Formicinae Latreille, 1809

Subfamily Formicinae Latreille, 1809 View in CoL

Figs 5I View Fig , 7B, F View Fig , 16 View Fig A–B

Diagnosis

The Formicinae are uniquely identified by the following combination of characters: mandibles never serrate; antennal toruli usually situated posterad posterior clypeal margin; antenna 8–13-merous; oblique mesopleural sulcus present; at most six closed cells present on forewing; jugal lobe absent; petiolar peduncle short to absent; petiole narrowly attached to abdominal segment III; abdominal segment III unpetiolated; abdominal segment IV without cinctus between pre- and postsclerites; abdominal sternum IX unpronged and edentate.

Comments

In terms of both number of described species (~3,000) and genera (51), the Formicinae is one of the most diverse lineages of ants. Genera of the Formicinae are relatively easily delimitable based on males (B. Boudinot, in prep.), but little work has been done to render males identifiable. Males are unknown or at least undescribed for seven genera ( Agraulomyrmex , Alloformica, Bregmatomyrmex , Forelophilus , Pseudonotoncus , Santschiella , Teratomyrmex ), and the identity of Echinopla and Phasmomyrmex is uncertain.

Ectaheteromorph clade

Fig. 16 View Fig B–C

Diagnosis

Male ectaheteromorphs are uniquely identified by the following combination of characters: mandibles triangular, multidentate; antennal toruli situated posterad anterior clypeal margin; tibial spur formula 1,1 or 2,2 (if 2,2 then prora anteriorly directed); crossvein 1m-cu present; abdominal segment III unpetiolated; cinctus present between the pre- and postsclerites of abdominal segment IV; abdominal sternum IX unpronged and edentate. The jugal lobes may be present or absent.

Comments

No nomothetic (single unique) character separates the males of Ectatomminae Emery, 1895 and Heteroponerinae Bolton, 2003 , which are better distinguished genus-by-genus. In brief, Typhlomyrmex may be distinguished by the scapes, which are longer than the compound eye; Acanthoponera males have

long maxillary palps, which almost reach the postocciput; Ectatomma (Neotropical) and Rhytidoponera (Australasian) are large and have jugal lobes. Heteroponera and Gnamptogenys are distinguishable globally only using conditional statements. Characters have been found to do this, and will be described in a forthcoming publication on the New World genera (B. Boudinot in prep.). The male of Aulacopone is unknown.