Identification resources for Afrotropical Ants

The Arabian Peninsula is excluded fron this analysis, and species and genera cited only from this area are not incuded here. The genera cited only from this area are Aphaenogaster, Emeryopone and Iridomyrmex

Related information:
 * Afrotropical Region Species List

Acropyga
ID status is very good for this genus, mainly due to the works by LaPolla (2004), and LaPolla and Fisher (2005)

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Afrotropical species

Aenictogiton
Only males are known for this genus. The taxonomy can be regarded as unsatisfactory since it was never revised after the initial species descriptions. There are no keys available.

Afrotropical species

Aenictus
There is no modern revision available for the Afrotropical Region.

Afrotropical species

Agraulomyrmex
Prins (1983) described the genus and the two species belonging to it. No new species have been added since then.

Afrotropical species

Ankylomyrma
Monospecific genus: Ankylomyrma coronacantha Afrotropical species

Anochetus
Brown (1978) revision is valid, and no new species has been added since then.

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Afrotropical species

Anoplolepis
No revision is available for this genus.

Afrotropical species

Aphomomyrmex
Monospecific genus: Aphomomyrmex afer Afrotropical species

Apomyrma
Single species genus Apomyrma stygia Afrotropical species

Asphinctopone
Hawkes (2010) modified Bolton & Fisher (2008) and covers all species for this genus

Antwiki key is based on that reference

Afrotropical species

Atopomyrmex
Species identification can be easily performed with the species key from Bolton (1981) and the diagnostic notes in Snelling (1992), who described a third species.

Afrotropical species

Axinidris
Snelling (2007) revision is valid, and no new species has been added since then.

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Afrotropical species

Baracidris
Fernandez (2003) contains a key to the valid species described.

Antwiki key is based on that reference

Afrotropical species

Boloponera
Monospecific genus: Boloponera vicans Afrotropical species

Bondroitia
Only two species are known. The three castes of Bondroitia lujae are described, but the worker of Bondroitia saharensis remains unknown.

Bolton (1987) revises the genus.

Afrotropical species

Bothroponera
Joma & MacKay (2015) defines the Afrotropical species complexes and revises the pumicosa complex

For the rest of the species, the best available key for the Afrotropical species in this genus is Wheeler (1922). Although still interesting, the key is outdated and misses more than half the species and subspecies present in the Afrotropical Region.

Afrotropical species

Brachymyrmex
One species has been recorded for the Afrotropical Region: Brachymyrmex cordemoyi Afrotropical species

Brachyponera
Although no key is available for the afrotropical species, identification should be quite straightforward as only one introduced species (Brachyponera sennaarensis) and two subspecies (Brachyponera sennaarensis decolor, Brachyponera sennaarensis ruginota) have been cited for the region.

Afrotropical species

Calyptomyrmex
Revision of the the Afrotropical species by Bolton (1981) is still valid as no new species has been cited for the region.

Afrotropical species

Camponotus
This genus is in dire need of a profound revision, and the Afrotropical region is no exception to the rule. There are more than 250 described currently valid forms, but this number will increase probably by the dozens in the future.

A list of the Afrotropical species by subgenus can be found here

There are no recent valid keys, except for some minor species group (Robertson & Zachariades, 2007 )

Afrotropical species

Cardiocondyla
Key in Rigato (2002) offers ID for the Afrotropical Cardiocondyla except for Cardiocondyla zoserka, known from the queen caste only, Cardiocondyla obscurior cited from Comoros, and Cardiocondyla venustula

Antwiki key is based on that reference

Carebara
There's ongoing work for the Afrotropical, and some revisionary studies are being published as Fischer et al (2014) for the C. polita species group or Fischer et al (2015) for the Afrotropical C. phragmotica species group.

Cataglyphis
Only one species (Cataglyphis bicolor) and three subspecies (Cataglyphis bicolor congolensis, Cataglyphis bicolor seticornis and Cataglyphis bicolor sudanica) have been reported for the region.

