Key to West Palaearctic Hypoponera

Key based on: Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2011. Taxonomy of Afrotropical and West Palaearctic ants of the ponerine genus Hypoponera Santschi. Zootaxa 2843: 1-118.

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 * Hypoponera
 * Key to Afrotropical Hypoponera
 * Hypoponera species groups

1

 * With head in full-face view the anterior clypeal margin with a conspicuous semicircular median notch or impression. (Great Britain; probably tropical, described from a casual introduction found in a botanical hothouse) . . . . . Hypoponera gibbinota


 * With head in full-face view the anterior clypeal margin without a semicircular median notch or impression; midpoint of anterior clypeal margin convex . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Eye absent. Metanotal groove absent; in dorsal view the mesosoma surface is not clearly interrupted by a depressed transverse groove between mesonotum and propodeum. Base of the cinctus of the second gastral tergite (Abd. IV) is conspicuously traversed by crowded longitudinal cross-ribs. (Portugal, Spain, France (Corsica), Italy, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia) . . . . . Hypoponera abeillei


 * Eye present; small and located far forward on the side of the head. Metanotal groove present; in dorsal view the mesosoma surface is sharply and conspicuously interrupted by a depressed transverse groove between mesonotum and propodeum. Base of the cinctus of the second gastral tergite (Abd. IV) is smooth and shining, or at most with a few superficial punctures . . . . . 3

3
return to couplet #2
 * At least the upper half of the mesopleuron finely, densely sculptured and opaque; usually the entire mesopleuron sculptured. Mid-dorsal longitudinal impression on head terminates immediately behind the frontal lobes and does not extend to the midlength of the vertex or beyond . . . . . 4


 * Entire mesopleuron smooth and polished, without fine opaque sculpture over half or more of its surface. Mid-dorsal longitudinal impression on head extends back beyond the midlength of the vertex and usually approaches the posterior margin . . . . . 5

4
return to couplet #3
 * Full adult colour dark brown to almost black. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, touches or slightly exceeds midpoint of posterior margin of head, SL/HL 0.72–0.78. Propodeal dorsum densely superficially punctulate to reticulate-punctulate. Slightly larger species with longer scape and broader petiole node, HL 0.63–0.70, HW 0.54–0.59, SL 0.47–0.54, SI 86–93, DPeI 167–188. (Macaronesian Islands of Atlantic Ocean, circum-Mediterranean countries, Balkan states, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia; tramp species at least in Old World Tropics) . . . . . Hypoponera eduardi


 * Full adult colour dull yellow. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion, distinctly fails to reach midpoint of posterior margin of head, SL/HL 0.68. Propodeal dorsum almost smooth, with scattered minute superficial punctulae. Slightly smaller species with shorter scape and narrower petiole node, HL 0.56, HW 0.46, SL 0.38, SI 83, DPeI 157. (Canary Is (Tenerife)) . . . . . Hypoponera nivariana

5
return to couplet #3
 * Petiole node in profile relatively longer and lower, LPeI 55–61; in dorsal view the petiole node relatively longer from front to back, DPeI 120–140. (France, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Israel; tramp species) . . . . . Hypoponera ragusai


 * Petiole node in profile relatively shorter and higher, LPeI 43–53; in dorsal view the petiole node relatively shorter from front to back, DPeI 140–165. (Cosmopolitan tramp species, sometimes synanthropic) . . . . . Hypoponera punctatissima