Key to Acanthostichus males

This key to males is based on: [[Media:MacKay 1996.pdf|MacKay, W.P. 1996. A revision of the ant genus Acanthostichus. Sociobiology 27:129-179. PDF]]

Use with caution - males of many species are unknown.

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 * Acanthostichus
 * Key to Acanthostichus workers
 * Key to US Acanthostichus species

1

 * Teeth of subgenital plate thickened (Fig. 77); northeastern Mexico and extreme southeastern Texas (and probably unknown male of A. emmae MacKay) . . . . . Acanthostichus texanus


 * Teeth of subgenital plate elongate and spiniform (Fig. 78); primarily South America . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Petiole (from above) subquadrate, or at least usually broader than long (Fig. 70), often wider anteriorly than posteriorly . . . . . 3


 * Petiole much longer than broad (Fig. 71) . . . . . 5

3
return to couplet #2
 * Petiole with paired, oblique, strongly constricted regions extending from nearly the top of node posteriorly along side of node (Fig. 69) . . . . . Acanthostichus femoralis


 * Sides of petiole without strongly constricted regions . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * Body (especially propodeum and petiole) usually with shiny bluish or purplish reflections; node of petiole rounded anteriorly (Figs. 59, 70); widely distributed, commonly collected . . . . . Acanthostichus fuscipennis


 * Body without bluish reflections; node of petiole truncate anteriorly (Figs. 67, 68); rarely collected (Brazil) . . . . . Acanthostichus brevinodis

5
return to couplet #2
 * Head and alitrunk with numerous, long, flexuous hairs, at least some on alitrunk about 2/3 times as long as maximum diameter of eye (Fig. 61); southern Brazil, rarely collected . . . . . Acanthostichus flexuosus


 * Head and alitrunk with shorter, scattered, mostly straight hairs, most less than 1/2 length of maximum diameter of eye (Fig. 59); commonly collected . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #5
 * Small (WL < 1.90 mm); volume of first segment of funiculus about 1/2 volume of scape (Fig. 63); without bluish reflections . . . . . Acanthostichus brevicornis


 * Usually larger (WL > 1.90 mm); if smaller, volume offirst segment of funiculus about 1/4 or less volume of scape (Fig. 64); body usually with bluish reflections, at least on pronotum and head . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * Apices of volsellae not strongly curved outward (Fig. 82); dorsum of petiole with long, lateral, depressed areas; usually light yellowish-brown . . . . . 8


 * Apices of volsellae strongly curved away from midline of body (Fig. 83); dorsum of petiole without depressed areas (except possibly at anterior of node - Fig. 72); concolorous dark brown . . . . . 9

8
return to couplet #7
 * Anterior edge of petiolar node truncate, edge straight and perpendicular to long axis of petiole (as seen from above) . . . . . Acanthostichus kirbyi


 * Anterior edge of petiolar node pointed, petiole in shape of bullet (as seen from above) . . . . . Acanthostichus serratulus

9
return to couplet #7
 * Scape not noticeably thickened (Fig. 65, SW/SL < 0.6), somewhat “drumstick” shaped; dorsal face of propodeum smooth and glossy, descending face fmely leather-like . . . . . Acanthostichus quadratus


 * Scape very broad (Fig. 64, SW/SL > 0.6), not “drumstick” shaped; dorsal face of propodeum usually leather-like, descending face with transverse costulae . . . . . Acanthostichus laticornis