Key to Philippine Myrmicinae

This worker key is based on: General, D. and G. Alpert. 2012. A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines. [http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/issue/200/ ZooKeys. 200:1-111] doi: 10.3897/zookeys.200.2447.

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 * Ants of the Philippines - list of species
 * Philippine Ants
 * Myrmicinae

1

 * In side view, antennal scrobe present below eye . . . . . 2


 * In side view, antennal scrobe absent or present above eye . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * Antenna 7-segmented; antennal scape triangular, widest near insertion and tapering distally; petiole pedunculate; propodeum armed with thin longitudinal flanges . . . . . Basiceros


 * Antenna 11-segmented; antennal scape rod-like; petiole sessile; propodeum armed with 2 thick spines . . . . . Cataulacus

3
return to couplet #1
 * Petiole lacking a distinct node . . . . . 4


 * Petiole with a distinct node . . . . . 6

4
return to couplet #3
 * Petiole transversely flattened; in dorsal view, in dorsal view, gaster roughly heart-shaped . . . . . Crematogaster


 * Petiole roughly barrel-shaped; in dorsal view, gaster not heart-shaped . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Side of head with a longitudinal ridge running below the eye, from rear border to mandibular insertion; posterolateral corner of the head not forming a blunt point . . . . . Myrmecina


 * Side of head lacking a ridge below the eye; posterolateral corner of the head forming a blunt point . . . . . Dilobocondyla

6
return to couplet #3
 * Mandibles bidentate (with 2 teeth); mesosoma without a metanotal groove . . . . . Tyrannomyrmex


 * Mandibles with more than 2 teeth; mesosoma usually with a metanotal groove . . . . . 

7
return to couplet #6
 * Petiole and postpetiole with at least some light-colored sponge-like tissue . . . . . 8


 * Petiole and postpetiole never with sponge-like tissue . . . . . 9

8
return to couplet #7
 * Sponge-like tissue only on ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole, and the 4th abdominal segment; antenna 11-segmented . . . . . Dacetinops


 * Sponge-like tissue on lateral, as well as ventral, surfaces of petiole, postpetiole, and 4th abdominal segment; antenna 4–to 6-segmented . . . . . Strumigenys

9
return to couplet #7
 * Antenna with a distal club of 2 segments . . . . . 10


 * Antenna with a distal club of 3 or 4 segments, or with an indistinct club . . . . . 15

10
return to couplet #9
 * Antennal scrobe present; head and mesosoma punctuate . . . . . Mayriella


 * Antennal scrobe absent; head and mesosoma smooth, rugose, or reticulate . . . . . 11

11
return to couplet #10
 * Head and mesosoma sculptured; petiole at most with a short peduncle . . . . . 12


 * Head and mesosoma smooth between sparse punctures; petiole pedunculate . . . . . 13

12
return to couplet #11
 * Head and mesosoma longitudinally rugose; propodeum unarmed; gaster broadly attached to postpetiole . . . . . Rhopalomastix


 * Head and mesosoma strongly reticulate; propodeum bidentate; gaster narrowly attached to postpetiole . . . . . Unnamed genus PH01

13
return to couplet #11
 * Propodeum unarmed; anterior clypeal margin with two angles, or teeth, bearing hairs . . . . . Solenopsis


 * Propodeum with a pair of spines or teeth; anterior clypeal margin simple . . . . . 14

14
return to couplet #13
 * Clypeus with 2 longitudinal carinae immediately anterior to antennal sockets; workers dimorphic . . . . . Carebara


 * Clypeus smooth and without longitudinal carinae; workers polymorphic . . . . . Pheidologeton

15
return to couplet #9
 * Antenna with 7–9 segments . . . . . 16


 * Antenna with 10–12 segments . . . . . 17

16
return to couplet #15
 * Antenna 7-segmented; mesosoma strongly reticulate; propodeal spines long; anterior peduncle of petiole as long as petiolar node height . . . . . Myrmicaria


 * Antenna 9-segmented; mesosoma weakly reticulate and shield-like; propodeal spines short; anterior peduncle shorter than petiolar node height . . . . . Meranoplus

17
return to couplet #15
 * Eyes absent . . . . . 18


 * Eyes present, even if only one ommatidium . . . . . 19

18
return to couplet #17
 * Petiole and postpetiole with prominent anteroventral processes; integument firm and sclerotized . . . . . Liomyrmex


 * Petiole and postpetiole lacking anteroventral processes; integument fragile and poorly sclerotized . . . . . Anillomyrma

19
return to couplet #17
 * In dorsal view, postpetiole swollen and at least twice as wide as petiole; antenna 12-segmented . . . . . Cardiocondyla


 * In dorsal view, postpetiole as wide as, or slightly wider than, petiole; antenna 10–to 12-segmented . . . . . 20

