Lophomyrmex

A small well defined genus of Oriental and Indo-Australian ants.

Identification
Eguchi, Bui and Yamane (2011) - The worker of Lophomyrmex is similar to the minor workers of Pheidole and Pheidologeton (=Carebara). However, in the minor worker of Oriental species of Pheidole, the antenna is 12-segmented and basal margin of the mandible is never serrated. In the worker of Pheidologeton the antennal club is 2-segmented and the basal margin of mandible is never serrated.

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Nomenclature

 *  LOPHOMYRMEX [Myrmicinae: Pheidolini]
 * Lophomyrmex Emery, 1892a: 114. Type-species: Oecodoma quadrispinosa, by monotypy.
 * [Lophomyrmex as junior synonym of Monomorium: Dlussky, 1997: 57 (error).]

Description
Eguchi, Bui and Yamane (2011) - The genus was revised by Rigato (1994a). The worker of the single known Vietnamese species has the following features. Worker monomorphic; head in full-face view oval with a relatively straight posterior margin; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; median portion of clypeus convex anteriad, with a protruding blunt tooth at the midpoint of its anterior margin; frontal lobes moderately separated by posteromedian portion of clypeus; antenna 11-segmented with distinct 3-segmented club; eye oval with a weak anteroventral point, located at about midlength of head in full-face view; masticatory margin of mandible with apical tooth and one preapical tooth, followed by an enlarged denticle, this then followed by a series of small denticles; basal margin of mandible finely serrated; promesonotum forming a single dome, flattened dorsally, with a pair of horizontal flat spines those are formed by the lateral and anterolateral edges of the dorsum and directed anteriad; promesonotal suture absent; metanotal groove well defined; propodeal spine long; propodeal lobe reduced to a weak carina; petiole with a distinct peduncle and a high node; gastral shoulder distinct.