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Key to Colombian Rhopalothrix
Key to Colombian Rhopalothrix species based on workers, modified from Guerrero et al. (2024).
1
- Face with conspicuous squamiform setae (Fig. 3A) => 2
- Face lacking large squamiform setae (Fig. 6A) (R. isthmica clade) => 4
Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 3. Rhopalothrix amati paratype worker (IAvH-55018). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, dorsal view. D, portion of the head viewed obliquely showing the mandibles and the apical fork of the left mandible; the black arrow points to the subapical tooth while the white one points to the apical tooth of the apical fork of the mandible. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
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2
return to couplet #1
- Head elongate in full-face view, wider posterad than anterad. Lateral cephalic margin above antennal insertion straight and continuous, curved inwards posteriorly (Fig. 4A). Rounded occipital corner (Fig. 5A) => Rhopalothrix ciliata
- Head subquadrate in full-face view, almost as wide posterad as anterad. Lateral cephalic margin above the antennal insertion discontinuous, projecting outward over half of its length. Angled occipital corner (Figs 3A, 8A) => 3
Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 4. Rhopalothrix ciliata worker (CBUMAG:ENT:35948). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, mandible distinguishing the teeth of the apical fork; drawing inserted showing the arrangement of the teeth of the apical fork of the mandible, D. dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A, D); 0.5 mm (B).- Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 3. Rhopalothrix amati paratype worker (IAvH-55018). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, dorsal view. D, portion of the head viewed obliquely showing the mandibles and the apical fork of the left mandible; the black arrow points to the subapical tooth while the white one points to the apical tooth of the apical fork of the mandible. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 8. Rhopalothrix mariaemirae paratype worker (CBUMAG:ENT:35950). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, mandible distinguishing the teeth of the apical fork; drawing inserted showing the arrangement of the teeth of the apical fork of the mandible. D, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.
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3
return to couplet #2
- Mandible triangular, with curved external margin and straight masticatory margin. Masticatory margin of mandible with a row of teeth (Fig. 3C). Face with 12 specialized spatulate setae (6 in the anterior row, 6 in the posterior row, Fig. 3A) => Rhopalothrix amati
- Mandible elongated and arched, with the external and masticatory margins subparallel to each other (Figs 8A, 9). Masticatory margin of the mandible with only two teeth near the subapical tooth (Fig. 9). Face with single posterior row of 8 specialized spatulate setae (Figs 8A, 9) => Rhopalothrix mariaemirae
- Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 3. Rhopalothrix amati paratype worker (IAvH-55018). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, dorsal view. D, portion of the head viewed obliquely showing the mandibles and the apical fork of the left mandible; the black arrow points to the subapical tooth while the white one points to the apical tooth of the apical fork of the mandible. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
- Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 8. Rhopalothrix mariaemirae paratype worker (CBUMAG:ENT:35950). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, mandible distinguishing the teeth of the apical fork; drawing inserted showing the arrangement of the teeth of the apical fork of the mandible. D, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.
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4
return to couplet #1
- In lateral view, mandible dorsally inclined in relation to head plane (Fig. 7B). Mandible elongated (MdL > 0.5) with five teeth on masticatory margin (Fig. 7A). Labrum about as long as broad (LabW/LabL < 100%), medial notch deep. Petiole with well-developed peduncle (Fig. 7A) => Rhopalothrix mandibularis
- In lateral view, mandible oriented in the same plane as the head (Figs 6B, 10B). Mandible short (MdL < 0.3), subtriangular (Figs 6A, 10A), and wide at base, with 2–3 teeth on masticatory margin. Labrum distinctly broader than long (LabW/LabL > 110%), medial notch shallow (Figs 6A, 10A). Petiole with short peduncle (Figs 6B, 10B) => 5
Guerrero et al. (2024), Figure 7. Rhopalothrix mandibularis holotype worker (CBUMAG:ENT:35947). A, full-face view. B, lateral view. C, mandible distinguishing the teeth of the apical fork; drawing inserted showing the arrangement of the teeth of the apical fork of the mandible. D, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.
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5
return to couplet #4
- Head broader than long, with slightly rounded cephalic lateral margins at the level of the crest on the face (Fig. 6A). Posterior cephalic margin strongly concave. Mandible with three teeth on masticatory margin, middle tooth largest (Fig. 6A). Subapical tooth longer than width of mandible at base, about twice as long as apical tooth => Rhopalothrix isthmica
- Head as broad as it is long, with cephalic lateral margins projecting at an angle at the level of the crest on the face (Fig. 10A). Posterior cephalic margin slightly concave. Mandible with only two small teeth at the base of the masticatory margin (Fig. 10A). Subapical tooth shorter than width of mandible at base, only slightly longer than apical tooth => Rhopalothrix weberi