Key to Afrotropical Mesoponera

HANDLE WITH CARE!!!

This key is not based in any recent revision, and is intended to serve as a rough guidance to the Afrotropical species of the genus until a more detailed approach is available.

Santschi (1935) revises the Afrotropical species, and Bernard (1953) offers a key for the subgenus Xyphopelta.

1

 * Mandibles elongated, only slightly smaller than the rest of the head .....2
 * Mandibles triangular, rounded, clearly shorter than the rest of the head .....20

2
return to couplet 1
 * Clypeus with a median triangular projection .........3
 * Clypeus rounded, without a median triangular projection .....10

3
return to couplet 2

Mesoponera ambigua Mesoponera elisae

Mesoponera elisae divaricata

Mesoponera elisae redbankensis

Mesoponera flavopilosa

KNOWN FROM QUEEN ONLY, NO IMAGES AVAILABLE

Mesoponera nimba Mesoponera novemdentata Mesoponera picea Mesoponera scolopax Mesoponera senegalensis

10
return to couplet 2


 * Light brown to orange brown ... ..... 11
 * Brown to dark brown ... ..... 12

11
return to couplet 10

Mesoponera testacea Mesoponera weberi

12
return to couplet 10
 * Mandibles with four-five apical teeth and the rest of the mandible edentated. Propodeum with decliveus surface much longer than dorsal. Big eyes, clearly bigger than scape witdth ..... Mesoponera subiridescens


 * Mandibles armed in all its length. Propodeum with decliveus surface similar in length to the dorsal surface. Reduced eyes, smaller than scape witdth ..... Mesoponera villiersi

NO IMAGES AVAILABLE

20
return to couplet 1
 * Erect setae on scape and all over the head ..... Bothroponera escherichi


 * Scape and head only with adpressed pubescence .....21

21
return to couplet 20
 * Propodeum in lateral view with its dorsal surface rounded. Head covered with a long, dense pubescence, clearly longer than distance between hairs, giving a silky appeareance. Brownish red ..... Mesoponera elisae rotundata


 * Propodeum in lateral view with its dorsal surface flat. Head with a short pubescence, shorter than distance between hairs. Brown to dark brown ..... .....22

22
return to couplet 21

Mesoponera caffraria

Mesoponera caffraria affinis

Mesoponera caffraria caffra

Mesoponera ingesta