Cataulacus
Bolton (1982) revises the Afrotropical species. No new species have been described since then.

Antwiki key is based in this revision and covers all the Afrotropical species except Cataulacus voeltzkowi, cited from Comoros

Centromyrmex
Bolton & Fisher (2012) revise this genus. No new species have been added to the Afrotropical region since then.

Antwiki key is based in that reference and covers all the Afrotropical species

Cerapachys
Brown (1975) revises the genus. His key (pg. 26) is still valid.

Concoctio
Monospecific genus: Concoctio concenta

Crematogaster
Extremely diverse genus in the Afrotropical region, with more than 300 described species and subspecies. No revision is available

Cryptopone
Only one species has been cited for the Afrotropical region Cryptopone hartwigi Arnold, 1948 from South Africa

Cyphoidris
Bolton (1981) revises the genus. No species have been described since then

Antwiki keys are based on this reference, are valid and cover all the species for the Afrotropical Region.

Dicroaspis
The genus revision by Bolton (1981) is still valid as no new species has described.

Antwiki key is based on that reference

Diplomorium
One species recorded for the Afrotropical Region: Diplomorium longipenne

Discothyrea
No revision is available for the genus in the Afrotropical region

Dolioponera
Monospecific genus: Dolioponera fustigera

Dorylus
The taxonomy of this genus is in very poor state, and no reliable keys to species are available.

A list of the taxons described and images available can be found here

Ecphorella
Monospecific genus: Ecphorella wellmani

Euponera
No revision is available for the Afrotropical region

Eutetramorium
One species recorded for the Afrotropical Region (Comoros): Eutetramorium monticellii

Feroponera
Monospecific genus: Feroponera ferox

Fisheropone
Monospecific genus: Fisheropone ambigua

Hypoponera
Bolton & Fisher (2011) revise the genus for the Afrotropical region. No new species has been described since then.

Lepisiota
Complex genus, with around 100 species and subspecies described. No revision is available

Leptanilla
Baroni Urbani (1977) offers a key that covers the Afrotropical species known from workers (Leptanilla boltoni). The other two species (Leptanilla africana and Leptanilla australis) are known only from males

Leptogenys
Bolton (1975) revises the genus for the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Species described since then: Leptogenys comajojo from Comoros

Linepithema
One species recorded for the Afrotropical Region: Linepithema humile

Loboponera
Bolton & Brown (2002) revises the genus and Fisher (2006) adds the species Loboponera nobiliae

Antiwiki key covers all the species for the genus

Megaponera
One species (Megaponera analis) and four subspecies (Megaponera analis crassicornis, Megaponera analis rapax, Megaponera analis subpilosa, Megaponera analis termitivora) are cited for the Afrotropical region.

No revision is available for the genus in the Afrotropical region.

Melissotarsus
Bolton (1982) revises the Afrotropical species.

Antwiki key is based on that reference, and does not cover Melissotarsus insularis from Comoros Islands

Meranoplus
Revision of the the Afrotropical species by Bolton (1981) is still valid as no new species has been cited for the region.

Mesoponera
No revision is available for the genus in the Afrotropical region

Messor
Bolton (1982) revises the Afrotropical species.

This key is dated but can be useful for identifying many Messor specimens collected in the Afrotropical region, covering all the species cited (excluding Arabian Peninsula), except Messor ferreri decribed by Collingwood in 1993, and Messor incisus and Messor ruginodis whose types are lost.

Antwiki key is based in this revision and covers all the Afrotropical species

Microdaceton
Genus revised in Bolton (2000). No new species has been described since then

Monomorium
No new species has been decribed since Bolton (1987), who revises the genus for the Afrotropics.

Antwiki key is based on that reference.

Myrmicaria
Diverse genus, with round 50 species and subspecies described for this region.

