Key to Malagasy Nesomyrmex madecassus species-group workers

This worker key is based on: Csősz, S.; Fisher, B. L. 2016. Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Nesomyrmex madecassus species-group using a quantitative morphometric approach. ZooKeys. 603:105-130. (doi:10.3897/zookeys.603.8271).

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• Nesomyrmex
• Nesomyrmex species groups of the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions

1

• Mesothoracic hump conspicuous. Mauritius only . . . . . Nesomyrmex gibber

• Mesothoracic hump absent. Madagascar . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

• Dark brown to black . . . . . Nesomyrmex madecassus (dark phenotype)

• Yellow to light brown . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Postocular area (PoOC) longer relative to cephalic width including compound eyes (CW): CW/PoOC >1.85 (min. 1.77, max. 2.07), [5-95% percentiles: min. 1.85, max. 2.01] . . . . . Nesomyrmex madecassus (ocher phenotype)

• Postocular area (PoOC) shorter relative to cephalic width including compound eyes (CW): CW/PoOC < 1.85 (min. 1.52, max. 1.89), [5-95% percentiles: min. 1.60, max. 1.84] . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

• Occur at higher altitudes/elevations: mean = 1190 m, [min. 200, max. 1755 m]. For precise morphological separations a discriminant D2 (+0.0847*SL -0.0625*MW -15.038) function is available. D2 scores (n = 61) = +3.09 [+0.98, +5.33] . . . . . Nesomyrmex flavus

• Distributed in lower elevations: mean = 383 m, [min. 10, max. 1550 m]. For precise morphological separations a discriminant D2 function is available. D2 scores (n = 79) = -2.39 [-4.63, +0.19] . . . . . Nesomyrmex nitidus