Hispaniola Ant Genera

Genera are listed alphabetically within their respective subfamilies.

Additional information about the ants of the island can be found here: Ants of Hispaniola

Hispaniola Subfamilies Key

Fulakora
The lone representative of its subfamily, Fulakora falcata, has been collected in Jaragua National Park in Pedernales, Dominican Republic.

Dolichoderinae
Key to Hispaniola Dolichoderinae Genera

Bothriomyrmex
There is a single species, Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus, known from Hispaniola.

Dorymyrmex
There is a single species, Dorymyrmex antillanus, known from Hispaniola.

Linepithema
Key to Linepithema of Hispaniola

Tapinoma
Key to Tapinoma of Hispaniola

Dorylinae
There are two species, in two different genera, in this subfamily that occur on Hispaniola. The following couplet will separate these two species.


 * Well developed antennal scrobes present; well developed eye present; head and mesosoma longitudinally striate . . . . . Cylindromyrmex darlingtoni


 * Antennal scrobes absent; if eye present small and simple; head and mesosoma foveolate ,. . . . . Syscia sp.

Cylindromyrmex
There is a single species, Cylindromyrmex darlingtoni, known from Hispaniola.

Syscia
There is a single worker of an undescribed species that was collected in the Dominican Republic. (images)

Gnamptogenys
Key to Gnamptogenys of Hispaniola

Formicinae

 * Key to Hispaniola Formicinae Genera

Acropyga
There are two species present, one known from workers and the other known from males. The workers of the latter, one would assume, are similar to other species in the genus.

Brachymyrmex
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Brachymyrmex species.

Camponotus
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Camponotus species.

Myrmelachista
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * In full face view, outline of the sides of head evenly concave across its entire margin; brown to brownish-red head and mesosoma; the darker blackish gaster contrasts with the lighter dark-brown to brown mesosoma . . . . . Myrmelachista ramulorum


 * In full face view, sides of head not evenly concave, the sides and top of head in outline roughly rectangular in shape (slightly concave from above eye to top of head in full face view); body jet black and shiny with some lighter yellowish coloration in antennae, lower part of head adjacent to mandibles, mandibles, margins of gastral segments and the distal portions of legs . . . . . Myrmelachista gagates

Nylanderia
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Nylanderia species.

Paratrechina
There is a single species, Paratrechina longicornis, known from Hispaniola.

Zatania
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * Larger species (HW <0.6 mm), head and mesosoma pale yellowish brown with gaster a slightly darker brown, in profile view erect hairs on dorsum of mesosoma confined to pronotum . . . . . Zatania darlingtoni


 * Larger species (HW ~0.9 mm), head and mesosoma reddish brown with darker black gaster, in profile view erect hairs present across entire dorsum of mesosoma . . . . . Zatania gibberosa

Myrmicinae

 * Key to Hispaniola Myrmicinae Genera

Aphaenogaster
There is a single species, Aphaenogaster relicta, known from Hispaniola.

Cardiocondyla
Key to Cardiocondyla of Hispaniola

Cephalotes
Key to Cephalotes of Hispaniola

Crematogaster
There is no key to separate the two Hispaniola species. If you have collected a Crematogaster, it is likely to be Crematogaster steinheili (compare with images on the species page).

Cyphomyrmex
There is no key to separate the two Hispaniola species.

Eurhopalothrix
There is a single species, Eurhopalothrix floridana, known from Hispaniola.

Monomorium
Key to Monomorium of Hispaniola

Mycetomoellerius
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * Four tuberculate longitudinal ridges on the first gastric tergite. Supraocular projection spine-like; head and gaster may be darker than what is a more yellowish-brown mesosoma . . . . . Mycetomoellerius jamaicensis


 * Two tuberculate longitudinal ridges may be present on first gastral tergite, but tuberculatess not well developed. Supraocular projection absent or vestigial; the whole body dark reddish brown . . . . . Mycetomoellerius haytianus

Mycocepurus
There is a single species, Mycocepurus smithii, known from Hispaniola.

