View source for Key to Myrmecia of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Heterick 2009.pdf|Heterick, B. E. 2009a. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76: 1-206. Part 2.]]

This key adapted from Ogata and Taylor (1991): readers are also referred to illustrations in that key. Note: The workerless parasite ''Myrmecia inquilina'' Douglas and Brown is not included in this key, which treats workers only.

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*''[[Australia]]''
*[[:Category:SWBP|SWBP]]
*''[[Myrmecia]]''
__NOTOC__
==1==
*Occipital carina present (indicated by broken lines) (Figure 441) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#2|'''. . . . . 2''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 441.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 441.]]
|}

*Occipital carina lacking (curvature of occiput indicated by dotted lines) (Figure 442) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#19|'''. . . . . 19''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 442.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 442.]]
|}

==2==
return to [[#1 |couplet #1]]
*Subapical portion of mandible with a supplementary ventral tooth (Figure 443) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#3|'''. . . . . 3''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 443.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 443.]]
|}

*Subapical portion of mandible without a supplementary ventral tooth (Figure 444) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#17|'''. . . . . 17''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 FIg 444.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 444.]]
|}

==3==
return to [[#2 |couplet #2]]
*Mandibles each with 3 enlarged teeth apart from the apical tooth (Figure 445) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia forceps]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia forceps casent0914018 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia forceps casent0914018 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
|}
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 445.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 445.]]
|}

*Mandibles each with 4 or more enlarged teeth apart from the apical tooth (Figure 446) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#4|'''. . . . . 4''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 446.jpg|thumb|210px|Figure 446.]]
|}

==4==
return to [[#3 |couplet #3]]
*Mandibles medium reddish-brown to dark brown, approximately concolorous with head capsule <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#5|'''. . . . . 5''']]</span>

*Mandibles light yellowish- to reddish-brown, distinctly lighter in colour than head capsule <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#6|'''. . . . . 6''']]</span>

==5==
return to [[#4 |couplet #4]]
*Apex of gaster reddish to yellowish . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia regularis]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia regularis casent0217502 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|130px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia regularis casent0217502 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
|}

*Apex of gaster dark brown to blackish-brown . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia erecta]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia erecta casent0902793 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia erecta casent0902793 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|220px|]]
|}

==6==
return to [[#4 |couplet #4]]
*Apex of gaster yellowish; scapes darker than head <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#7|'''. . . . . 7''']]</span>

*Apex of gaster blackish; scapes concolorous with, or lighter than head <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#8|'''. . . . . 8''']]</span>

==7==
return to [[#6 |couplet #6]]
*Basal portion of gaster dark blackish-brown . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia analis]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia analis casent0914014 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia analis casent0914014 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|190px|]]
|}

*Basal portion of gaster reddish-brown . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia nigriscapa]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia nigriscapa casent0217499 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|140px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia nigriscapa casent0217499 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|190px|]]
|}

==8==
return to [[#6 |couplet #6]]
*Mandibular shaft generally even in width, not narrowed basally (Figure 447) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#9|'''. . . . . 9''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 447.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 447.]]
|}

*Mandibular shaft narrow at extreme base, broadened over basal quarter to fifth of its length (Figure 448) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#11|'''. . . . . 11''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 448.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 448.]]
|}

==9==
return to [[#8 |couplet #8]]
*Petiolar peduncle short, at most as long as node, and not reaching the apices of the hind coxae when they are extended posteriad (Figure 449) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia picticeps]]''
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 449.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 449.]]
|}

*Petiolar peduncle longer than petiolar node; reaching or exceeding the apices of the hind coxae when they are extended posteriad (Figure 450) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#10|'''. . . . . 10''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 450.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 450.]]
|}

==10==
return to [[#9 |couplet #9]]
*Pronotum with erect setae shorter than those of first funicular segment . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia rubripes]]'' 

*Pronotum with erect setae longer than those of first funicular segment . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia arnoldi]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia arnoldi casent0914017 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|180px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia arnoldi casent0914017 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

==11==
return to [[#8 |couplet #8]]
*Clypeus dark brown, concolorous with head. . . . . ''[[Myrmecia pavida]]'' 

*Clypeus yellowish, concolorous with mandibles <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#12|'''. . . . . 12''']]</span>

==12==
return to [[#11 |couplet #11]]
*Setae on head and mesosoma long and thick, those on sides near posterior corners of head extending beyond outer margins of eyes . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia fulgida]]'' 

*Setae on head and mesosoma short and thin, those on sides near posterior corners of head not extending beyond outer margins of eyes <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#13|'''. . . . . 13''']]</span>

==13==
return to [[#12 |couplet #12]]
*Head blackish, concolorous with gaster; mesosoma and nodes pale yellow, concolorous with mandibles <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#14|'''. . . . . 14''']]</span>

