SUBFAMILY PONERINAE - Genus Pachycondyla (sensu Bolton 1995: 40) keys
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The Ants of
Africa SUBFAMILY PONERINAE - Genus Pachycondyla (sensu Bolton 1995: 40) keys |
| Contents - Ponerinae - Pachycondyla Introduction |
The keys that follow were developed by me several years ago,
building on those of Bolton (1973a).
Key to historic subgenera - used as species-groups for
convenience
Note: that the Schmidt & Shattuck paper (issued June 2014, see Introduction page) largely raised the same groups to genus level. As my keys worked and still work I see no reason to change them. The linked species pages cover the new and revived genus names. These are: Bothroponera Mayr; Brachyponera Emery; Hagensia Forel; Megaponera Mayr; Mesoponera Emery (including former Xiphopelta, reverting to Wheeler, 1922: 775, although he did not include all the S&S species, e.g M. ambigua); Ophthalmopone Forel; Paltothyreus Mayr; Euponera including African Trachymesopus species - this latter I find confusing as they give "Pseudoponera Emery gen. rev. = Trachymesopus Emery"; under Euponera they state that Madagascar species have been revised but the remaining species await revision.
| Pretarsal claws armed with a tooth | |
| Note: this used to include the still separate Genus Platythyrea but that has the tibiae of the middle and hind legs each with two pectinate spurs, overall dense shagreening, and without the median clypeus raised or projecting forward | |
 Megaponera, two
species (both often reported as Megaponera foetens; with what
one might call a dimorphic worker form, with intermediate sizes;
pretarsal claw with tooth near the base |
Megaponera key |
 Paltothyreus, monotypic
- Paltothyreus tarsatus,
now Pachycondyla tarsata; very large species with the median
clypeus raised and projecting forward, and the tibiae of middle and
hind legs with a large pectinate spur and a small simple spur |
. |
 |
Pan-African - tarsatus |
| Pretarsal claws simple and without teeth | |
 Petiole thick
and nodiform |
. |
 Bothroponera
- generally thickset |
Bothroponera key |
 Ophthalmopone -
slender elongate ants |
Ophthalmopone key |
 Petiole reduced to a thick scale |
. |
| Basal portion of the mandible without a dorsolateral pit or fovea | |
 Mesoponera -
mandibles moderately elongated with
several teeth; moderate sized eyes; anterior margin of clypeus evenly
convex; maxillary palps 4-segmented; funiculus with first joint same
length as second; thorax elongate; mesonotum oval with surrounding
suture; legs relatively short |
Mesoponera (Mesoponera) key |
 Xiphopelta
- having longer more slender mandibles,
anterior margin of clypeus of most with a median point; less dilated
promesonotum, and especially with the first funicular segment
distinctly longer than the other segments |
Mesoponera (Xiphopelta) key |
| Basal portion of the mandible with fovea | |
 Hagensia - re-established for two species from
South Africa, where the mandible fovea is in the form of a transverse
or oblique elongate groove; male and female both with toothed claws; TL
at least 9.3 to 12.5 mm |
Hagensia key |
 Brachyponera
- palp formula of 3,3; relatively
large eyes (diameter wider than the scape); and a very deep metanotal
suture; short broad alitrunk, with propodeal declivity flat to concave
to accomodate anterior face of petiole; Tl 4-6 mm |
Brachyponera key |
 Euponera [inc African Trachymesopus] - palp
formula of 4,4; very small eyes; and a weakly impressed metanotal
suture; TL 3.4-5 mm |
Euponera [Trachymesopus] key |
| 1 |  Head in full face view
somewhat ovoid with rounded
occipital angles; alitrunk profile without a drop to rear of mesonotum;
mandibles with very fine puncturation |
West Africa & Congo Basin (east to Rwanda) major - analis |
| -- |  Petiole apex not
higher than propodeum; also in profile
petiole generally thicker and only slightly narrower at the top; gaster
with relatively abundant pubescence |
minor - analis |
| 2 |  Head in full face view with near straight sides and near
right-angled occipital corners; alitrunk profile with marked drop to
rear of mesonotum; mandibles with very distinct puncturation; TL 15 mm |
Eastern & Southern Africa - major - laeviuscula |
| -- |  Petiole apex higher
than level of propodeum; also in
profile apex slightly narrower than base; gaster with much reduced
pubescence; TL 9-11 mm |
minor - laeviuscula |
Bothroponera-group former
subgenus Bothroponera Mayr (1862: 717)
WORKER - small, medium-sized or large, opaque or subopaque, usually strongly sculptured black or dark brown ants. Workers monomorphic. Head subrectangular, with the eyes usually well developed, rarely vestigial, placed at or in front of the posterior third of the head. Mandibles subtriangular, with coarsely dentate apical margin. Cheeks without a carina. Clypeus with rounded, obtusely angular or feebly and sinuately marginate anterior border, prolonged backward as a narrow point between the frontal carinae, which are broadly and lobularly expanded, incrassated and covering the insertions of the antennae. Frontal groove distinct. Antennae stout, 12-jointed. Thorax with distinct promesonotal suture, but with the metanotal suture and that between the mesosternum and mesepisternum absent or obsolescent. Pronotum not marginate on the sides; propodeum usually unarmed. Petiole with a thick, more or less transverse node, in a few species somewhat compressed and dentate above or behind. Gaster subcylindrical, with pronounced constriction between the postpetiole and succeeding segment, the postpetiole truncated in front; sting rather short and blunt. Middle and hind tibiae each with a large pectinated and a simple lateral spur; claws simple.
