Key to Philippine Myrmicinae

This worker key is based on: General, D. and G. Alpert. 2012. A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines. ZooKeys. 200:1-111 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.200.2447.

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• Ants of the Philippines - list of species
• Philippine Ants
• Myrmicinae

1

• In side view, antennal scrobe present below eye . . . . . 2

• In side view, antennal scrobe absent or present above eye . . . . . 3

2

return to couplet #1

• Antenna 7-segmented; antennal scape triangular, widest near insertion and tapering distally; petiole pedunculate; propodeum armed with thin longitudinal flanges . . . . . Basiceros

• Antenna 11-segmented; antennal scape rod-like; petiole sessile; propodeum armed with 2 thick spines . . . . . Cataulacus

3

return to couplet #1

• Petiole lacking a distinct node . . . . . 4

• Petiole with a distinct node . . . . . 6

4

return to couplet #3

• Petiole transversely flattened; in dorsal view, in dorsal view, gaster roughly heart-shaped . . . . . Crematogaster

• Petiole roughly barrel-shaped; in dorsal view, gaster not heart-shaped . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

• Side of head with a longitudinal ridge running below the eye, from rear border to mandibular insertion; posterolateral corner of the head not forming a blunt point . . . . . Myrmecina

• Side of head lacking a ridge below the eye; posterolateral corner of the head forming a blunt point . . . . . Dilobocondyla

6

return to couplet #3

• Mandibles bidentate (with 2 teeth); mesosoma without a metanotal groove . . . . . Tyrannomyrmex

• Mandibles with more than 2 teeth; mesosoma usually with a metanotal groove . . . . .

7

return to couplet #6

• Petiole and postpetiole with at least some light-colored sponge-like tissue . . . . . 8

• Petiole and postpetiole never with sponge-like tissue . . . . . 9

8

return to couplet #7

• Sponge-like tissue only on ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole, and the 4th abdominal segment; antenna 11-segmented . . . . . Dacetinops

• Sponge-like tissue on lateral, as well as ventral, surfaces of petiole, postpetiole, and 4th abdominal segment; antenna 4–to 6-segmented . . . . . Strumigenys

9

return to couplet #7

• Antenna with a distal club of 2 segments . . . . . 10

• Antenna with a distal club of 3 or 4 segments, or with an indistinct club . . . . . 15

10

return to couplet #9

• Antennal scrobe present; head and mesosoma punctuate . . . . . Mayriella

• Antennal scrobe absent; head and mesosoma smooth, rugose, or reticulate . . . . . 11

11

return to couplet #10

• Head and mesosoma sculptured; petiole at most with a short peduncle . . . . . 12

• Head and mesosoma smooth between sparse punctures; petiole pedunculate . . . . . 13

12

return to couplet #11

• Head and mesosoma longitudinally rugose; propodeum unarmed; gaster broadly attached to postpetiole . . . . . Rhopalomastix

• Head and mesosoma strongly reticulate; propodeum bidentate; gaster narrowly attached to postpetiole . . . . . Unnamed genus PH01

13

return to couplet #11

• Propodeum unarmed; anterior clypeal margin with two angles, or teeth, bearing hairs . . . . . Solenopsis

• Propodeum with a pair of spines or teeth; anterior clypeal margin simple . . . . . 14

14

return to couplet #13

• Clypeus with 2 longitudinal carinae immediately anterior to antennal sockets; workers dimorphic . . . . . Carebara

• Clypeus smooth and without longitudinal carinae; workers polymorphic . . . . . Pheidologeton

15

return to couplet #9

• Antenna with 7–9 segments . . . . . 16

• Antenna with 10–12 segments . . . . . 17

16

return to couplet #15

• Antenna 7-segmented; mesosoma strongly reticulate; propodeal spines long; anterior peduncle of petiole as long as petiolar node height . . . . . Myrmicaria

• Antenna 9-segmented; mesosoma weakly reticulate and shield-like; propodeal spines short; anterior peduncle shorter than petiolar node height . . . . . Meranoplus

17

return to couplet #15

• Eyes absent . . . . . 18

• Eyes present, even if only one ommatidium . . . . . 19

18

return to couplet #17

• Petiole and postpetiole with prominent anteroventral processes; integument firm and sclerotized . . . . . Liomyrmex

• Petiole and postpetiole lacking anteroventral processes; integument fragile and poorly sclerotized . . . . . Anillomyrma

19

return to couplet #17

• In dorsal view, postpetiole swollen and at least twice as wide as petiole; antenna 12-segmented . . . . . Cardiocondyla

• In dorsal view, postpetiole as wide as, or slightly wider than, petiole; antenna 10–to 12-segmented . . . . . 20

