SUBFAMILY PONERINAE
(Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeaux, 1835: 185)
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The Ants of Africa SUBFAMILY PONERINAE (Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeaux, 1835: 185) |
| Contents - Ponerinae |
Diagnostic Features - Pedicel of a single segment, with a narrow connection to the gaster (the helcium) so that the petiole has a distinct posterior face. Eyes usually present; clypeus well developed so that the antennal insertions are some distance behind the anterior margin of the head. Genae usually not carinate. Frontal carinae at least partially cover the antennal insertions, forming simple short semicircles or blunt trinagles. Pygidium never impressed or armed with spines or denticles. Alitrunk dorsally usually with at least one suture.
Status revised by Bolton (2003: 7, 42, 156), with separation of (now) Subfamily Amblyoponinae (Genera Amblyopone, Concoctio, Mystrium and Prionopelta) and Subfamily Proceratiinae (Genera Discothyrea, Proceratium and Probolomyrmex).
Bolton & Brown (2002) formally describing the new Genus Loboponera, have grouped three Afrotropical genera, Plectroctena, Psalidomyrmex and Loboponera as having a common "autapomorphic" development in workers and queens, i.e. "the anteroventral articulatory surface of the petiole being long and very broad, the surface with a narrow median V-shaped longitudinal groove or central small pore-like depression".
Illustrated key to Ponerine genera of Africa - derived in part from Bolton (1994)
| 1 |  Mandible
long and linear, in full-face view inserted in the middle of the
anterior margin of the head, with an apical armament of 3 teeth arranged
in a vertical series |
2 |
| -- |  Mandible
linear to triangular, in full-face view inserted at the anterolateral
corner of the head and not armed apically with a vertical series of
teeth |
3 |
| 2 |  Nuchal
carina (separating dorsal from posterior surfaces of head) converging in
a V at the midline, and also receiving a pair of prominent, dark,
posterior apophyseal lines that converge to form the sharp median-dorsal
groove of the vertex; dorsalmost tooth of apical mandibular series
truncated; large species (TL > 10mm). |
Odontomachus |
| -- |  Nuchal
carina forming a broad, uninterrupted curve across the posterodorsal
extremity of the head; posterior surface without paired, dark apophyseal
lines; on vertex the median groove absent or ill-defined and shallow;
dorsalmost tooth of apical mandibular series acute; relatively small (TL
rarely more than 6 mm). |
Anochetus |
| 3 | Ventral apex of hind tibia, when viewed from in front with the femur at right angle to the body, with a single, large, pectinate spur; without a second, smaller spur in front of the main spur in the direction of observation. | 4 |
| -- | Ventral apex of hind tibia, when viewed from in front with the femur at right angle to the body, with two spurs, consisting of a large, pectinate spur and a second, smaller spur in front of the main spur in the direction of observation | 13 |
| 4 |  Mandible
elongate, linear, and weakly curved, blunt apically, the inner margin
with 0-2 blunt teeth; mandibular articulation associated with a marked
semicircular excavation of the dorsal anterior margin of the head in
front of the eyes |
Plectroctena |
| -- |  Mandible
triangular to elongate-triangular and with a sharp apical tooth, the
apical (masticatory) margin sometimes edentate but usually with several
to many teeth; mandibular articulation not associated with a
semicircular excavation of the dorsal anterior margin of the head in
front of the eyes |
5 |
| 5 |  Basal
portion of mandible with a distinct circular or near-circular pit or
fovea dorsolaterally |
Cryptopone |
| -- | Basal portion of mandible without a dorsolateral pit or fovea | 6 |
| 6 |  Dorsal
(outer) surfaces of middle tibiae and middle and hind basitarsi equipped
with numerous strong cuticular spines or peg-like teeth which are very
conspicuous |
Centromyrmex (part) |
| -- | Dorsal (outer) surfaces of middle tibiae and middle and hind basitarsi with setae but lacking cuticular spines or teeth | 7 |
| 7 |  Gaster
in profile and in dorsal view with a distinct impression or girdling
constriction between the first and second segments |
8 |
| -- |  Gaster
in profile and in dorsal view without an impression or girdling
constriction between the first and second segments |
Asphinctopone |
| 8 |  Mandible
elongate-falcate, with an extremely long apical tooth so that the tips
cross over at rest. Apical (masticatory) margin edentate or crenulate;
labrum prominent, in dorsal view projecting beyond the anterior clypeal
margin as a striated lobe; palp formula 3,4; larger ants, total length
9-16 mm |
Psalidomyrmex |
| -- |  Mandibles
otherwise; short and triangular, lacking an extremely long apical tooth,
or, quite narrow and elongate; inner (masticatory) margin multidentate;
labrum not projecting beyond clypeus as a striated lobe in dorsal view;
