Mycetophylax Genera

Klingenberg and Brandão (2009. Revision of the fungus-growing ant genera Mycetophylax Emery and Paramycetophylax Kusnezov rev. stat. and description of Kalathomyrmex n. gen. Zootaxa 2052: 1-31. [[Media:Klingenberg & Brandao 2009.pdf|PDF]]) revised a collection of species that were considered to belong to the genus Mycetophylax . They proposed these species constituted three genera and provided the following key to discriminate these taxa.

1

 * Subtriangular head, without psammophore. Posterior margin of postpetiole straight, without any median impression. Color light to dark brown. Lives exclusively in dunes and “restingas” of the Atlantic Ocean; preferring arid habitats with sandy soil . . . . . Mycetophylax


 * Quadrate or subquadrate head, long setae at clypeus forming a psammophore. Posterior margin of postpetiole with a median impression. Color reddish-brown or brownish. Not restricted to Atlantic Ocean beaches . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Clypeal psammophore setae arising close to the anterior margin of the clypeus; median clypeal seta present; clypeal latero-posterior margins not strongly produced as rounded ridges. Postpetiole triangular when seen from above. Frontal lobes triangular and well developed. Color brownish . . . . . Paramycetophylax


 * Clypeal psammophore setae arising from the midportion of the clypeus medially and at the posterior margin laterally; median clypeal seta lacking; clypeal latero-posterior margins strongly produced as rounded ridges, resulting in a large circular area where the antennal scapes articulate. Postpetiole heart-shaped when seen from above. Frontal lobes reduced, but almost covering the antennal insertions. Color reddish-brown . . . . . Kalathomyrmex