*Head dark reddish-brown to yellowish-brown, lighter than gaster; mesosoma and nodes light reddish-brown to dark brown, darker than mandibles <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#15|'''. . . . . 15''']]</span>

==14==
return to [[#13 |couplet #13]]
*Legs blackish-brown, much darker than mesosoma . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia fuscipes]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia fuscipes casent0914022 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|160px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia fuscipes casent0914022 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
|}

*Legs yellowish, concolorous with mesosoma . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia desertorum]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia desertorum casent0912436 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|160px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia desertorum casent0912436 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|}

==15==
return to [[#13 |couplet #13]]
*Scape with numerous erect or suberect setae (Note: this character may be hard to see on abraded specimens) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia nigriceps]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia nigriceps casent0217498 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|120px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia nigriceps casent0217498 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
|}

*Scape almost lacking erect or suberect setae <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#16|'''. . . . . 16''']]</span>

==16==
return to [[#15 |couplet #15]]
*Mesosoma light reddish-brown; head concolorous with mesosoma; petiolar spiracle usually situated somewhat dorsally on peduncle . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia gratiosa]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia gratiosa casent0914024 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia gratiosa casent0914024 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|220px|]]
|}

*Mesosoma yellowish-brown to dark brown; petiolar spiracle usually situated laterally on Peduncle . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia vindex]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia vindex casent0902796 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia vindex casent0902796 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|290px|]]
|}

==17==
return to [[#2 |couplet #2]]
*Coxae orange; femora predominantly orange tending to brown near attachment of tibiae . . . . . ''Myrmecia urens'' complex sp. JDM 728 (there are two named species from this group previously reported from the SWBP: ''[[Myrmecia nigra]]'' and ''[[Myrmecia infima]]'' but they cannot be assigned to this or the other two species from this species group [see couplet 18 just below], see discussion under the identification section of either of these species for other details) 

*Coxae dark brown; femora predominantly dark brown tending to orange near attachment of tibiae <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#18|'''. . . . . 18''']]</span>

==18==
return to [[#17 |couplet #17]]
*Viewed dorsally, mesosoma and node rugose and punctate (Figure 451); length of ocular setae usually < diameter of one facet . . . . . ''Myrmecia urens ''complex sp. JDM 1
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 451.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 451.]]
|}

*Viewed dorsally, mesosoma and node with reduced sculpture (node may be virtually smooth and shining) (Figure 452); length of ocular setae > width of one facet . . . . . ''Myrmecia urens'' complex sp. JDM 71
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 452.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 452.]]
|}

==19==
return to [[#1 |couplet #1]]
*Posterior tibial spur of hind leg a simple spine-like process (Figure 453) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia callima]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 453.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 453.]]
|}

*Posterior tibial spur of hind leg distinctly pectinate (Figure 454) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#20|'''. . . . . 20''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 FIg 454.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 454.]]
|}

==20==
return to [[#19 |couplet #19]]
*Subapical portion of mandible with a single row of teeth (Figure 443); head bicoloured with anterior section yellow, posterior section brown to black . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia picta]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia picta casent0902806 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|190px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia picta casent0902806 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 443.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 443.]]
|}

*Subapical portion of mandible with a supplementary ventral tooth (Figure 444); head uniformly coloured <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#21|'''. . . . . 21''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 FIg 444.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 444.]]
|}

==21==
return to [[#20 |couplet #20]]
*Dentition strongly developed along entire inner margin of mandible (Figure 455) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#22|'''. . . . . 22''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 455.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 455.]]
|}

*Dentition reduced or vestigial in the sub-basal portion of mandible (Figure 456) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#30|'''. . . . . 30''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 456.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 456.]]
|}

==22==
return to [[#21 |couplet #21]]
*Clypeal setae long, reaching at least to the basal quarter of mandibles (Figure 457) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#23|'''. . . . . 23''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 457.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 457.]]
|}

*Clypeal setae short, at most only slightly exceeding anterior clypeal margin (Figure 458) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#25|'''. . . . . 25''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 458.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 458.]]
|}

==23==
return to [[#22 |couplet #22]]
*Postpetiole distinctly sculptured (Figure 459); pubescence on gaster yellow . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia rugosa]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia rugosa casent0902801 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia rugosa casent0902801 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|270px|]]
|}
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 459.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 459.]]
|}

*Postpetiole with at most vestigial sculpture (Figure 460); in doubtful cases, pubescence on gaster bright orange <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#24|'''. . . . . 24''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 460.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 460.]]
|}

