Key to Lasius-Nearctic Acanthomyops queens

This worker key is based on: Wing, M. W. 1968. Taxonomic revision of the Nearctic genus Acanthomyops (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Cornell University, New York State College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, NY, Memoir No. 405. 173 pages.

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Lasius

This key is the most reliable of the three. A large number of distinctive characters, representing several lines of specialization, are present in this caste. Also a fairly sizable collection of specimens was available for study. The key is thus relatively uncomplicated, even though some extreme. variants were included.

The number of outcomes in the key is 18. This includes 14 species and 5 hybrid taxa, 2 of which are lumped together. Only colei remains unknown in the queen caste. In general the queen key should lead to correct identification of specimens about 99 percent of the time, often with only single specimens available.