20
return to couplet #19
 * Clypeus with an anterior forked extension overhanging the mandibles; body covered with evenly-spaced clavate hairs . . . . . Calyptomyrmex


 * Clypeus without an anterior forked extension; body hairs not clavate . . . . . 21

21
return to couplet #20
 * Sides of clypeus immediately anterior to antennal sockets produced into a sharp ridge . . . . . 22


 * Sides of clypeus immediately anterior to antennal sockets not produced into a sharp ridge . . . . . 23

22
return to couplet #21
 * In frontal view, head roughly heart-shaped, with posterior margin of the head strongly concave; antenna 12-segmented . . . . . Rhoptromyrmex


 * In frontal view, head roughly rectangular, with posterior margin of the head at most weakly concave; antenna 10–to 12-segmented . . . . . Tetramorium

23
return to couplet #21
 * Anterior clypeal margin with a single median seta extending over the mandibles; propodeum at most with blunt angles . . . . . Monomorium


 * Anterior clypeal margin with a pair of setae, or a series of long, strong setae, or hairless; propodeum usually armed with spines . . . . . 24

24
return to couplet #23
 * Antenna 11-segmented . . . . . 25


 * Antenna 12-segmented . . . . . 30

25
return to couplet #24
 * Antennal sockets completely exposed; anterior clypeal margin denticulate . . . . . Pristomyrmex


 * Antennal sockets partially or completely covered by frontal lobes; anterior clypeal margin usually simple . . . . . 26

26
return to couplet #25
 * Antennal scrobes deep and narrow, overhung by expanded frontal carinae . . . . . Metapone


 * Antennal scrobes absent or very shallow . . . . . 27

27
return to couplet #26
 * Propodeum unarmed; in profile, petiole lacking peduncle and usually with a large subpetiolar process . . . . . Vollenhovia (in part - also )


 * Propodeum spinose; in profile, petiole pedunculated . . . . . 28

28
return to couplet #27
 * In profile, propodeal spines curving upward and forward . . . . . Recurvidris


 * In profile, propodeal spines straight . . . . . 29

29
return to couplet #28
 * Propodeal spines long and sharp; in side view, pronotum convex, much higher than propodeum . . . . . Lophomyrmex


 * Propodeal spines short and blunt; in side view, pronotum flat, almost level with propodeum . . . . . Gauromyrmex

30
return to couplet #24
 * Antenna gently expanding distally, with a weak to indistinct 4-segmented club; head strongly narrowed posteriorly . . . . . Aphaenogaster


 * Antenna abruptly expanding distally, with a distinct 3-segmented club; head not narrow posteriorly . . . . . 31

31
return to couplet #30
 * Petiole lacking a peduncle . . . . . 32


 * Petiole pedunculate . . . . . 34

32
return to couplet #31
 * Propodeum armed with stout spines (curved in dorsal view) . . . . . Romblonella


 * Propodeum unarmed or at most with denticles . . . . . 33

33
return to couplet #32
 * Petiole with a conspicuous ventral process; mandibles curved mesad and without a stem at insertion . . . . . Vollenhovia (in part - also )


 * Petiole without a conspicuous ventral process; mandibles linear-triangular and with a stem at insertion (see diagnosis in “Brief Generic Accounts”) . . . . . Unnamed genus PH03

34
return to couplet #32
 * Anterior clypeal margin overhanging mandibles and armed with blunt denticles or a median rectangular extension; in the major worker, head enormous, obscuring pronotum in dorsal view . . . . . Acanthomyrmex


 * Anterior clypeal margin not overhanging mandibles and simple; in the major worker, if present, head does not obscure pronotum in dorsal view . . . . . 35

35
return to couplet #34
 * In profile, mesosomal dorsum with a flat or weakly convex outline; petiolar node blocky or roughly rectangular . . . . . Paratopula


 * In profile, dorsal mesosomal dorsum with a strongly convex outline; petiolar node globular or rounded . . . . . 36

36
return to couplet #35
 * In profile, petiolar spiracle located on node, not on peduncle (see diagnosis in “Brief Generic Accounts”) . . . . . Unnamed genus PH02


 * In profile, petiolar spiracle located on peduncle . . . . . 37

37
return to couplet #36
 * Mandible with 5 teeth with a long diastema (toothless section) between 3rd and 4th tooth; side of head usually with a sinuate longitudinal groove running from the posterior margin to the mandibular insertion . . . . . Vombisidris


 * Mandibular dentition not as above; sinuate longitudinal groove at side of head absent . . . . . 38

38
return to couplet #37
 * In profile, petiole with a short anterior peduncle; workers monomorphic . . . . . Lordomyrma


 * In profile, petiole with a long anterior peduncle; workers dimorphic . . . . . Pheidole