Key to Old World Acropyga Males

This key to males 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 males are unknown for many species. Additionally, only a few specimens were available for study in the vast majority of species in which males were known, so, the limits of variation remain uncertain for most species. In some cases the most distinctive characteristics of males are found in the terminalia, and examination of these characters may require dissection. Males are unknown for the following species and therefore are not included in this key: Acropyga ambigua, Acropyga bakwele, Acropyga dubia, Acropyga lauta, Acropyga oceanica, Acropyga paleartica and Acropyga silvestrii.

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1

 * Southern Africa; in ventral view digitus strongly bent toward corresponding cuspus; parameres wide and broadly rounded caudally; mandible with 5-6 teeth . . . . . Acropyga arnoldi


 * Australasian, Indo-Australian and Oriental regions; in ventral view digitus not strongly bent toward cuspus; parameres not wide and broadly rounded caudally; mandible with 5 or fewer teeth . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Basal mandibular tooth enlarged and rectangular, apically truncated . . . . . 3


 * Basal mandibular tooth not enlarged and rectangular, apically truncated . . . . . 5

3
return to couplet #2 . . . . . Acropyga butteli
 * Lateral surface of parameres with layer of appressed hairs, becoming shorter and more densely abundant toward base, and longer and sparser caudally; head width > 0.45 mm


 * Lateral surface of parameres with widely spaced short appressed hairs of even distribution across surface; head width < 0.45 mm . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * Third mandibular tooth apically truncate as in basal tooth . . . . . Acropyga inezae


 * Third mandibular tooth never apically truncate as in basal tooth . . . . . Acropyga nipponensis

5
return to couplet #2
 * In dorsal view, parameres with distinct dorsolateral expansions concealing digiti and cuspi from view . . . . . 6


 * In dorsal view, parameres without dorsolateral expansions, digiti and cuspi visible . . . . . 7

6
return to couplet #5
 * Base of parameres with sparse layer of short appressed hairs; widespread species (Australasian, Indo-Australian and Oriental regions) . . . . . Acropyga acutiventris


 * Base of parameres with dense layer of appressed hairs eastern India and Sri Lanka only . . . . . Acropyga rubescens

7
return to couplet #5
 * In ventral view, digiti about 2 times longer than cuspi . . . . . 8


 * In ventral view, digiti about the same size as cuspi . . . . . 9

8
return to couplet #7
 * Digiti with small peg-like teeth only found approximately at midlength where cuspi meet; digiti with indentation where they meet cuspi . . . . . Acropyga myops


 * Digiti with small peg-like teeth along medial margin, stretching well beyond midlength to apex; digiti without indentation where cuspi approach digiti . . . . . Acropyga sauteri

9
return to couplet #7
 * In lateral view, parameres wide (not losing much width immediately after base of parameres), tapering symmetrically to caudally directed point; in lateral view parameres arrow-shaped; mandible with 6 teeth . . . . . Acropyga hystrix


 * In lateral view, parameres either tapering to a point with parameres thin throughout length (losing consider width immediately after base of para meres) or if parameres wide (not losing much width immediately after base of para meres) then tapering asymmetrically to a posterodorsal point; in lateral view parameres roughly rectangular; mandible with 2-5 teeth . . . . . 10

10
return to couplet #9
 * Mandible with 4-5 teeth; parameres thin (losing consider width immediately after base of parameres) throughout length . . . . . Acropyga pallida


 * Mandible with 2 teeth; parameres wide (not losing much width immediately after base of parameres), then tapering to posterodorsal point . . . . . Acropyga yaeyamensis