Key to Arabian Technomyrmex

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Sharaf Collingwood & Aldawood 2011.pdf|Sharaf, M. R.; Collingwood, C. A.; Aldawood, S. A. 2011. Technomyrmex montaseri sp. n., a new ant species of the T. gibbosus-group from Oman (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with a key to the Technomyrmex species of the Arabian Peninsula. ZooKeys 108:11-19. [2011-06-17] PDF]]

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

1

 * With the head in profile the dorsal surface of the frontal carina, or the dorsum immediately mesad of the frontal carina, entirely without setae . . . . . 2


 * With the head in profile the dorsal surface of the frontal carina, or the dorsum immediately mesad of the frontal carina, with setae present; at least with one seta present somewhere along the length of the frontal carina, or more usually with a row of 2-4 . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * Head and mesosoma brown. Posterior margin of head shallowly impressed, eyes located close to the midlength of the head; the gastral tergites 1-3 without setae, the fourth with 2-3 pairs. Larger species with TL 3.0-3.4, EPI 68-76, WL 0.90-0.96 (Spain, Morocco and possibly in Arabia) . . . . . Technomyrmex vexatus


 * Head and mesosoma yellow. Posterior margin of head clearly convex, eyes located in front of the midlength of the head; all gastral tergites without setae. Smaller species with TL 2.2-2.9, EPI 80-125, WL 0.65-0.80 (Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia) . . . . . Technomyrmex montaseri

3
return to couplet #1
 * Gastral tergites 2-3 without setae (Saudi Arabia) . . . . . Technomyrmex briani


 * Gastral tergites 2-3 with setae present; setae may be restricted to one or two pairs on each segment or may be numerous . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * With head in profile the dorsum behind the level of the posterior margin of the eye without setae. Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster blackish brown to black. Propodeum dorsum-declivity junction distinctly and sharply angled. HL 0.56-0.63, WL 0.66-0.78, SI 91-102 (Successful tramp species) . . . . . Technomyrmex albipes


 * With the head in profile the dorsum behind the level of the posterior margin of the eye with one or more pairs of setae present, which may be very short and inconspicuous. Head and gaster brown to dark brown; mesosoma a much lighter yellowish brown and distinctly contrasting. Propodeum dorsum-declivity junction broadly rounded or very weakly angled. HL 0.64-0.67, WL 0.80-0.82, SI 108-112 (Saudi Arabia) . . . . . Technomyrmex setosus