Key to Anochetus of the Malagasy Region

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These keys to workers, queens and males are based on: Fisher, B. L. and M. A. Smith. 2008. A Revision of Malagasy Species of Anochetus Mayr and Odontomachus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PloS one. 3:e1787.

Key to workers and queens / Key to males

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Workers and Queens

1

  • Inner mandibular blade without preapical teeth and denticles . . . . . 2
  • Inner mandibular blade with at least four preapical teeth and denticles . . . . . 4

2

  • Worker compound eye large, .0.15 mm long. In full face view, antennal scape extends beyond posterior margins of occipital lobe. Dorsal surface of head and mesosoma with or without numerous short setae . . . . . 3
  • Worker compound eyes small, ,0.15 mm long. In full face view, antennal scape usually fail to reach, and never surpass, posterior margin of occipital lobe. Dorsal surface of head with numerous short setae . . . . . Anochetus grandidieri
Anochetus grandidieri casent0005965 profile 1.jpg

3

  • Dorsal surface of head and mesosoma without numerous short setae. Pronotal dorsum glassy smooth . . . . . Anochetus madagascarensis
Anochetus madagascarensis casent0005966 profile 1.jpg
  • Dorsal surface of head and mesosoma with numerous short setae. Pronotal dorsum with punctures anteriorly and longitudinal ridges posteriorly (Aldabra) . . . . . Anochetus pattersoni
Anochetus pattersoni casent0068352 head 1.jpg
Anochetus pattersoni casent0068352 profile 1.jpg

4

  • Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with apical margin deeply concave, lateral corner forming long spine . . . . . Anochetus boltoni
Anochetus boltoni casent0104542 profile 1.jpg
  • Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with apical margin rounded, or slightly flattened, the lateral corner without spine . . . . . Anochetus goodmani
Anochetus goodmani casent0104543 profile 1.jpg

Males

Anochetus goodmani males are unknown and not included

1M

  • Shortest distance between lateral ocellus and margin of compound eye smaller than maximum length of ocellus. Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with lateral corners rounded, without acute spine or sharp tooth . . . . . 2M
  • Shortest distance between lateral ocellus and margin of compound eye distinctly greater than maximum length of ocellus. Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with lateral corners with acute spine or tooth . . . . . 3M

2M

  • Body yellowish brown. Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with apical margin concave. Paramere simple with rounded apex . . . . . Anochetus madagascarensis
  • Body dark brown, black. Petiolar node as seen from front or rear with apical margin more or less flat. Paramere constricted apically into a ventrally-directed digitiform lobe . . . . . Anochetus pattersoni

3M

  • Head and mesoscutum with dense reticulate sculpture, opaque, not smooth or shiny. Declivitous surface of propodeum abrupt, about as long as dorsal surface . . . . . Anochetus grandidieri
  • Head and mesoscutum with week sculpture, smooth and shiny areas present. Declivitous surface of propodeum gradually sloping posteriorly, indistinctly delimited from dorsal surface . . . . . Anochetus boltoni