Key to Dolichoderus groups for queens of Southeast Asia

This queen key is based on: Dill, M. 2002. Taxonomy of the migrating herdsman species of the genus Dolichoderus Lund, 1831, with remarks on the systematics of other Southeast-Asian Dolichoderus. Pp. 17-113 in: Dill, M., Williams, D. J. and U. Maschwitz. 2002. Herdsmen ants and their mealybug partners. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main. 557:1-373.

The key is for species in the Oriental Region and New Guinea. No queens are known of the monoceros group.

You may also be interested in

• Dolichoderus
• Dolichoderus species groups
• Key to Dolichoderus groups for workers of Southeast Asia

1

• Wingless queens, at most with vestigial wing-roots or tegulae; scutum and scutellum fused to mesonotum; in some species, deliminations of former flight thorax sclerites still marked by shallow furrows; if so, then scutum index (ScI) < 35; dorsal surface of head and alitrunk without erect hairs or pilosity very sparse; petiole large, almost as wide as propodeum . . . . . cuspidatus group

• Winged; scutum and scutellum distinctly separated by sutures, ScI > 44; dorsal surface of head and alitrunk with erect hairs; petiole node mostly distinctly narrower than propodeum . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

• Sculpturing of head and alitrunk alveolate with ± regular, deep, cup-shaped cavities with smooth and shining ground, each of which containing an erect hair; lateral edges of propodeum expanded to short spines . . . . . scabridus group

• Sculpturing different; propodeum without spines . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Scape and at least the first four funiculus segments with long, erect hairs; scutum and scutellum, viewed in profile, each forming a strongly convex hump . . . . . sulcaticeps group

• At most scape and first funiculus segment with short erect hairs; mesonotum, viewed in profile, ± evenly vaulted, scutum and scutellum not forming separate humps . . . . . thoracicus group