==24==
return to [[#23 |couplet #23]]
*Standing setae on pronotum mostly longer than first funicular segment; clypeus without yellow pubescence; mandible of more-or-less the same width throughout its length; (bright orange pubescence on gaster distinctive) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia michaelseni]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia michaelseni casent0907087 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia michaelseni casent0907087 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

*Standing setae on pronotum mostly shorter than first funicular segment; clypeus may have yellowish pubescence; mandible noticeably tapered along its length (gastral pubescence off white to yellowish in specimens seen) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia varians]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia varians casent0902804 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|140px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia varians casent0902804 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|240px|]]
|}

==25==
return to [[#22 |couplet #22]]
*Erect setae on hind tibia abundant and long, some as long or longer than maximum width of tibia (Figure 461) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#26|'''. . . . . 26''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 461.jpg|thumb|110px|Figure 461.]]
|}

*Erect setae on hind tibia sparse and short, shorter than maximum width of tibia (Figure 462) <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#27|'''. . . . . 27''']]</span>
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 462.jpg|thumb|250px|Figure 462.]]
|}

==26==
return to [[#25 |couplet #25]]
*Mandibles yellowish, lighter than head . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia chasei]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia chasei casent0907091 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia chasei casent0907091 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|240px|]]
|}

*Mandibles dark brown, concolorous with head . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia ludlowi]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia ludlowi casent0902802 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia ludlowi casent0902802 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

==27==
return to [[#25 |couplet #25]]
*Mesosoma essentially uniformly black; petiole black . . . . . ''Myrmecia'' sp. near ''[[Myrmecia pilosula]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia pilosula casent0217500 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia pilosula casent0217500 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

*Mesosoma more-or-less uniformly light reddish to yellowish or bicoloured black-and-red; petiole yellowish to reddish brown <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#28|'''. . . . . 28''']]</span>

==28==
return to [[#27 |couplet #27]]
*With combination of mandibles dark brown, concolorous with head, and pubescence on clypeus whitish . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia dispar]]'' 

*Either mandibles lighter in colour, or pubescence on clypeus yellowish <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#29|'''. . . . . 29''']]</span>

==29==
return to [[#28 |couplet #28]]
*Pubescence of clypeus yellowish; scape not exceeding posterior border of head (and see Species Description) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia elegans]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia elegans antweb1008282 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

*Pubescence of clypeus whitish; scape exceeding posterior border of head by about half the length of first funicular segment (and see Species Description) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia occidentalis]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia occidentalis casent0902803 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia occidentalis casent0902803 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|360px|]]
|}

==30==
return to [[#21 |couplet #21]]
*Clypeus with distinctly long, forwardly directed setae, reaching to about half the length of the mandibles, or further . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia mandibularis]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia mandibularis casent0907099 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia mandibularis casent0907099 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|340px|]]
|}

*Clypeus with shorter setae <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#31|'''. . . . . 31''']]</span>

==31==
return to [[#30 |couplet #30]]
*Body more-or-less uniformly blackish brown <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#32|'''. . . . . 32''']]</span>

*Body bicoloured: head and gaster blackish-brown, mesosoma and petiole reddish <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#33|'''. . . . . 33''']]</span>

==32==
return to [[#31 |couplet #31]]
*Mandibles dark brown; dorsal surface of second and following gastral segments with gold pubescence . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia tepperi]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia tepperi antweb1008211 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}

*Mandibles yellowish; dorsal surface of second and following gastral segments with sparse white pubescence . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia clarki]]''
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia clarki casent0902810 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia clarki casent0902810 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|260px|]]
|}

==33==
return to [[#31 |couplet #31]]
*Legs reddish-brown, approximately concolorous with mesosoma (often a little lighter); postpetiole usually lighter in colour than gaster . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia testaceipes]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia testaceipes antweb1008295 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|250px|]]
|}

*Legs distinctly darker brown than mesosoma; postpetiole dark in colour, concolorous with gaster <span style="background:#F5F5F5">[[#34|'''. . . . . 34''']]</span>

==34==
return to [[#33 |couplet #33]]
*Dorsal projection of labrum obtuse, broadly rounded (Figure 463) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia swalei]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia swalei casent0914036 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|160px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia swalei casent0914036 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|230px|]]
|}
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 463.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 463.]]
|}

*Dorsal projection of labrum narrow and acute (Figure 464) . . . . . ''[[Myrmecia acuta]]'' 
{|
|[[File:Myrmecia acuta casent0902811 h 1 high.jpg|thumb|170px|]]
|[[File:Myrmecia acuta casent0902811 p 1 high.jpg|thumb|220px|]]
|}
{|
|[[File:Heterick 2009 Fig 464.jpg|thumb|230px|Figure 464.]]
|}

[[Category:Identification key|Myrmecia]][[Category:Myrmecia]][[Category:SWBP|Myrmecia]]