Key to Arabian Technomyrmex

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Sharaf, M.R., Al Dhafer, H.M. et al. 2018. Review of the ant genus Technomyrmex in the Arabian Peninsula.pdf|Sharaf, M. R., Al Dhafer, H. M. and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Review of the ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr, 1872 in the Arabian Peninsula (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 780: 35–59.]]

They note: We include T. vexatus in the key of the Arabian Technomyrmex as it is the only other West Palaearctic species of its group and may well be discovered in other areas, beside Morocco and Gibraltar where it now is known.

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 * Technomyrmex
 * Ants of Saudi Arabia

1

 * Head in profile with the dorsal surface of the frontal carina entirely without setae (Fig. 1a); mesosoma without setae (Fig. 1b); gibbosus-group . . . . . 2


 * Head in profile with the dorsal surface of the frontal carina with setae present (Fig. 1c); at least one seta present, or more usually with a row of 2–4; mesosoma with setae (Fig. 1d); albipes-group . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * Larger relatively shining brown species (TL 3.0–3.4, HL 0.72–0.78, HW 0.68–0.76, PW 0.44–0.48, WL 0.90–0.96); dorsal outline of mesonotum distinctly convex in profile, with a descending face sloping abruptly back to a deep metanotal groove (Fig. 1e); propodeal dorsum approx. half length of propodeal declivity (Fig. 1e) (Spain, Morocco, and Yemen) . . . . . Technomyrmex vexatus


 * Smaller dull yellow species (TL 2.2–2.9, HL 0.60–0.62, HW 0.57–0.60, PW 0.37–0.38, WL 0.65–0.80); dorsal outline of mesonotum feebly convex in profile, with a descending face sloping evenly back to a shallow metanotal groove (Fig. 1f ); propodeal dorsum approximately one-third length of propodeal declivity (Fig. 1f ) (Oman) . . . . . Technomyrmex montaseri

3
return to couplet #1
 * First gastral tergite usually without setae or rarely with one pair (Fig. 2a) (Saudi Arabia) . . . . . Technomyrmex briani


 * First gastral tergite usually with at least seven pairs of setae (Fig. 2b) . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * Bicolored species, head and gaster brown, mesosoma yellow-brown lighter than head and gaster; setae on first gastral tergite longer with maximum length 0.18 mm (KSA, Oman, Yemen) ) . . . . . Technomyrmex setosus


 * Uniform black-brown to black species; setae on first gastral tergite distinctly shorter with maximum length less than 0.10 mm . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Cephalic dorsum behind level of posterior margin of eyes without setae (Fig. 2c); eyes in full-face view fail to break sides of head (Fig. 2d); promesonotum relatively short (DTI 110–124) (Introduced species T. albipes (F. Smith) . . . . . Technomyrmex albipes


 * Cephalic dorsum behind level of posterior margin of eyes with one or more pairs of setae (Fig. 2e); eyes in full-face view break sides of head (Fig. 2f ); promesonotum relatively longer and slender (DTI 127–135) (Introduced species) . . . . . Technomyrmex difficilis