Arnold (1915) gave a key to the Southern African species of Bothroponera,
this is at 
. Arnold (1952a) revised the
key (treating it as a genus) and this is at 
.
The following key may be useful in identifying the workers and females of the Ethiopian species of Bothroponera.
| ¤ | Known only from the queen | Zaïre - rubescens |
| ¤ |  Keys
from 10 below; coarsely punctate, smooth mandibles; separable by the
horizontal opening to the propodeal spiracle and the lack of
sculpturation on the gaster from the second segment backwards |
South
Africa - umgodikulula |
| 1 | Head, thorax, petiole and postpetiole coarsely punctate, punctate-rugulose or striated | 2 |
| -- | These regions finely and densely punctate, sometimes with superimposed, larger but shallow punctures | 13 |
| 2 | Mandibles striate | 3 |
| -- | Mandibles smooth, sparsely punctate | 10 |
| 3 |  TL
11 mm; petiolar node broadly excised posteriorly (with concave margin
in dorsal view); very dark brown to black |
Mozambique & South Africa - cariosa |
| -- | Petiolar node sharply truncated posteriorly | 4 |
| 4 |  TL 5.5 mm; petiolar
node with sharp anterior and posterior
margins in dorsal view, dorsum almost flat; red-brown |
Gabon - pongarensis new species |
| -- | TL at least 8 mm | 5 |
| 5 |  TL 8 mm; testaceous yellow
(e.g. as in sample,
right) |
Congo - cribrata |
| -- | TL not less than 9 mm; black or brownish black | 6 |
| 6 |  TL
13 mm; antennal scapes reaching to occiput; brownish-black |
South Africa - cavernosa |
| -- | Antennal scapes not reaching to occiput; eyes small | 7 |
| 7 |  TL 9
mm; eye small; golden pubescence on body, especially on head, abundant;
sculpture less pronounced |
West Africa to Tanzania - talpa |
| -- | TL > 9 mm | 8 |
| 8 |  TL
9.2-10 mm; pits on petiole and basal two segments of gaster larger than
on alitrunk; black |
Malawi & South Africa - mlanjiensis |
| TL at least 10 mm | 9 | |
| 9 |  TL
10 mm; sculpture less pronounced; pronotum with less pronounced
shoulders; petiole with posterior border no wider than the petiole
length; dark red |
Congo Basin (including Angolan forest) - sanguinea |
| -- |  TL
12 to 15 mm; petiole with posterior border about 1.3 X wider than the
petiole length; golden pubescence less pronounced; sculpture coarser;
distinctive blood-red spot at posterior of each gastral segment |
Western areas - Congo to Guinea - pachyderma |
| -- | Mandibles smooth | -- |
| 10 |  TL
14 mm; clypeus with a sharp median carina; petiolar node broadly
excised posteriorly; body covered with very fine recumbent golden
pubescence; black; apex of frontal carinae shining red |
. |
| . |  |
South Africa - granosa |
| Petiolar node truncated behind; body without golden pubescence | 11 | |
| 11 |  TL
ca 10.5 mm, gaster more or less shining, black with golden pubescence |
Southern Africa & Cameroun - pumicosa |
| -- | Gaster opaque, finely striated | 12 |
| 12 |  TL
10 mm; black |
South Africa - strigulosa |
| -- |  TL
11 mm; petiole node quite long with rounded anterodorsal profile; genae
and lateral alitrunk striate; black |
. |
| . |  |
South Africa - variolosa |
| -- |
Head, thorax and petiole finely and densely punctate, sometimes with superimposed, larger but shallow punctures | -- |
| 13 | Eyes well developed in the workers | 14 |
| -- | Eyes vestigial in the workers | 21 |
| 14 | TL 5.5 mm | 15 |
| -- | TL at least 7 mm | 17 |
| 15 |  TL
5.5; mandibles 6-toothed; petiole nearly twice as broad as long; dark
red-brown matt |
. |
| . |  |
West Africa & Gabon - silvestrii |
| -- | Mandibles 7-toothed; petiole as long as broad | 16 |
| 16 |  TL
5.6; mandible with 3 large apical teeth and four small-minute basal
teeth; HL 1/5 longer than HW; black |
. |
| . |  |
Kenya & Tanzania- kenyensis |
