Key to New Guinean Leptomyrmex Species

The following key to New Guinea Leptomyrmex species has been modified from Lucky & Ward (2010).

1

• Pubescence conspicuous, in the form of decumbent to suberect pilosity, common on body, including head and especially on the pronotum; eyes with or without hairs (Fig. 38a) => 2
• Pubescence inconspicuous, consisting of very fine, short, appressed hairs, or hairs less evenly dense on head, pronotum mostly bare; eyes hairless (Fig. 38b) => 3

2

• Smaller species with more elongate head (HW 1.02–1.20 mm, CI 0.61–0.66); eyes conspicuously hairy (Fig. 39a); pale yellow to brown. => Leptomyrmex puberulus

• Larger species, with broader head (HW 1.18–1.45 mm, CI 0.67–0.73), eyes appearing essentially hairless (Fig. 39b), body dark brown/black. => Leptomyrmex flavitarsus

3

• Pale testaceous in color, very slender (CI 0.51–0.58), especially the petiole (DPW 0.27–0.33) (Fig. 40a); sometimes bearing dark spots laterally on gaster (Fig. 40b) or with gaster entirely dark (Ambunti form). => Leptomyrmex fragilis

• Unicolorous black/brown, head relatively broad (CI 0.54–0.69), petiole slender to broad (DPW 0.27–39) (Fig. 40c) => 4

4

• Head elongate, slender (HW 0.99–1.06 mm, CI 0.54–0.56), narrowing to conical neck (Fig. 41a); scape relatively long (SI 4.02–4.05). => Leptomyrmex melanoticus

• Head relatively stout (HW 1.01–1.25 mm, CI 0.57–0.69), narrowing posteriorly but lacking conical neck (Fig. 41b); scape relatively short (SI 2.96–3.89). => Leptomyrmex niger