Key to New World Acropyga Queens

This key to queens is based on LaPolla, J. S. 2004. Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World. The American Entomological Institute 33(3):1-130.

This key must be used with caution because the queen caste is unknown for many species. Additionally only a few specimens were available for study in the vast majority of species in which queens were known, so, the limits of variation remain uncertain for most species. Queens are unknown for the following species and therefore are not included in this key: Acropyga dubitata, Acropyga keira, Acropyga palaga, Acropyga romeo and Acropyga stenotes.

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1

 * Basal tooth of mandible greatly enlarged, roughly square to rectangular in shape . . . . . 2


 * Basal tooth of mandible not enlarged, roughly triangular in shape . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * 8 segmented antennae, with apical segment appearing swollen, twice as wide as other segments and almost as long as all other funicular segments combined; mandible with large, roughly rectangular, apically truncated basal tooth . . . . . Acropyga panamensis


 * 11 segmented antennae, apical segment not swollen; mandible with large, roughly square basal tooth with three distinct cusps, the first two cusps (from apical tooth) are smaller than the third cusp which is offset by a small diastema . . . . . Acropyga tricuspis

3
return to couplet #1
 * Smaller species (TL: < 2.3); head width < 0.4 1 mm . . . . . Acropyga smithii


 * Larger species (TL: > 2 . 3 mm); head width > 0.4 1 mm . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * In full frontal view, inner mandibular margin parallel to anterior clypeal margin when mandibles are fully closed; no gap is present between inner mandibular margin and anterior clypeal margin when mandibles fully closed; dorsal surface of mandibles noticeably hairy (approximately 20 hairs) . . . . . Acropyga donisthorpei


 * In full frontal view, inner mandibular margin not parallel to anterior clypeal margin when mandibles are fully closed; gap is present between inner mandibular margin and anterior clypeal margin when mandibles fully closed; dorsal surface of mandibles of variable hairiness, though typically less than 20 hairs present on dorsal surface . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Clypeus without a dense covering of hairs; antennae with 10-11 segments . . . . . Acropyga guianensis


 * Clypeus with a dense covering of hairs; antennae with 8-11 segments . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #6
 * Antennae with 8 segments; mandible with 4 equally sized teeth . . . . . Acropyga fuhrmanni


 * Antennae with 8-11 segments, but if with 8 segments then mandible with only 3 equally sized teeth; otherwise mandible with 3-5 teeth . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * Third mandibular tooth smaller than other teeth . . . . . Acropyga ayanganna


 * Third mandibular tooth not smaller than other teeth . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Head width < 0.55 mm; mandible with 3 teeth, never 4 . . . . . Acropyga exsanguis


 * Head width > 0.55 mm; mandible with 3-5 teeth . . . . . 9

9
return to couplet #8
 * Mandible with 5 teeth and a short diastema present between 4th tooth and basal tooth . . . . . Acropyga hirsutula

tooth and basal tooth . . . . . 10
 * Mandible with 3-5 teeth; if with 5 teeth then a short diastema is not present between 4th

10
return to couplet #9
 * Dorsal surface of mandibles with at least 1 0 hairs of about the same length as the mandibular teeth; mandible with 4-5 teeth . . . . . Acropyga decedens


 * Dorsal surface of mandibles with fewer than 1 0 hairs, and these are shorter in length than the mandibular teeth; mandible with 4 or fewer teeth . . . . . 11

11
return to couplet #10
 * Head width > 0.62 mm . . . . . Acropyga goeldii


 * Head width < 0.62 mm . . . . . 12

12
return to couplet #11
 * Hispaniola only . . . . . Acropyga parvidens


 * Southeastem Arizona (USA) . . . . . Acropyga epedana