Key to Anochetus of India
This key to Indian workers of Anochetus is based on Bharti & Wachkoo (2013), with the addition of Anochetus daedalus by Abdus Shakur.
1
- Pronotal disc (at least a broad central field) and all of first gastral tergum smooth and shining when clean, with at most fine, spaced punctures => 2
- Pronotal disc coarsely striate or punctate-rugulose; smooth interspaces, if any, narrow and usually coarsely punctate; first gastral tergum rugulose, striate or smooth, with or without coarse punctures => 7
2
return to couplet #1
- Inner mandibular margin bearing teeth which gradually reduce in size => Anochetus daedalus
- Inner mandibular margin smooth, without teeth => 3
3
return to couplet #2
- Modest or small sized, lightly pigmented species with reduced eyes: maximum measurable compound eye length < 0.15 mm, their greatest diameter < maximum width of a mandible => 4
- Large species with large eyes: maximum measurable eye length>0.25 mm and>maximum width of a mandible => 6
4
return to couplet #3
- Propodeal angles produced as a pair of short teeth => 5
- Propodeal angles unarmed => Anochetus cryptus
5
return to couplet #4
- Tiny species; HL+ML < 1.25 mm => Anochetus pupulatus
- Relatively larger species; HL+ML>1.55 mm => Anochetus myops
6
return to couplet #3
- Petiolar node axially compressed above; anterior slope concave, and summit rather bluntly rounded as seen from the side, but strongly transverse as seen from above; body with very numerous short, fine, erect hairs; appressed pubescence scarcely developed on head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster; with head in full face view, antennal scapes surpass posterior borders of occipital lobes by at least an apical scape width => Anochetus rufus
- Petiolar node thick, erect, barrel-shaped; anterior slope convex, summit broadly rounded in both directions and only slightly broader than long; body with few or no erect hairs, except on apex and underside of gaster (0–9 standing hairs on mesosoma and first gastral tergum), but with abundant and conspicuous appressed pubescence; with head is full-face view, antennal scapes do not reach, or at least do not distinctly surpass, posterior borders of occipital lobes => Anochetus sedilloti
7
return to couplet #1
- Petiolar node in profile thin, tapered to a very narrowly rounded, or even sharp, apical scale-like part near its base not more than 0.20 mm long => 8
- Petiolar node in profile thick, with broadly rounded summit, about as thick as near base of erect part of node => 10
8
return to couplet #7
- HL+ML < 1.50 mm; maximum measurable eye length < 0.15 mm => Anochetus graeffei
- HL+ML>1.50 mm; maximum measurable eye length>0.15 mm => 9
9
return to couplet #8
- Frons smooth and shining, the frontal striations extending only a short distance beyond the level of eyes; body yellowish; EL>0.25 => Anochetus yerburyi
- Frontal striation reaching all the way to nuchal carina, or most of the way; body red brown; EL < 0.25 => Anochetus validus
10
return to couplet #7
- First gastral tergum densely and more or less opaquely sculptured over at least the anterior half => 11
- First gastral tergum smooth and shinning, with only scattered, fine piligerous punctures => Anochetus madaraszi
11
return to couplet #10
- Anterodorsal margin of petiolar node slightly produced anteriad, overhanging the anterior slope, which tends to be concave; mesosoma red; first gastral tergum black or piceous, coarsely punctate-striate and opaque to near posterior border => Anochetus kanariensis
- Anterodorsal margin of petiolar node broadly rounded, like posterodorsal margin; anterior slope of node convex or straight as seen from the side; mesosoma, petiole and gaster piceous or blackish, often with bluish opalescence; the first gastral tergum with punctate-rugulose sculpture diminishing to nearly smooth and shinning on posterior half or third of the segment => Anochetus obscurior