Key to Prenolepis

This key to the genera of the Prenolepis genus-group is based on: Williams, J.L. and LaPolla, J.S. 2016. Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the ant genus Prenolepis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 4200(2): 201–258. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4200.2.1

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Prenolepis

1

 * In profile view, petiole narrow and elongate (PetWI < 55) with a rounded dorsal apex of the scale (Figs 51, 52, 54–56); in full-face view, torulae not touching the posterior border of clypeus (Figs 39–41, 43, 44, 50) . . . . . 2


 * In profile view, petiole short and broad (PetWI > 55) and forward-inclined with a sharply-angled dorsal apex of the scale (Fig 53); in full-face view, torulae overlapping with the posterior border of clypeus (Figs 38, 42, 45–49) . . . . . 7

2
return to couplet #1
 * Ocelli absent; compound eyes surpassing the lateral margins of head in full-face view; scapes with appressed setae . . . . . 3


 * Three small ocelli present; compound eyes not surpassing the lateral margins of head in full-face view; scapes with erect setae . . . . . 5

3
return to couplet #2
 * Small (TL < 2.70mm), robust with short legs (HTI < 150), antennae (SI < 160), and mesosoma (BLI < 175); body light to medium brown; in profile view, posterodorsal part of propodeum obtusely angled (Fig 20); petiolar scale low in profile with a weakly sinuate anteroventral outline (Fig 54) . . . . . Prenolepis jacobsoni


 * Medium to large (TL > 2.70mm), gracile with elongate legs (HTI > 185), antennae (SI > 175), and mesosoma (BLI > 175); body uniformly dark brown to black; posterodorsal part of propodeum in profile view roundly produced, much higher than pronotum (Figs 21, 27); petiolar scale high in profile with a roughly subtriangular anterodorsal outline and almost straight ven-tral outline (Figs 55, 56) . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * Overall cuticle shiny and smooth to lightly reticulate; pubescence completely absent on the dorsal surface of pronotum, propodeum, or gaster . . . . . Prenolepis jerdoni


 * Overall cuticle dull and finely reticulate; thick patches of pubescence present on the dorsal surface of pronotum, propodeum, and gaster . . . . . Prenolepis subopaca

5
return to couplet #2
 * Body uniformly dark brown to black; head roughly subtriangular in shape; cuticle of head lightly reticulate; ectal surface of mandibles with light longitudinal striations; in profile view, the ventral surface of petiole almost straight (Fig 55) . . . . . Prenolepis fisheri


 * Head and mesosoma light brown in overall color; ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; in profile view, the ventral sur-face of petiole is curved upward toward the anterior articulation with the metanotum (Figs 51, 52) . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #5
 * Body light brown with little to no difference in color among head, mesosoma, and gaster; head roughly square in full-face view; cuticle of head lightly reticulate; in profile view, dorsal outline of petiolar scale roughly subtriangular in shape (Fig 51) . . . . . Prenolepis darlena


 * Head and mesosoma light brown and gaster distinctly dark brown to black; head roughly subtriangular in full-face view; cuti-cle of head finely rugoreticulate; in profile view, petiole club-shaped with dorsal outline of petiolar scale rounded (Fig 52) . . . . . Prenolepis fustinoda

7
return to couplet #1
 * In full-face view, compound eyes strongly convex, surpassing the lateral margins of head; anterior border of clypeus without a pair of prominent anterolateral lobes . . . . . Prenolepis naoroji


 * In full-face view, compound eyes weakly convex and not surpassing the lateral margins of head; anterior border of clypeus with a pair of prominent anterolateral lobes (Figs 38, 42, 45, 46, 48, 49) . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Large (TL > 4.25mm); in profile view, propodeum with a rounded dorsal face (Fig 23); head and mesosoma yellow-brown, and gaster dark brown to black . . . . . Prenolepis melanogaster


 * Small to medium (TL < 4.25mm); in profile view, propodeum with a flat to softly rounded dorsal face, posterodorsally obtusely angled (Figs 15, 19, 22, 25, 26) . . . . . 9

9
return to couplet #8
 * Scapes with erect setae; body dark brown, with a faint blue cuticular iridescence . . . . . Prenolepis angularis


 * Scapes with appressed setae; body light to dark brown, without a faint blue cuticular iridescence . . . . . 10

10
return to couplet #9
 * Compound eyes round in shape, medium-sized (distinctly smaller than those of other Prenolepis species); interocular distance relatively long (REL3 < 35) . . . . . Prenolepis mediops


 * Compound eyes oval in shape, relatively large; interocular distance relatively short (REL3 > 40) . . . . . 11

11
return to couplet #10
 * Ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny, without longitudinal striations; in profile view, border of mesonotum bulges and rises above pronotum (Fig 26) . . . . . Prenolepis shanialena


 * Ectal surface of mandibles with deep longitudinal striations . . . . . 12

12
return to couplet #11
 * In profile view, mesosoma more robust at the mesonotal constriction (Fig 25); distributed across southeastern Europe, the Bal-kan Peninsula, Turkey, and east to Georgia . . . . . Prenolepis nitens


 * In profile view, mesosoma slender at the mesonotal constriction (Fig 19); distributed across North America, from southern Canada to Mexico . . . . . Prenolepis imparis