Key to Rhytidoponera of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Heterick 2009.pdf|Heterick, B. E. 2009a. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76: 1-206. Part 2.]]

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 * Australia
 * SWBP
 * Rhytidoponera

1

 * Viewed from front, occiput with distinct raised corners (Figure 502) . . . . . 2


 * Viewed from front occiput either rounded or square without raised corners (Figure 503) . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * Corners of occiput in form of sharp, curved processes (Figure 504a); node conical (Figure 504b) . . . . . Rhytidoponera taurus


 * Corners of occiput in form of dull tubercles (Figure 505a); node subcuboidal (Figure 505b) . . . . . Rhytidoponera mayri

3
return to couplet #1
 * Hind tibial spur absent . . . . . 4


 * Hind tibial spur present, distinct . . . . . 5

4
return to couplet #3
 * Apex of node terminating as a sharp spur (usually) or dull point (rarely) directed posteriad (Figure 506) . . . . . Rhytidoponera tyloxys


 * Apex of node rounded, lacking a process or point directed posteriad (Figure 507) . . . . . Rhytidoponera dubia group sp. JDM 904

5
return to couplet #3
 * Eye very large, equal to ≈ 1/3 length of head capsule . . . . . 6


 * Eye smaller, equal to, at most, 1/4 length of head capsule . . . . . 7

6
return to couplet #5
 * Mandible finely striate (Figure 508); head and body foveate-punctate, shining, without uniform fine microreticulation between striae and pits . . . . . Rhytidoponera crassinodis


 * Mandible with superficial microreticulation only (Figure 509); head and body weakly to moderately sculptured, matt, with uniform microreticulation between larger sculpture . . . . . Rhytidoponera sp. JDM 736

7
return to couplet #5
 * Head and mesosoma with shallow, vestigial punctation only (Figure 510), gaster glistening, with very fine, almost imperceptible stria . . . . . 8


 * Head and mesosoma usually punctate-striate or foveate-reticulate (e.g. Figure 511) or, if punctate only, gaster shagreenate with vestigial punctuation . . . . . 9

8
return to couplet #7
 * Fine striae on 2nd gastral tergite longitudinal without deviation (Figure 512) . . . . . Rhytidoponera flavicornis


 * Fine striae on 2nd gastral tergite weakly arched around midline of tergite (Figure 513) . . . . . Rhytidoponera micans

9
return to couplet #7
 * Head punctate (Figure 514) or reticulate-punctate (Figure 515); mesosoma punctate; gaster shagreenate with vestigial punctuation . . . . . 10


 * Head and mesosoma punctate-striate (Figure 516) or foveate-reticulate; gaster usually with fine to coarse circular striae . . . . . 11

10
return to couplet #9
 * Frons punctate, with small, well-spaced pits (Figure 517a); ventral process of petiole a short spur . . . . . Rhytidoponera levior


 * Frons more reticulate-punctate, particularly towards centre of head capsule, edges of pits often confluent (Figure 518a); ventral process of petiole long, needle-like (Figure 518b) . . . . . Rhytidoponera punctata

11
return to couplet #9
 * In profile, vertex of head capsule flattened, its posterior angles distinctly lobate (Figure 519); node thick, cuboidal or subcuboidal . . . . . 12


 * In profile, vertex of head capsule more rounded, its posterior angles with at most a small, weak flange (Figure 520); node often thinner . . . . . 17

12
return to couplet #11
 * In profile, petiolar node low, at least as wide as high; subpetiolar process a long spine (R. anceps group) . . . . . 13


 * In profile, petiolar node distinctly higher than wide; subpetiolar process spurlike (R. metallica group) . . . . . 14

13
return to couplet #12
 * First gastral tergite with fine, close, parallel striae (Figure 521) . . . . . Rhytidoponera anceps


 * First gastral tergite with thick, discontinuous striae (Figure 522) . . . . . Rhytidoponera sp. ANIC 44

14
return to couplet #12
 * Body without strong iridescence (gaster may have coppery sheen) . . . . . Rhytidoponera inornata


 * Body with strong blue- or green-purple iridescence . . . . . 15

15
return to couplet #14
 * First gastral tergite strongly areolate, the areolae confluent (Figure 523); second gastral tergite with many shallow, elongate pits in additional to the fine, circular striae . . . . . Rhytidoponera metallica group JDM 1098


 * Sculpture of first and second gastral tergite usually confined to fine, circular striae, a few scattered, shallow pits may be present (Figure 524) . . . . . 16

16
return to couplet #15
 * Appendages dark brown . . . . . Rhytidoponera metallica


 * Appendages orange . . . . . Rhytidoponera metallica group JDM 1097

17
return to couplet #11
 * Node thin, tapering, without vertical sulcus posteriad (Figure 525); gaster shiny; mostly with greenish-purple or coppery iridescence (lacking in a few northern populations) . . . . . Rhytidoponera violacea


 * Node either thicker, not tapering, or with vertical sulcus posteriad (e.g. Figure 526); gaster usually duller; iridescence always absent . . . . . 18

18
return to couplet #17
 * In profile, node acuminate, with vertical sulcus posteriad (Figure 526); short, erect setae virtually absent from body surfaces, very sparse on legs and antennae . . . . . Rhytidoponera punctigera


 * In profile, node cuboidal or subcuboidal without vertical sulcus (small, longitudinal sulcus may be present on dorsum) (Figure 527); short erect setae well distributed on body surfaces, legs and antennae . . . . . 19

19
return to couplet #18
 * Frons finely longitudinally striate in dorsal sector, with scattered, sparse punctuation (Figure 528) . . . . . Rhytidoponera micans group sp. JDM 576


 * Frons reticulate-foveate in dorsal sector (Figure 529) . . . . . Rhytidoponera foveolata