Key to Nesomyrmex species groups of the Afrotropical region

This worker key is modified from: [[Media:Hita Garcia et al 2017.pdf|Hita Garcia, F., N. Mbanyana, T.L. Audisco, and G.D. Alpert. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique. European Journal of Taxonomy. 258:1–31. (DOI:10.5852/ejt.2017.258).]]

The identification key to species groups is loosely based on Bolton (1982) and Mbanyana & Robertson (2008), and also incorporates ideas from Snelling (1992).

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Nesomyrmex

1

 * Antennae with 11 segments (Fig. 2A); petiolar node and postpetiole with conspicuous and very well developed lateral spines (Fig. 2B) . . . . . Nesomyrmex cataulacoides group


 * Antennae with 12 segments (Fig. 2D); petiolar node and postpetiole never with conspicuous and very well developed lateral spines as above, at most petiolar node with small, lateral denticles (Fig. 2C, E–F) . . . . . 2

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 * Anterior clypeal lobe short, flat-margined, and never convex, lobe with a small median triangular projection (Fig. 3A); pronotum anterodorsally sharply marginate, with sharp, dentate corners (Fig. 2C); petiole barrel-shaped with very weakly developed, short and triangular petiolar node (Fig. 3B) . . . . . Nesomyrmex humerosus group


 * Anterior clypeal lobe always conspicuously developed, usually convex and variably rounded, sometimes flat, but never with a small median triangular projection (Fig. 3C); pronotum anterodorsally either rounded or weakly marginate but without sharp, dentate corners (Fig. 2E–F); petiole variably shaped, but never as above, usually with very well developed petiolar node (Fig. 3D) . . . . . 3

3
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 * Propodeal spines present and conspicuous, usually long and narrow, in profile distinctly longer than their basal width (Fig. 4A–B); hairs on dorsum of mesosoma always present, short, and blunt (Fig. 4A–B) . . . . . Nesomyrmex angulatus group


 * Propodeal spines usually absent (Fig. 4D), if present, then very short and broad, in profile no longer than their basal width (Fig. 4C); hairs on dorsum of mesosoma variably developed: usually long, fine and acute, sometimes absent, and only very rarely short and blunt . . . . . Nesomyrmex simoni group