Pheidole
Key to Pheidole of Hispaniola

Pogonomyrmex
Key to Pogonomyrmex of Hispaniola

Rogeria
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Rogeria species.

Solenopsis
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Solenopsis species.

Solenopsis geminata is the only large-bodied polymorphic Solenopsis species known from the island. The large workers and the range of worker sizes readily separate this species from its congeners. Solenopsis globularia has a large globulose postpetiola and is the sole Hispaniola thief ant that can be definitively determined to species. The remaining small Solenopsis species from the island have a distinctively narrower postpetiole. At present there is no reliable means of identifying the set of narrow postpetiole Solenopsis species nor is not clear how many species are present.

Strumigenys
There are 11 species of Strumigenys present. Nine species are widely distributed species, being either Neotropical or tropical tramps. The two remaining species are endemic. Almost all the specimens of the endemics were collected in contemporary litter samples.

Key to  Strumigenys of Hispaniola

Temnothorax
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Temnothorax species.

Tetramorium
Key to Tetramorium of Hispaniola

Trichomyrmex
There is a single species, Trichomyrmex destructor, known from Hispaniola.

Wasmannia
There is a single species, Wasmannia auropunctata, known from Hispaniola.

Ponerinae

 * Key to Hispaniola Ponerinae Genera

Anochetus
Key to Anochetus of Hispaniola

Hypoponera
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Hypoponera species.

Leptogenys
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * In full face view outline of sides of head, from the occiput to the area adjacent to the mandibles, diverging, head width increases from occiput to clypeus; in lateral view sides of metanotum, propodeum and petiole with some sculpture, not entirely smooth and shiny . . . . . Leptogenys pubiceps


 * In full face view outline of sides of head, from the occiput to the area adjacent to the mandibles, roughly parallel; in lateral view sides of metanotum, propodeum and petiole smooth and shining (a variable species, workers may vary in the expression of these characters) . . . . . Leptogenys antillana

Odontomachus
A taxonomic revision is needed to clarify the identity of the island's Odontomachus species.

Platythyrea
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * In side view head, mesosoma and gaster coarsely punctate . . . . . Platythyrea punctata


 * In side view head, mesosoma and gaster relatively smooth and without coarse punctuation . . . . . Platythyrea strenua

Pseudoponera
The following couplet can be used to separate the two species of this genus that are known to occur on the island:


 * Six or seven mandibular teeth; clypeus divided by central horizontal carina; relatively smaller workers, total length usually < 4 mm; subpetiolar process angulate posteriorly, forming two laminae or flanges . . . . . Pseudoponera succedanea 

The subpetiolar process of P. succedanea, in comparison to P. stigma, is more rectangular in shape. The arrow in the image points to the center of one posterior flange. The flange is darker than the rest of the lateral side of the subpetiolar process and there is also a darkly-colored linear seam evident where the flange arises from the posterior process (click on the image to open a larger, more detailed view of these features). In this view, the second flange is on the opposite side of the posterior edge of the posterior process thus is hidden by the first flange.


 * Six mandibular teeth; poorly developed or no central horizontal carina on clypeus; subpetiolar process rounded posteriorly, workers relatively larger (>4.5 mm) . . . . . Pseudoponera stigma

Thaumatomyrmex
There are two undescribed species known from the island.

Proceratiinae
There are two genera of this subfamily present in Hispaniola. The following couplet will separate these genera:
 * Apical segment of antenna greatly enlarged in width in comparison to remaining funicular antennal segments, and its length more than half as long as the total length of the remainder of funicular segments combined; mandibles with a single tooth at their apex . . . . . Discothyrea . . . one species present: Discothyrea testacea


 * Apical antennal segment not as long or enlarged as detailed above; numerous teeth present on mandibles . . . . . Proceratium, see below

Discothyrea
There is a single species, Discothyrea testacea, known from Hispaniola.

Proceratium
Two species are known from Hispaniola. Proceratium longiscapus is known from a single queen collected at a light trap. The other species, Proceratium taino, is known from workers and a tentatively associated queen.

Pseudomyrmex
Key to Pseudomyrmex of Hispaniola