20

return to couplet #19

• Clypeus with an anterior forked extension overhanging the mandibles; body covered with evenly-spaced clavate hairs . . . . . Calyptomyrmex

• Clypeus without an anterior forked extension; body hairs not clavate . . . . . 21

21

return to couplet #20

• Sides of clypeus immediately anterior to antennal sockets produced into a sharp ridge . . . . . 22

• Sides of clypeus immediately anterior to antennal sockets not produced into a sharp ridge . . . . . 23

22

return to couplet #21

• In frontal view, head roughly heart-shaped, with posterior margin of the head strongly concave; antenna 12-segmented . . . . . Rhoptromyrmex

• In frontal view, head roughly rectangular, with posterior margin of the head at most weakly concave; antenna 10–to 12-segmented . . . . . Tetramorium

23

return to couplet #21

• Anterior clypeal margin with a single median seta extending over the mandibles; propodeum at most with blunt angles . . . . . Monomorium

• Anterior clypeal margin with a pair of setae, or a series of long, strong setae, or hairless; propodeum usually armed with spines . . . . . 24

24

return to couplet #23

• Antenna 11-segmented . . . . . 25

• Antenna 12-segmented . . . . . 30

25

return to couplet #24

• Antennal sockets completely exposed; anterior clypeal margin denticulate . . . . . Pristomyrmex

• Antennal sockets partially or completely covered by frontal lobes; anterior clypeal margin usually simple . . . . . 26

26

return to couplet #25

• Antennal scrobes deep and narrow, overhung by expanded frontal carinae . . . . . Metapone

• Antennal scrobes absent or very shallow . . . . . 27

27

return to couplet #26

• Propodeum unarmed; in profile, petiole lacking peduncle and usually with a large subpetiolar process . . . . . Vollenhovia (in part - also #33)

• Propodeum spinose; in profile, petiole pedunculated . . . . . 28

28

return to couplet #27

• In profile, propodeal spines curving upward and forward . . . . . Recurvidris

• In profile, propodeal spines straight . . . . . 29

29

return to couplet #28

• Propodeal spines long and sharp; in side view, pronotum convex, much higher than propodeum . . . . . Lophomyrmex

• Propodeal spines short and blunt; in side view, pronotum flat, almost level with propodeum . . . . . Gauromyrmex

30

return to couplet #24

• Antenna gently expanding distally, with a weak to indistinct 4-segmented club; head strongly narrowed posteriorly . . . . . Aphaenogaster

• Antenna abruptly expanding distally, with a distinct 3-segmented club; head not narrow posteriorly . . . . . 31

31

return to couplet #30

• Petiole lacking a peduncle . . . . . 32

• Petiole pedunculate . . . . . 34

32

return to couplet #31

• Propodeum armed with stout spines (curved in dorsal view) . . . . . Romblonella

• Propodeum unarmed or at most with denticles . . . . . 33

33

return to couplet #32

• Petiole with a conspicuous ventral process; mandibles curved mesad and without a stem at insertion . . . . . Vollenhovia (in part - also #27)

• Petiole without a conspicuous ventral process; mandibles linear-triangular and with a stem at insertion (see diagnosis in “Brief Generic Accounts”) . . . . . Unnamed genus PH03

34

return to couplet #32

• Anterior clypeal margin overhanging mandibles and armed with blunt denticles or a median rectangular extension; in the major worker, head enormous, obscuring pronotum in dorsal view . . . . . Acanthomyrmex

• Anterior clypeal margin not overhanging mandibles and simple; in the major worker, if present, head does not obscure pronotum in dorsal view . . . . . 35

35

return to couplet #34

• In profile, mesosomal dorsum with a flat or weakly convex outline; petiolar node blocky or roughly rectangular . . . . . Paratopula

• In profile, dorsal mesosomal dorsum with a strongly convex outline; petiolar node globular or rounded . . . . . 36

36

return to couplet #35

• In profile, petiolar spiracle located on node, not on peduncle (see diagnosis in “Brief Generic Accounts”) . . . . . Unnamed genus PH02

• In profile, petiolar spiracle located on peduncle . . . . . 37

37

return to couplet #36

• Mandible with 5 teeth with a long diastema (toothless section) between 3rd and 4th tooth; side of head usually with a sinuate longitudinal groove running from the posterior margin to the mandibular insertion . . . . . Vombisidris

• Mandibular dentition not as above; sinuate longitudinal groove at side of head absent . . . . . 38

38

return to couplet #37

• In profile, petiole with a short anterior peduncle; workers monomorphic . . . . . Lordomyrma

• In profile, petiole with a long anterior peduncle; workers dimorphic . . . . . Pheidole