than broad; head and body dark brown, lower half of clypeus, mandibles, most of scape yellowish red; meso- and metatarsi whitish (Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris icipe
Head broader than long; head and body black, hypostomal area, head below, mandibles and legs reddish black; tarsi dark yellowish red (Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris kakamegensis

Head of Axinidris kakamegensis worker

Profile of Axinidris kakamegensis worker

7

return to couplet #4

Propodeal carina low and right-angular to obtuse in profile (Figs. 17, 18). . . . . 8
Propodeal carina elevated and acute in profile (Malawi; South Africa) . . . . . Axinidris tridens

Head of Axinidris tridens worker

Profile of Axinidris tridens worker

8

return to couplet #7

At least fourth gastral tergum with at least 2 erect hairs; head and body light to dark brown. . . . . 9
Third and fourth gastral terga without erect hairs; head and mesosoma light reddish, petiole and first gastral segment yellowish (Central African Republic) . . . . . Axinidris mlalu

Head of Axinidris mlalu worker

Profile of Axinidris mlalu worker

9

return to couplet #8

Hypostomal area without erect or suberect hairs; longest hair on fourth tergum about 0.10mm long and vertex hair about 0.66 x length of that on frontal lobe (Kenya; Cameroun) . . . . . Axinidris okekai

Head of Axinidris okekai worker

Profile of Axinidris okekai worker

Hypostomal area with several short erect and suberect hairs; longest hair on fourth tergum about 0.06mm long and longest vertexal hairs about 0.60 x length of that on frontal lobe (Namibia) . . . . . Axinidris namib

10

return to couplet #2

Propodeum without medial carina and lateral spines virtually absent in dorsal view; pronotum with one pair of long erect hairs and propodeal spines each with similar hair; clypeal notch broad and shallow (CNI less than 75). . . . . 11
Propodeum with distinct medial carinae which, at summit of declivity, is usually a low obtuse lobe, less often sharply elevated or dentiform; pilosity various, but usually not as above; clypeal notch relatively narrow, CNI usually over 100, but if as little as 80, then medial carina sharply defined. . . . . 12

11

return to couplet #10

Head and body medium to dark brown; gena distinctly finely imbricate; larger species, HW consistently over 0.50mm (Ghana; Cameroun; Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris bidens

Head of Axinidris bidens worker

Profile of Axinidris bidens worker

Head and body light reddish yellow, gaster sometimes slightly darker; gena smooth and shiny, sometimes weakly imbricate; smaller species, HW usually less than 0.50mm, but may range up to 0.52mm (Liberia; Democratic Republic of Congo; Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris hypoclinoides

Head of Axinidris hypoclinoides worker

Profile of Axinidris hypoclinoides worker

12

return to couplet #10

Distance between outer margins of propodeal spines, in dorsal view, equal to or exceeding width of propodeum at spiracles; pronotum dull and closely pubescent, surface coarsely imbricate or punctate. . . . . 13
Distance between outer margins of propodeal spines, in dorsal view, distinctly less than width of propodeum at spiracles and/or pronotum shiny and sparsely pubescent, surface weakly imbricate. . . . . 14

13

return to couplet #12

Erect hairs of head and mesosoma brown, coarse and seta-like; propodeal spines short, no longer than thick in profile (Ghana) . . . . . Axinidris nigripes

Head of Axinidris nigripes worker

Profile of Axinidris nigripes worker

Erect hairs of head and mesosoma yellowish and fine, not seta-like; propodeal spines distinctly longer than thick in profile (Kenya) . . . . . Axinidris luhya

Head of Axinidris luhya worker

Profile of Axinidris luhya worker

14

return to couplet #14

Mesonotum either smooth and shiny between several short longitudinal rugae or slightly shiny and coarsely rugulose. . . . . 15
Mesonotum moderately shiny, anteriorly finely imbricate, posteriorly duller and densely punctulate. . . . . 16

15

return to couplet #14

Mesonotum smooth and shiny between short longitudinal rugae; head and body light reddish brown (Tanzania) . . . . . Axinidris stageri

Mesonotum slightly shiny and coarsely rugulose; head and body dark brown (South Africa) . . . . . Axinidris lignicola

Head of Axinidris lignicola worker

Profile of Axinidris lignicola worker

16

return to couplet #14

Scape shaft with fine prostrate pubescence, but no suberect to erect hairs; front of head, exclusive of clypeus, with six hairs (two along each frontal carina and two on upper frons) . . . . . 17
Scape shaft with at least one or two short erect hairs in addition to appressed pubescence; front of head, exclusive of clypeus, with two hairs along each frontal carina and four or more on frons. . . . . 19

17

return to couplet #16

Distance between outer margins of propodeal spine apices distinctly less than width of propodeum at level of spiracles; frons and vertex moderately shiny, weakly imbricate and with scattered weak punctures; gaster concolorous with mesosoma. . . . . 18
Distance between outer margins of propodeal spine apices at least equal to width of propodeum at level of spiracles; frons and vertex weakly shiny, contiguously finely punctate and strigulate; mesosoma brown, gaster yellowish red (Ghana) . . . . . Axinidris palligastrion

Head of Axinidris palligastrion worker

Profile of Axinidris palligastrion worker

18

return to couplet #17

Medial carina broadly rounded in profile; second gastral tergum moderately shiny and densely punctate (Republic of Congo) . . . . . Axinidris denticulata
Medial carina subacute in profile; second gastral tergum shiny between sparse punctures (Ghana) . . . . . Axinidris ghanensis

Head of Axinidris ghanensis worker

Profile of Axinidris ghanensis worker

19

return to couplet #16

Pronotum with at least two fully erect hairs in addition to humeral pair; frons slightly shiny to shiny, varying from finely colliculate to weakly coriarious and scabriculous. . . . . 20
Pronotum with only two long fully erect hairs, one at each humerus; frons shiny, varying from smooth to obscurely coriarious (Gabon) . . . . . Axinidris gabonica

Head of Axinidris gabonica worker

Profile of Axinidris gabonica worker

20

return to couplet #19

Scape shaft distinctly with six or more short erect hairs; frons slightly shiny, finely colliculate to imbricate. . . . . 21
Scape shaft with only one or two very short erect hairs; frons shiny, weakly coriarious (Nigeria) . . . . . Axinidris kinoin