Key to Acanthostichus males

This key to males is based on: Mackay, W.P. 1996. A revision of the ant genus Acanthostichus. Sociobiology 27:129-179.

Use with caution - males of many species are unknown.

• Figures from Mackay 1996.
• 

  59-76

• 

  77-83

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1

• Teeth of subgenital plate thickened (Fig. 77); northeastern Mexico and extreme southeastern Texas (and probably unknown male of A. emmae MacKay) . . . . . Acanthostichus texanus

• Teeth of subgenital plate elongate and spiniform (Fig. 78); primarily South America . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

• Petiole (from above) subquadrate, or at least usually broader than long (Fig. 70), often wider anteriorly than posteriorly . . . . . 3

• Petiole much longer than broad (Fig. 71) . . . . . 5

3

return to couplet #2

• Petiole with paired, oblique, strongly constricted regions extending from nearly the top of node posteriorly along side of node (Fig. 69) . . . . . Acanthostichus femoralis

• Sides of petiole without strongly constricted regions . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

• Body (especially propodeum and petiole) usually with shiny bluish or purplish reflections; node of petiole rounded anteriorly (Figs. 59, 70); widely distributed, commonly collected . . . . . Acanthostichus fuscipennis

• Body without bluish reflections; node of petiole truncate anteriorly (Figs. 67, 68); rarely collected (Brazil) . . . . . Acanthostichus brevinodis

5

return to couplet #2

• Head and alitrunk with numerous, long, flexuous hairs, at least some on alitrunk about 2/3 times as long as maximum diameter of eye (Fig. 61); southern Brazil, rarely collected . . . . . Acanthostichus flexuosus

• Head and alitrunk with shorter, scattered, mostly straight hairs, most less than 1/2 length of maximum diameter of eye (Fig. 59); commonly collected . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

• Small (WL < 1.90 mm); volume of first segment of funiculus about 1/2 volume of scape (Fig. 63); without bluish reflections . . . . . Acanthostichus brevicornis

• Usually larger (WL > 1.90 mm); if smaller, volume offirst segment of funiculus about 1/4 or less volume of scape (Fig. 64); body usually with bluish reflections, at least on pronotum and head . . . . . 7

7

return to couplet #6

• Apices of volsellae not strongly curved outward (Fig. 82); dorsum of petiole with long, lateral, depressed areas; usually light yellowish-brown . . . . . 8

• Apices of volsellae strongly curved away from midline of body (Fig. 83); dorsum of petiole without depressed areas (except possibly at anterior of node - Fig. 72); concolorous dark brown . . . . . 9

8

return to couplet #7

• Anterior edge of petiolar node truncate, edge straight and perpendicular to long axis of petiole (as seen from above) . . . . . Acanthostichus kirbyi

• Anterior edge of petiolar node pointed, petiole in shape of bullet (as seen from above) . . . . . Acanthostichus serratulus

9

return to couplet #7

• Scape not noticeably thickened (Fig. 65, SW/SL < 0.6), somewhat “drumstick” shaped; dorsal face of propodeum smooth and glossy, descending face fmely leather-like . . . . . Acanthostichus quadratus

• Scape very broad (Fig. 64, SW/SL > 0.6), not “drumstick” shaped; dorsal face of propodeum usually leather-like, descending face with transverse costulae . . . . . Acanthostichus laticornis