Key to Anochetus of India

This worker key is based on: Bharti, H.; Wachkoo, A. A. 2013. Two new species of trap jaw ant Anochetus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a key to known species from India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 16:137-142. [[Media:Bhart - wachkoo 2013.pdf|PDF]]

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 * Anochetus 
 * Ants of India

1

 * Pronotal disc (at least a broad central field) and all of first gastral tergum smooth and shining when clean, with at most fine, spaced punctures . . . . . 2


 * Pronotal disc coarsely striate or punctate-rugulose; smooth interspaces, if any, narrow and usually coarsely punctate; first gastral tergum rugulose, striate or smooth, with or without coarse punctures . . . . . 6

2
return to couplet #1
 * Modest or small sized, lightly pigmented species with reduced eyes: maximum measurable compound eye length < 0.15 mm, their greatest diameter < maximum width of a mandible . . . . . 3


 * Large species with large eyes: maximum measurable eye length>0.25 mm and>maximum width of a mandible . . . . . 5

3
return to couplet #2
 * Propodeal angles produced as a pair of short teeth . . . . . 4


 * Propodeal angles unarmed . . . . . Anochetus cryptus

4
return to couplet #3
 * Tiny species; HL+ML < 1.25 mm . . . . . Anochetus pupulatus


 * Relatively larger species; HL+ML>1.55 mm . . . . . Anochetus myops

5
return to couplet #2
 * Petiolar node axially compressed above; anterior slope concave, and summit rather bluntly rounded as seen from the side, but strongly transverse as seen from above; body with very numerous short, fine, erect hairs; appressed pubescence scarcely developed on head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster; with head in full face view, antennal scapes surpass posterior borders of occipital lobes by at least an apical scape width . . . . . Anochetus rufus


 * Petiolar node thick, erect, barrel-shaped; anterior slope convex, summit broadly rounded in both directions and only slightly broader than long; body with few or no erect hairs, except on apex and underside of gaster (0–9 standing hairs on mesosoma and first gastral tergum), but with abundant and conspicuous appressed pubescence; with head is full-face view, antennal scapes do not reach, or at least do not distinctly surpass, posterior borders of occipital lobes . . . . . Anochetus sedilloti

6
return to couplet #1
 * Petiolar node in profile thin, tapered to a very narrowly rounded, or even sharp, apical scale-like part near its base not more than 0.20 mm long . . . . . 7


 * Petiolar node in profile thick, with broadly rounded summit, about as thick as near base of erect part of node . . . . . 9

7
return to couplet #6
 * HL+ML < 1.50 mm; maximum measurable eye length < 0.15 mm . . . . . Anochetus graeffei


 * HL+ML>1.50 mm; maximum measurable eye length>0.15 mm . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Frons smooth and shining, the frontal striations extending only a short distance beyond the level of eyes; body yellowish; EL>0.25 . . . . . Anochetus yerburyi


 * Frontal striation reaching all the way to nuchal carina, or most of the way; body red brown; EL < 0.25 . . . . . Anochetus validus

9
return to couplet #6
 * First gastral tergum densely and more or less opaquely sculptured over at least the anterior half . . . . . 10


 * First gastral tergum smooth and shinning, with only scattered, fine piligerous punctures . . . . . Anochetus madaraszi

10
return to couplet #9
 * Anterodorsal margin of petiolar node slightly produced anteriad, overhanging the anterior slope, which tends to be concave; mesosoma red; first gastral tergum black or piceous, coarsely punctate-striate and opaque to near posterior border . . . . . Anochetus kanariensis


 * Anterodorsal margin of petiolar node broadly rounded, like posterodorsal margin; anterior slope of node convex or straight as seen from the side; mesosoma, petiole and gaster piceous or blackish, often with bluish opalescence; the first gastral tergum with punctate-rugulose sculpture diminishing to nearly smooth and shinning on posterior half or third of the segment . . . . . Anochetus obscurior