Key to Malagasy Stigmatomma

This worker and queen key is based on: Esteves, F.A. and B. L. Fisher. 2016. Taxonomic revision of Stigmatomma Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region. Biodiversity Data Journal. 4-e8032:1-237. (doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e8032).

The Malagasy region Stigmatomma species were organized into species groups. There were: "a morphological organization system for the species diversity of Stigmatomma in the Malagasy bioregion which is based upon the definition of informal species-groups, which may contain species-complexes when necessary. Groups and complexes are named after the most abundant species, and the groups we presently define only reflect what is seen in the Malagasy fauna."

1

Ten antennomeres. In full-face view, genal teeth absent. Dorsal face of the head densely taeniate catenate. Clypeus narrowly inserted between frontal lobes. Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum [workers only]. Subpetiolar process without a fenestra. Color yellow. Small sized ant (HL= 0.38-0.40; WL= 0.41-0.43). (Seychelles) . . . . . Stigmatomma besucheti

Twelve antennomeres. In full-face view, genal teeth absent or present. Dorsal sculpture of the head variable, but not taeniate-catenate . Clypeus narrowly or broadly inserted between frontal lobes. Mesepisternum divided or not into anepisternum and katepisternum [workers only]. Subpetiolar process with or without a fenestra. Color and size variable. . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

Subpetiolar process with a fenestra. In lateral view, stout setae absent from the apex of hypopygium [requires high magnification; differences in light/shade may enhance setae visualization]. Genal teeth present in full-face view. Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum [workers only]. . . . . . 3

Subpetiolar process without fenestra. In lateral view, stout spiniform setae present on the apex of hypopygium [requires high magnification; differences in light/shade may enhance setae visualization]. Genal teeth present or absent in full-face view (for the absence of genal teeth). Mesepisternum divided or not into anepisternum and katepisternum (for an undivided mesepisternum) [workers only]. . . . . . 6

3

return to couplet #2

Longitudinal sulcus present on the anterior face of metabasitarsus [differences in light/shade may enhance this character]. Longitudinal sulcus present on the anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus [differences in light/shade may enhance this character]. Dorsal face of the head costulatepunctate/ foveolate, grading into punctate/foveolate posteriorly. Body color orange-brown to black; gaster orange to black with slightly lighter apex; appendages yellow-brown to orange. Large-sized ant (HL= 1.32-1.60; WL= 1.68-2.03). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma roahady

Longitudinal sulcus absent from metabasitarsus [differences in light/shade may enhance this character]. Longitudinal sulcus on mesobasitarsus present or absent (for the absence of sulcus from mesobasitarsus) [differences in light/shade may enhance this character]. Dorsal sculpture of the head variable. Color variable. Body size variable. . . . . . 4

4

return to couplet #3

Longitudinal sulcus absent from mesobasitarsus [differences in light/shade may enhance the absence of this character]. Dorsal face of the head costulate-foveolate, grading into foveolate posteriorly. Body color brown to black; gaster yellow -brown to brown (sometimes sclerites are darkish, grading into yellow -brown to orange towards anterior and posterior margins); appendages yellow -brown to orange. Medium-sized ant (HL= 1.04-1.33; WL= 1.36-1.72). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma tsyhady

Longitudinal sulcus present on the anterodorsal face of mesobasitarsus [differences in light/shade may enhance this character]. Dorsal sculpture of the head variable. Color variable. Body size variable. . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

Body color dark brown to blackish; apex of the gaster orange; yellow-brown appendages. Anterior and posterior metatibial spurs always visible (anterior spur longer than half the length of the posterior metatibial spur). Anterior and posterior mesotibial spurs always visible. Dorsal face of the head mostly areolate-rugose, grading into foveolate/foveate posteriorly. Large-sized ant (HL= 1.07-1.14; WL= 1.37-1.55). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma irayhady

Body color dark yellow to orange; yellow appendages. Anterior metatibial spur generally not visible, but if visible, extremely reduced in length (less than one-third the length of the posterior metatibial spur). Anterior mesotibial spur generally not visible. Dorsal face of the head mostly costate-slightly catenate-foveolate, grading into foveolate posteriorly and laterally. Medium-sized ant (HL= 0.90-0.96; WL= 1.16-1.34). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma liebe

6

return to couplet #2

Genal teeth present in full-face view. Mesepisternum not divided into anepisternum and katepisternum [workers only]. Brush of filiform setae on the lateral-most clypeal area in full-face view) [if setae are removed, the region will present dense punctuations under higher magnification]. Lamella on the ventral margin of the calcar of strigil not visible. Body color orange-brown; light orange appendages. Dorsal face of the head areolate. Medium-sized ant (HL= 0.74-0.79; WL= 0.87-0.93). (Seychelles) . . . . . Stigmatomma janovitsika

Genal teeth absent in full-face view. Mesepisternum divided into anepisternum and katepisternum [workers only]. No brush of setae or densely arranged punctuations on the lateral-most clypeal area in full-face view. Lamella on the ventral margin of the calcar of strigil visible. Sculpture of dorsal face of the head foveate to densely foveate/ foveate-reticulate. Color variable. Body size variable. . . . . . 7

7

return to couplet #6

In dorsal view, declivitous face of the propodeum strigate. Dorsal face of the head mostly densely foveate/foveate-reticulate. Mesosoma lateral face costate-foveate. Body color red-brown; apex of gaster and appendages orange-yellow. Medium-sized ant (HL= 0.76; WL= 0.92). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma bolabola

In dorsal view, face of propodeal declivity smooth or weakly alveolate. Dorsal face of the head foveate. Katepisternum and metapleuron alveolate; lateral face of the propodeum dispersed costulateweakly alveolate, or mostly alveolate. Body color orange-brown; appendages yellow to light orange. Medium-sized ant (HL= 0.74-0.76; WL= 0.89-0.94). (Madagascar) . . . . . Stigmatomma sakalava