palp formula less than 3,4 (unknown in Dolioponera); smaller
ants, total length less than 6 mm |
9 |
| 9 |   Frontal
lobes massive, projecting anteriorly and overlapping the clypeus |
10 |
| -- |  Frontal
lobes small, not projecting anteriorly and not overlapping the clypeus |
12 |
| 10 |  Second
gastral segment arched and downcurved posteriorly, the dorsum vaulted;
sternite of second gastral segment with a bluntly U-shaped outline in
profile, much smaller than the tergite; second gastral segment not much
larger than the first. |
11 |
| -- |  Second
gastral segment barrel-shaped and longitudinal, the dorsum not vaulted,
not arched and downcurved posteriorly; sternite of second gastral
segment longitudinal, without a bluntly U-shaped outline in profile,
only slightly smaller than the tergite; second gastral segment very much
larger than the first; basal angle of mandible evenly rounded, the
apical (masticatory) margin with 8 teeth |
Dolioponera |
| 11 |
Basal angle of mandible angulate, the apical (masticatory) margin with
fewer than 8 teeth |
Loboponera |
| -- | 
Mandible narrow and elongated, without obtuse basal angle |
Boloponera |
| 12 |  Subpetiolar
process in profile with an acute angle posteroventrally and with a
fenestra or translucent thin spot anteriorly |
Ponera |
| -- |  Subpetiolar
process in profile a simple lobe, without an acute posteroventral angle
and lacking an anterior fenestra or thin spot |
Hypoponera |
 |
Ventral apex of hind tibia with two spurs, consisting of a large, pectinate spur and a second, smaller spur in front of the main spur | -- |
| 13 | Pretarsal claws of middle and hind legs armed on the inner curvature with a tooth, either close to the midlength or near the base, or the entire inner curvature dentate to pectinate | 14 |
| -- | Pretarsal claws of middle and hind legs simple, the inner curvature without a tooth medially or near the base, never dentate or pectinate | 16 |
| 14 |  Pretarsal
claws of middle and hind legs pectinate or with 1-3 small teeth behind
the apex. If only 1 preapical tooth present on claw then mandible with
only 1-3 teeth and clypeus with a sharp, median longitudinal carina |
Leptogenys (part) |
| -- |  Pretarsal
claws of middle and hind legs never pectinate, the claws always with
only a single preapical tooth. Mandible usually with more than 3 teeth
but may be edentate, in which case the clypeus without a median
longitudinal carina |
15 |
| 15 |  Helcium
located approximately at midheight on the front of the first gastral
segment so that the first gastral segment does not have a long, vertical
anterior face in profile. Tibiae of middle and hind legs each with 2
pectinate spurs. Sculpture universally of fine, dense shagreening with
associated larger punctures. Eyes never positioned well behind the
midlength of the sides of the head |
Platythyrea |
| -- |  Helcium
located very low on the front of the first gastral segment so that the
first gastral segment has a long, vertical anterior face in profile.
Tibiae of middle and hind legs each with 1 large, pectinate spur and 1
small, simple spur. Sculpture usually not of fine, dense shagreening
with associated larger punctures, but if such is present then the eyes
are positioned a considerable distance behind the midlength of the sides
of the head |
Pachycondyla (former Megaponera and Paltothyreus) |
|
Pretarsal claws of middle and hind legs simple | -- |
| 16 | Eyes
absent. Dorsal (outer) surface of middle tibiae and middle and hind
basitarsi with numerous cuticular spines or peg-like teeth |
Centromyrmex |
| -- | Eyes present, varying from large to insignificant. Middle tibiae and middle and hind basitarsi without cuticular spines or teeth, though stiff setae may be present | 17 |
| 17 |  Petiole
dorsally with a comb of 5 long spines, which curve backwards over the
base of the first gastral segment |
Phrynoponera |
| -- | Petiole dorsally without a comb of 5 spines | 18 |
| 18 |  Sides
of petiole converging dorsally into a sharp, longitudinal crest, which
runs the length of the segment. Posterolateral margins of petiole also
sharply angulate in the dorsal half, these sharp angles meeting the
dorsal crest at its posterior end. Anterior clypeal margin broadly
concave, the concavity terminating at each side in a prominent angle or
tooth-like projection |
Streblognathus (monotypic from South Africa) |
| -- | Petiole scale-like to nodiform but without a sharp, longitudinal crest running the length of the dorsum. Clypeus usually prominent but if shallowly concave medially then the concavity not terminating in prominent angles or teeth | 19 |
| 19 |  Mandible
armed with only 1-3 teeth (usually 2) |
Leptogenys (part) |
| -- |  Mandible
armed with 5 or more teeth |
Pachycondyla (part) |
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©2007 - Brian Taylor CBiol FIBiol
FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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