Key to Temnothorax of India

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Bharti & Gul & Schultz 2012.pdf| Bharti, H., Gul, I., and Schulz, A. 2012. Three new species of genus Temnothorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Indian Himalayas with a revised key to the Indian species. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 58:325-336.]]

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 * Temnothorax
 * Ants of India

1

 * Propodeum without any teeth or spines; pilosity very sparse; head and mesosoma shiny, very slightly longitudinally rugose, rest of the body smooth and shiny . . . . . Temnothorax inermis


 * Propodeum with variously developed teeth or spines; pilosity more dense; head and mesosoma smooth or with different surface sculpture but never with only slightly longitudinally rugose sculpture. . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Dorsal outline of mesosoma in profile without any impression, mesometanotal groove absent. . . . . . 3


 * Dorsal outline of mesosoma in profile more or less impressed at the mesometanotal groove or behind. . . . . . 4

3
return to couplet #2
 * Mesosoma, the base of the first gastral segment, petiole, postpetiole, legs and antennae testaceous yellow to yellowish brown; head and rest of gaster brown; CI = 122–124; SI1 = 75–78.6; (length 2.2–2.9 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax desioi


 * The colour is uniformly brown; CI = 127–128; SI1 = 73–75; (length 2.4–3.0 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax desioi melanicus

4
return to couplet #2
 * Either head and mesosoma distinctly sculptured or the head is smooth and mesosoma distinctly sculptured. . . . . . 5


 * Head and mesosoma smooth and shining with a few rugulae. . . . . . 10

5
return to couplet #4
 * Head smooth, mesosoma distinctly sculptured; the species is bicoloured, with light to dark brown head and gaster and yellowish to reddish yellow mesosoma (length 2.5–3.3 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax kashmirensis


 * Head and thorax distinctly sculptured; colour combination different but never as in above. . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #5
 * Whole body black; head distinctly longitudinally rugose; PSLI = 18–23; CI = 117–123; SI1 = 72–73; SI2 = 85–90 (length 2.8–3.2 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax schurri


 * Whole body light yellow to dark brown, never black; head distinctly rugulose and microreticulated. . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * The colour of head distinctly brown. . . . . . 8


 * The colour of head distinctly yellow. . . . . . 9

8
return to couplet #7
 * Propodeal spines as long as is the interval between their bases; PSLI = 11–20; (length 2.5–3.9 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax rothneyi


 * Propodeal spines small, triangular, more or less dentate; PSLI = 9–10; (length 2.8–3.1 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax rothneyi simlensis

9
return to couplet #7
 * Scape reaches beyond the posterior margin of head by 1/6 of its total length; the colour of body is uniformly pale yellow; propodeal spines very long (Spine length PSL = 0.20–0.23 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax nordmeyeri


 * Scape somewhat short not reaching the posterior margin of head; gaster with a brown patch in the middle; propodeal spines short (Spine length PSL = 0.09–0.11 mm); (length 2.8–3.4 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax microreticulatus

10
return to couplet #4
 * Propodeal spines very short, appearing as two small blunt denticles (tubercles) in dorsal view; node of petiole rounded in profile . . . . . Temnothorax wroughtonii


 * Propodeal spines much longer, as long as 2/3 the range of their bases; node of petiole more or less angular in profile. . . . . . 11

11
return to couplet #10
 * Head more or less chestnut brown; mesosoma, legs, antennae, petiole and postpetiole more or less yellowish brown; gaster dark brown; CI = 120–139; SI1 = 77–79; SI2 = 94–108; (length 2.4–3.1 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax fultonii


 * Head light yellow to dark yellow with a brownish tinge; mesosoma light to dark yellow; gaster light yellow to dark yellow most often with a brownish patch dorsally in the middle; CI = 113–122; SI1 = 70–76; SI2 = 81–95; (length 2.35–2.79 mm) . . . . . Temnothorax himachalensis