No revision is available for the genus in the Afrotropical region

Mystrium
Only one species is found in the African continent: Mystrium silvestrii, and two more for the Comoros Islands

Nesomyrmex
The genus was revised for South Africa by Mbanyana & Robertson(2008)

The species present in the Afrotropical Region but not available in the key are: Nesomyrmex cataulacoides, Nesomyrmex evelynae, Nesomyrmex grisoni, Nesomyrmex humerosus, Nesomyrmex innocens and Nesomyrmex madecassus.

Antwiki key is based on that reference.

Nylanderia
Lapolla, Hawks & Fischer (2011) revision is valid, and no new species has been added since then.

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Ocymyrmex
Bolton & Marsh (1989) revision is valid, and no new species has been added since then.

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Odontomachus
Brown 1976 revises the genus. His key is modified to include the introduced species Odontomachus simillimus.

Antwiki key covers the three reported species for the Afrotropical Region

Oecophylla
One species present (Oecophylla longinoda) with seven subspecies. There's no recent revision available for the genus.

Ophthalmopone
No revision is available for this region

Paltothyreus
One species present (Paltothyreus tarsatus) with six subspecies described. There's no recent revision available for the genus.

Paraparatrechina
Lapolla & Fisher (2104) revise the genus for the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions.

Antwiki key is based on that reference and covers all the species present.

Paratrechina
LaPolla & Fisher (2014) revises the genus.

Antwiki key is based on that reference and covers all the species for the Afrotropical region.

Parvaponera
One widespread species present (Parvaponera darwinii) with one subspecies (Parvaponera darwinii africana).

Petalomyrmex
Monospecific genus: Petalomyrmex phylax

Phasmomyrmex
Four species and two subspecies described. No revision is available

Platythyrea
Brown (1975) revises the genus, covering all the species for the region but Platythyrea matopoensis, Platythyrea mocquerysi and Platythyrea viehmeyeri.

Plectroctena
Bolton & Brown (2002) revises the genus and Fisher (2006) adds the species Plectroctena thaui

Antiwiki key covers all the species for the genus

Polyrhachis
Bolton (1973) revises the genus for the region. The keys are still valid as no new species have been described since then

Ponera
The key present in Taylor (1967) covers the three species reported for the Afrotropical Region

Prionopelta
No revision is available for the Afrotropical region

Pristomyrmex
Wang (20003) revises the genus.

Antwiki key is based on that reference and covers all the Afrotropical species

Proceratium
Baroni Urbani & de Andrade (2003) revise the genus. Hita Garcia et al (2014) revises the genus in the Afrotropical region.

Promyopias
Monospecific genus: Promyopias silvestrii

Psalidomyrmex
Bolton & Brown (2002) revises the genus and the keys are valid as no new species has been added since then

Santschiella
Monospecific genus: Santschiella kohli

Streblognathus
The genus was revised by Robertson (2002). No species have been described since then

Antwiki key is based on that reference

Strumigenys
Bolton (2000) revises the tribe in a worldwide basis.

There are two keys available for the afrotropical region, one for the species treated as Strumigenys in the revision, and other for the species treated as Pyramica and transferred to Strumigenys after the revision

Syllophopsis
This genus was formerly part of Monomorium, and as such was revised for the Afrotropics by Bolton (1987).

The hildebrandti group is revised for the Afrotropics by Sharaf& Aldawood (2013)

Temnothorax
Prebus (2015) revision is valid, and no new species has been added since then.

Antwiki keys are updated and cover all the species for the region

Terataner
Bolton (1981) revises the genus. No species have been described since then.

Antwiki keys are based on this reference, are valid and cover all the species for the Afrotropical Region.

Trichomyrmex
This genus was formerly part of Monomorium, and as such was revised for the Afrotropics by Bolton (1987).

Vicinopone
Monospecific genus: Vicinopone conciliatrix

Wasmannia
One species recorded for the Afrotropical Region: Wasmannia auropunctata

Xymmer
Monospecific genus: Xymmer muticus