Key to Tetraponera of China

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Xu &I Chai 2004.pdf|Xu, Z.-H, and Chai, Z.-Q. 2004. Systematic study on the ant genus Tetraponera F. Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 29(1): 63-76 PDF]]

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 * Tetraponera
 * Ants of China

1

 * Head with three distinct ocelli. Mandible with 5 teeth on the masticatory margin. Anteroventral corner of petiole distinctly dentate (rufonigra-group) . . . . . 2


 * Head lacking ocelli. Mandible with 3-4 teeth on the masticatory margin. Anteroventral corner of petiole not dentate . . . . . 3

2
return to couplet #1
 * Median lobe of clypeus longer and narrower, anterior margin straight or weakly convex. In dorsal view, humeral corners of pronotum sharply angled at most 90°. Anteroventral tooth of petiole acute. Pronotum color orange and concolor with alitrunk (China: Yunnan and Hainan Provinces; Pakistan to Southern China, South to Sumatra and Java, and introduced into the Seychelles) . . . . . Tetraponera rufonigra


 * Median lobe of clypeus shorter and broader, anterior margin weakly but distinctly concave. In dorsal view, humeral corners of pronotum bluntly angled and distinctly more than 90°. Anteroventral tooth or petiole blunt. Pronotum color black in contrast to the orange alitrunk (China: Yunnan Province) . . . . . Tetraponera concava

3
return to couplet #1
 * Mandible robust, with four teeth on the masticatory margin, and 0-1 denticle on the basal margin. Basal margin of mandible subequal to, or shorter than, masticatory margin (nigra-group) . . . . . 4


 * Mandible slender, with three teeth on the masticatory margin, and 1-2 denticles on the basal margin. Basal margin of' mandible much longer than masticatory margin (allaborans-group) . . . . . 7

4
return to couplet #3
 * Standing pilosity on the head abundant, cephalic setal count 10-40. Pronotum lacking lateral margins. In profile view, petiole lacking a pair of posteroventral teeth . . . . . 5


 * Standing pilosity on the head very sparse, cephalic setal count 0-4. Pronotum distinctly marginate laterally. In profile view, petiole with a pair of acute posteroventral teeth, formed from ventrolateral extensions of the petiolar sternite . . . . . 6

5
return to couplet #4
 * Head trapezoid and widened forward. Median lobe or clypeus broad and protruding, anterior margin with 5 blunt denticles (China: Yunnan Province, Guangxi Region, Hong Kong; India and Nepal, East to Southern China, South to West Malaysia) . . . . . Tetraponera binghami


 * Head rectangular and slightly narrowed forward. Median lobe or clypeus narrow and very short, anterior margin entire and without denticles (China: Yunnan, Guangdong, Hainan and Taiwan Provinces, Guangxi Region, Hong Kong: North-east India to China, South to Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Palawan) . . . . . Tetraponera attenuata

6
return to couplet #4
 * Head elongate with CI 73-77. Occipital margin straight. Lateral sides of pronotum bluntly marginate. Petiole very slender with PLI 43-49 (China: Yunnan Province; Thailand; West Malaysia) . . . . . Tetraponera notabilis


 * Head broader with CI 78-90. Occipital margin weakly concave. Lateral sides of pronotum sharply marginate. Petiole much shorter with PU 60-79 ( Figs.27-32) (China: Yunnan Province, Guangxi Region, Hong Kong; India to Southern China, South to Northern Australia) . . . . . Tetraponera nitida

7
return to couplet #3
 * Median lobe of clypeus very short, not protruding, anterior margin straight. In profile view, pronotum strongly convex (China: Yunnan Province) . . . . . Tetraponera convexa


 * Median lobe of clypeus elongate and protruding, anterior margin dentate. In profile- view, pronotum weakly to moderately convex . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Median lobe of clypeus with a pair of teeth furnished at the anterolateral corners, anterior margin between the teeth nearly straight . . . . . 9


 * Median lobe of clypeus with 3-5 teeth along its anterior margin, sometimes the teeth may be reduced . . . . . 10

9
return to couplet #8
 * In profile view, dorsum of propodeum horizontal, not slope down backwards, posterodorsal corner of propodeum distinct which bluntly angled. Head shorter with CI 76-83. Scape shorter with SI 52-57. Petiole shorter with PLI 53-59 ( Figs. 38-42) (China: Jiangxi and Guangdong Provinces, Guangxi Region, Hong Kong; Vietnam) . . . . . Tetraponera microcarpa


 * In profile view, dorsum of propodeum oblique and slope down backwards, posterodorsal corner of propodeum indistinct and rounded. Head longer with CI 71-77. Scape longer with SI 60-65. Petiole longer with PLI 43-45 (China: Yunnan Province) . . . . . Tetraponera furcata

10
return to couplet #8
 * Head and alitrunk black . . . . . 11


 * Head and alitrunk yellow to orange-brown . . . . . 12

11
return to couplet #10
 * Median lobe of clypeus with 3 teeth, the middle tooth elongate and much longer than thf' lateral ones. Occipital margin weakly concave. Scape shorter with SI 52-53. Eye relatively smaller with REL 30-31 (Figs. 48-52) (China: Yunnan Province) . . . . . Tetraponera protensa


 * Median lobe of clypeus with 3-5 teeth, sometimes the teeth may reduced, but the middle tooth not longer than the lateral ones. Occipital margin straight or weakly convex. Scape longer with SI 57-65. Eye relatively larger with REL 33-41 (China: Yunmm, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Taiwan Provinces, Guangxi Region, Hong Kong; widespread species distributed from India to Southern China, South to New Guinea and Northern Australia) . . . . . Tetraponera allaborans

12
return to couplet #10
 * Pronotum lacking distinct lateral margins, in posterior view dorsum rounding gently into the sides. In profile view, petiolar node roundly and symmetrically convex (China: Yunnan Province) . . . . . Tetraponera amargina


 * Pronotum with distinct lateral margins, in posterior view lateral margins soft-edged. In profile view, petiolar node anterodorsally convex (China: Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan Provinces, Guangxi Region; North-east India to China, South to New Guinea) . . . . . Tetraponera modesta