Key to Philippine subfamilies

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.

You may also be interested in

• Ants of the Philippines - a list of species, with images of each species
• Philippine Ants webpage; general information about the ant fauna, generic notes, species identification keys, and more.

1

• Postpetiole absent . . . . . 2

• Postpetiole present and petiole and pospetiole nearly equal in size, or postpetiole much larger, in which case, gaster with distinct constriction at insertion with postpetiole . . . . . 7

2

return to couplet #1

• Sting absent . . . . . 3

• Sting present, often conspicuous and functional . . . . . 4

3

return to couplet #2

• In profile, a circular nozzle, the acidopore, often fringed with hairs, present at apex of gaster; antennal sockets sometimes situated well behind posterior margin of clypeus . . . . . Formicinae

• In profile, acidopore absent; apex of gaster with a transverse slit-like orifice (best seen in apical or lateral view); antennal sockets always abutting the posterior margin of clypeus . . . . . Dolichoderinae

4

return to couplet #2

• Petiole broadly attached to gaster, so that petiole has no posterior face in side view . . . . . Amblyoponinae

• Petiole narrowly attached to gaster, so that petiole has a posterior face in side view . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

• Frontal lobes and clypeus absent or reduced, so that antennal sockets are fully exposed in dorsal view and situated very near or above anterior margin of the head . . . . . Proceratiinae

• Frontal lobes and clypeus well-developed, so that antennal sockets are partially or entirely covered in dorsal view and situated posterior to the anterior margin of the head . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

• Frontal lobes elongate and roughly parallel, so that frontal carinae do not converge posteriorly; mandibles triangular . . . . . Ectatomminae

• Frontal lobes rounded or bluntly triangular; frontal carinae, when present, appear to converge posteriorly; mandibles variable from linear to triangular . . . . . Ponerinae

7

return to couplet #1

• Pronotum and mesonotum separated by a conspicuous, flexible suture, allowing pronotum to move relative to mesonotum . . . . . 8

• Pronotum and mesonotum separated by an often inconspicuous, rigid suture, so that pronotum and mesonotum are fused together . . . . . 9

8

return to couplet #7

• Eyes, present, large; ventral surface of postpetiole at most slightly bulging (Tetraponera) . . . . . Pseudomyrmecinae

• Eyes absent; ventral surface of postpetiole usually swollen and bulbous . . . . . Leptanillinae

9

return to couplet #7

• Postpetiole barrel-shaped and much larger than petiole; gaster conspicuously constricted at insertion; upper surface of tip of gaster transversely flattened and armed with peg-like teeth . . . . . Cerapachyinae, now Dorylinae

• Postpetiole globular and nearly equal in size to petiole; gaster with narrow constriction at insertion; upper surface of tip of gaster rounded and unarmed . . . . . 10

10

return to couplet #9

• With all the following character states: frontal lobes absent; antennal sockets completely exposed; eyes absent; gaster narrowly constricted at insertion with postpetiole (Aenictus) . . . . . Aenictinae, now Dorylinae

• Not as above: either frontal lobes present (much reduced or absent in Pristomyrmex), antennal sockets partially or completely concealed (except in Pristomyrmex); eyes present, or gaster not constricted at insertion with postpetiole . . . . . Myrmicinae