Key to US Cardiocondyla species

Key to Cardiocondyla species from the United States based on workers. Modified from Creighton (1950), Seifert (2003) and Snelling (1974).

1

In anterodorsolateral view the postpetiolar sternite with prominent anterolateral corners, anterior corners appear concave; color yellowish brown to reddish brown to bicolored with yellowish brown body and dark brown gaster => 2
Postpetiolar sternite without prominent anterolateral corners; reddish brown to dark brown => 3

Gaster yellowish brown except with diffuse dark band on posterior half of first tergite or first tergite entirely dark brown and following tergites lighter => Cardiocondyla wroughtonii

Head of Cardiocondyla wroughtonii worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla wroughtonii worker

Head of Cardiocondyla obscurior worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla obscurior worker

Bicolored reddish brown with dark brown gaster; spines elongate; mesonotal suture distinct, deeply impressed => 4
Concolorous dark brown; mesonotal suture less impressed => 5

Head relatively broad and short; distance from anterior margin of eye to mandibular insertion approximately eye diameter; propodeal spines long; propodeal spines relatively sharp and spinose, length of to about ½ distance between tips; anterior clypeal border straight or slightly convex; note of petiole laterally compressed near apex => Cardiocondyla emeryi

Head of Cardiocondyla emeryi worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla emeryi worker

Head relatively narrow and long; distance from anterior margin of eye to mandibular insertion 2/3 eye diameter; propodeal spines short; projections on propodeum angulate, not spinose, length about ¼ distance between tips; anterior clypeal border weakly concave; node of petiole not laterally compressed near apex => Cardiocondyla mauritanica

Head of Cardiocondyla mauritanica worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla mauritanica worker

Head only slightly longer than wide; scapes long, not reaching the occipital margin by an amount less than the greatest thickness of the scape (fig. 5A); propodeum with a pair of very small denticles (not spinose); mesonotal sutures slightly impressed (fig. 6A); petiole and postpetiole shining in side view; length of pubescence on the gaster short => Cardiocondyla venustula

Head of Cardiocondyla venustula worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla venustula worker

Head elongate; scapes shorter, not reaching the occipital margin by an amount at least as great as the first segment of the funiculus (fig. 5B); propodeum with a pair of relatively elongate spines (fig. 6B); mesonotal suture not noticeably impressed, in profile dorsum of alitrunk one continuous curve; sides of petiole and postpetiole with sculpture, not shining; length of pubescence on gaster longer => Cardiocondyla minutior

Head of Cardiocondyla minutior worker

Profile of Cardiocondyla minutior worker

Creighton, W.S. 1950. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104: 1-585.
Seifert, B. 2003. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a taxonomic revision of the C. elegans, C. bulgarica, C. batesii, C. nuda, C. shuckardi, C. stambuloffii, C. wroughtonii, C. emeryi, and C. minutior species groups. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien. B. Bot. Zool. 104(B): 203-338.
Snelling, R.R. 1974. Studies on California ants. 8. A new species of Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 82: 76-81.