Pseudomyrmex species groups

Based on Ward 1985, 1989. This list is incomplete

ferrugineus group

 * Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus
 * Pseudomyrmex flavicornis
 * Pseudomyrmex nigrocinctus
 * Pseudomyrmex peperi
 * Pseudomyrmex spinicola
 * Pseudomyrmex veneficus

gracilis group
Large black, orange, or bicolored species (HW > 1.20), with broad head, large eyes (REL > 0.50), and relatively long scapes (SI ~ 0.50); frontal carinae subcontiguous; lateral margins of pronotum angled; petiole usually long, with a distinct anterior peduncle. Erect pilosity abundant on body and appendages, including propedeum, scapes and legs.


 * Pseudomyrmex alternans
 * Pseudomyrmex alvarengai
 * Pseudomyrmex atripes
 * Pseudomyrmex cladoicus
 * Pseudomyrmex excisus
 * Pseudomyrmex faber
 * Pseudomyrmex godmani
 * Pseudomyrmex gracilis
 * Pseudomyrmex laevigatus
 * Pseudomyrmex maculatus
 * Pseudomyrmex major
 * Pseudomyrmex niger
 * Pseudomyrmex nigropilosus
 * Pseudomyrmex osurus
 * Pseudomyrmex pupa
 * Pseudomyrmex simulans
 * Pseudomyrmex squamifer
 * Pseudomyrmex unicolor
 * Pseudomyrmex venustus

oculatus group
Diagnosis (worker). Small to medium-size species (HW 0.47-0.98), head longer than broad, often markedly so (CI 0.61-0.88), with medium to large eyes (REL 0.48-0.61); mandibles with external and basal margins parallel or diverging slightly (MD1/MD2 0.87-1.00); basal margin of mandibles with a single distal tooth, masticatory margin with five or (less commonly) six teeth; frontal carinae subcontiguous (FCI 0.017-0.047), fusing anterolaterally with the antennal sclerites, so that in lateral view the frontal carinae do not form a continuous curve with the clypeus (in contrast to the P. subtilissimus group); median lobe of clypeus tectiform, notably produced anteriorly, the anterior margin sharp-edged and weakly flared; in dorsal view anterior margin of median clypeal lobe convex and laterally rounded; petiolar node relatively short and high (PU 0.67-1.06), anterior peduncle not conspicuously developed. Head and mesosoma at least partly punctate, and usually with substantial areas of the integument opaque or subopaque. Erect pilosity conspicuous on most parts of body, including the antennae, legs, head, and dorsum of mesosoma. Body covered with light to moderate density of fine pubescence. Palpal formula: 6,3 (reduced to 5,3 in Pseudomyrmex eduardi, Pseudomyrmex pisinnus, and in some individuals of Pseudomyrmex caeciliae and Pseudomyrmex urbanus; these species are among the smallest in the group).

Comments. The present concept of the P. oculatus group is a much expanded one from that given in Kempf (1961), who treated only three species. Within the P. oculatus group, I have included also the cluster of species allied to Pseudomyrmex elongatus (Mayr) (the "elongatus group" of Ward [1985]). As presently defined, the P. oculatus group is minimally diagnosed by the following combination of worker features: tectiform clypeal lobe, with weakly flared, sharp-edged, anterior margin; relatively short, high, apendunculate petiole); and conspicuous standing pilosity. Relationships with the P. subtilissimus group are discussed under the latter.

Within the P. oculatus group are several reasonably distinctive species, but a bewildering residue of forms remains centering around Pseudomyrmex caeciliae (Forel), Pseudomyrmex cubaensis (Forel) and Pseudomyrmex urbanus (F. Smith). Species relationships within what may be called the urbanus complex have not been resolved fully in this study, and will require more extensive material and further analysis (particularly larger samples of worker-associated males and queens).


