Key to Cephalotes of Hispaniola

Additional information about the ants of the island can be found here: Ants of Hispaniola

Key to Workers

1

• In dorsal view the corners at the junction of the basal and declivous faces of the propodeum may form an angle but do not form distinctive spines . . . . . Cephalotes decoloratus

• In dorsal view the corners at the junction of the basal and declivous faces of the propodeum with a distinctive pair of spines . . . . . 2

2

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• Gaster densely covered with thick, appressed pilosity . . . . . Cephalotes argentiventris

• Gaster pilosity variable but never densely covering its surface . . . . . 3

3

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• In dorsal view the first gastral tergite yellow to yellow-orange with a black oval present posteriorly . . . . . Cephalotes unimaculatus

• Gaster in dorsal view without this coloration . . . . . 4

4

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• Appressed hairs on the first gastral tergite sparse and separated on average by a distance greater than their average length . . . . . 5

• Appressed hairs on the anterior 1/3 of the first gastral tergite occurring in medium to high density and separated from one another on average by less than their length . . . . . 6

5

return to couplet #4

• First gastral tergite reddish-brown, distinctly contrasting with the black mesosoma . . . . . Cephalotes vinosus

• Mesosoma and gaster black . . . . . Cephalotes hamulus

6

return to couplet #4

• In dorsal view the sculpture of the frontal margin, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole with abundant appressed yellow-golden hairs that contrast sharply with the dark coloration of the integument . . . . . Cephalotes auricomus

• In dorsal view: first gastral tergite orange, appressed hairs are more variable in their thickness and density from the frontal margin to the postpetiole and are white in color . . . . . Cephalotes flavigaster