Key to Afrotropical Parasyscia Species

Brown (1975)^[1] revises the Afrotropical species as part of Cerapachys. The key includes the Afrotropical species except those belonging to the cribrinodis group, and is modified to include only the Parasyscia species

1

Antennae with 12 segments . . . . . 2
Antennae with 11 segments …..Parasyscia nitidulus

2

return to couplet #1

Eyes absent or minute, at most with 1-5 pigmented facets in its longest row ..… Parasyscia kenyensis

(NOTE: modified from the original: Eyes absent or minute, at most with 1-2 pigmented facets)

Eyes large, with eight or more facets . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

Petiolar node slightly but distinctly longer than broad (Note that ergatoid workers, if exists, may have broader petiolar nodes) ….. Parasyscia centurio

Petiolar node broader than long . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

Dorsal surface of head behind eyes very finely roughened and opaque over and between larger punctures; pronotum, petiole and postpetiole with similar opaque sculpture; first gastric segment with very fine, dense punctuation on a shining surface; colour black ….. Parasyscia sylvicola

Dorsal surface of head behind eyes mostly smooth, or nearly so, with scattered punctures, though sometimes with a roughened area along the extreme posterior margin; sculpture of rest of the body as least partly different from that described from ‘’’sylvicola’’’. Colour black to ferruginous . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

Petiole and postpetiole both with coarse, contiguous and confluent punctures, overlain in large part by punctulate-granulose microsculpture that renders the surface prevailingly opaque. Colour dark reddish brown ….. Parasyscia lamborni

Petiole and postpetiole, or at least one of the two segments, with separate punctures, the interspaces smooth and shining ….. ‘’’cribrinodis’’’ group (text in parenthesis reflects notes [30] on the reference)

Parasyscia afer