 * Pseudomyrmex alustratus
 * Pseudomyrmex caeciliae
 * Pseudomyrmex cretus
 * Pseudomyrmex cubaensis
 * Pseudomyrmex curacaensis
 * Pseudomyrmex eduardi
 * Pseudomyrmex elongatus
 * Pseudomyrmex oculatus
 * Pseudomyrmex pisinnus
 * Pseudomyrmex schuppi
 * Pseudomyrmex urbanus

pallens group

 * Pseudomyrmex adustus
 * Pseudomyrmex apache
 * Pseudomyrmex championi
 * Pseudomyrmex elongatulus
 * Pseudomyrmex gibbinotus
 * Pseudomyrmex incurrens
 * Pseudomyrmex longus
 * Pseudomyrmex lynceus
 * Pseudomyrmex monochrous
 * Pseudomyrmex pallens
 * Pseudomyrmex phyllophilus
 * Pseudomyrmex salvini

pallidus group
Small yellow, orange or brown species (HW 0.55 – 1.04), with elongate head (CI 0.75 – 0.91); scapes usually short; frontal carinae contiguous or subcontiguous; lateral margins of pronotum rounded; petiole usually slender, with an anterior peduncle (PLI 0.43 – 0.69; PWI 0.68 – 0.65). Erect pilosity scarce, lacking on the mesonotum and propeum.


 * Pseudomyrmex acanthobius
 * Pseudomyrmex brunneus
 * Pseudomyrmex colei
 * Pseudomyrmex distinctus
 * Pseudomyrmex ejectus
 * Pseudomyrmex ethicus
 * Pseudomyrmex euryblemma
 * Pseudomyrmex fiebrigi
 * Pseudomyrmex flavidulus
 * Pseudomyrmex holmgreni
 * Pseudomyrmex leptosus
 * Pseudomyrmex laevivertex
 * Pseudomyrmex lizeri
 * Pseudomyrmex pallidus
 * Pseudomyrmex pazosi
 * Pseudomyrmex peruvianus
 * Pseudomyrmex rochai
 * Pseudomyrmex rufiventris
 * Pseudomyrmex seminole
 * Pseudomyrmex simplex
 * Pseudomyrmex solisi
 * Pseudomyrmex terminalis

sericeus group

 * Pseudomyrmex beccarii
 * Pseudomyrmex fortis
 * Pseudomyrmex ita
 * Pseudomyrmex lisus
 * Pseudomyrmex pictus
 * Pseudomyrmex rubiginosus
 * Pseudomyrmex sericeus
 * Pseudomyrmex vinneni

subtilissimus group
Diagnosis (worker). Small species (HW 0.48-0.73), with subopaque, densely punctulate, and elongate head (CI 0.56-0.73); mandibles as in the P. oculatus group; frontal carinae distinctive: subcontiguous (FCI 0.023-0.066), raised anterodorsally, and merging insensibly into the clypeus (rather than fusing with the antennal sclerite), so that in lateral view they form a continuous curve with the median clypeal lobe; the latter tectiform and protruding, with the anterior margin weakly flared and sharp-edged laterally, but not medially; in dorsal view, median clypeal lobe broadly rounded anteriorly; scapes very short (SI2 0.44-0.59); funicular segments II and III much broader than long (FLI 0.96-1.30); fore femur notably broadened (FI 0.44-0.60); petiole relatively low, long, and slender (PLI 0.54-0.75, PWI 0.48-0.68), without a differentiated peduncle and node, appearing dorsally flattened in lateral profile. Erect pilosity very sparse, lacking on the antennae, legs, and most of head and mesosoma; a characteristic pair of rather long setae present on the pronotal humeri, on the propodeum at the juncture of the basal and declivitous faces, and on the petiolar dorsum. Pubescence covering most of the body, exceptionally fine and inconspicuous in three of the four species. Palp formula: 6,3.

Comments. This is a small, discrete group of species, uniquely characterized by the configuration of the frontal carinae and the clypeus. The elongate head, short scapes, flattened apedunculate petiole, and patterns of pilosity are also distinctive. Features shared with the P. oculatus group include the protruding, tectiform, median clypeal lobe; palp formula of 6, 3; and elongate head and eyes. In addition preliminary observations suggest similarities in the male genitalia which, together with the shared worker characters, support the notion of a close relationship between these two groups.


 * Pseudomyrmex spiculus
 * Pseudomyrmex subtilissimus
 * Pseudomyrmex tenuissimus
 * Pseudomyrmex villosus

tenuis group

 * Pseudomyrmex boopis
 * Pseudomyrmex denticollis
 * Pseudomyrmex tenuis
 * Pseudomyrmex termitarius

viduus group

 * Pseudomyrmex concolor
 * Pseudomyrmex dendroicus
 * Pseudomyrmex kuenckeli
 * Pseudomyrmex malignus
 * Pseudomyrmex tachigaliae
 * Pseudomyrmex triplaridis
 * Pseudomyrmex triplarinus
 * Pseudomyrmex viduus