Key to Nylanderia of India

This worker key is based on: Wachkoo A. and Bharti, H. 2014. First description of the worker caste of Nylanderia smythiesii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1163. doi:10.3897/BDJ.2.e1163

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1

 * Head and mesosomal dorsum covered with a dense network of microreticulate sculpture . . . . . Nylanderia birmana
 * Head and mesosomal dorsum not microreticulate, either smooth or covered with fine punctulae . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Gastral dorsum without a layer of pubescence underneath erect setae . . . . . Nylanderia smythiesii
 * Gastral dorsum with a layer of pubescence underneath erect setae . . . . . 3

3
return to couplet #2
 * Head oval; scapes relatively shorter, surpass posterior margin of head by ≤ 1/3 their length . . . . . Nylanderia taylori
 * Head subquadrate; scapes long, surpass posterior margin of head by ≥ 2/5 their length . . . . . 4

4
return to couplet #3
 * Compound eye small, distinctly < 1/3 the length of lateral cephalic margin . . . . . Nylanderia indica
 * Compound eye large, ≥ 1/3 the length of lateral cephalic margin . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Body unicolorous brown to black . . . . . Nylanderia bourbonica
 * Body distinctly bicoloured, with yellow brown to reddish brown mesosoma, and darker brown gaster . . . . . Nylanderia yerburyi