| -- | HL 1/3 longer than HW; TL 5.5; colour like crassa
but appendages darker more brown (no images) |
Angola - picardi |
| -- | TL at least 7 mm | -- |
| 17 | Mandibles shining | 18 |
| -- | Mandibles finely striate | 19 |
| 18 |  TL
7.0-8.0; head with moderately convex sides; sparsely punctate; dark
brown-red; the slightly recessed, medium-sized oval eye seems
characteristic of the species |
Pan-African - soror |
 TL
8.5-8.7; head near rectangular; clypeus with longitudinal striations;
propodeum with a sharp junction between dorsum and declivity; black
without bronze reflections |
Guinea - lamottei | |
| 19 |  Opaque;
head ovoid; TL 11 mm; colour black |
South Africa - kruegeri |
| -- | Subopaque or shining; head subrectangular | 20 |
| 20 |  Very
shining; TL 12 mm; clypeus angularly produced in middle; eyes small;
petiole with rounded dorsal angles in profile; colour black |
South Africa - laevissima |
| -- |  Subopaque;
TL 7 to 7.5 mm; clypeus feebly sinuate in middle; eyes larger; colour
dark red-brown |
Panafrican (savannah) - crassa |
| -- |
Eyes vestigial in the workers | -- |
| 21 | TL
4.5 to 5.5 mm; mandibles smooth, sparsely punctate; eyes very small,
with less than a dozen facets; red-brown |
. |
| . |  |
West Africa & Congo Basin - sjostedti |
| -- | TL 6.5 to 7 mm; mandibles striate at the tip; eyes larger, with about 45 facets | 22 |
| 22 |  TL 6.5-7.0 mm; head
square with a near flat occiput; no
erect hairs except on anterior of head and lower alitrunk; dark brown |
Tanzania & Ghana - fugax |
| -- |  TL
6.3 mm; head with fine reticulo-rugose sculpture; petiole with
distinctive large fossettes; abundant long yellowish erect hairs except
on head; testaceous yellow |
Cameroun - zumpti |
Ophthalmopone-group
(subgenus Ophthalmopone Forel (1890b: cxi)
WORKER - slender elongate ants with claws simple
The following key may be useful in identifying the workers and females of the African species
| 1 | Head elongated HL ca 1.5 X HW; eyes large and set far back on head | 2 |
| -- |  Head less elongated; diameter of eye less than
its distance from the anterior of the face; TL
10-11 mm; cf berthoudi - altogether less slender and less
elongated; petiole node seen from above much narrower anteriorly and
less emarginate posteriorly; but pubescence denser and more fulvous;
black |
South Africa - hottentota |
| 2 |  TL 12 mm;
posterior border of petiole in dorsal view with
distinct lateral points; black; tips of appendages lighter to yellow |
Eastern & Southern Africa - berthoudi |
| -- |  TL 11.5-13 mm; head
smaller and longer than berthoudi,
HL 1.5 X HW; eyes large and pronouncedly convex; mandible with 12-14
denticles; posterior border of petiole in dorsal view totally straight;
pubescence darker red-gold |
Ethiopia - ilgii |
| -- |  TL 10 mm; pubescence more
subtle, greyish-pruinose; less elongated than ilgii with more
elevated margins to the propodeum |
Saô Tomé - depilis |
| -- |  TL 12.5-13.5 mm; head less elongated than ilgii;
black with dark brick-red pubescence; |
Saô Tomé - mocquerysi |
Mesoponera-group (subgenus Mesoponera,
Emery, 1900d).
WORKER - (modified after Arnold, translation, 1915: 64) clypeus rounded; mandibles moderately elongated with several teeth; maxillary palps 4-segmented; funiculus with first joint same length as second; thorax elongate; mesonotum oval with surrounding suture; legs relatively long.
Santschi (1935b) gave a key to the species - for record purposes
this is at 
. havilandi and peringueyi
are in subgenus Hagensia.
Key to workers of the Ethiopian species of Mesoponera.
| 1 |  TL
7.6-9.0 mm; head with parallel sides; eyes small, length <
two-thirds of apical segment of funiculus; propodeum with distinct
angle between dorsum and declivity; scanty erect pilosity; black or
nearly so, dull |
. |
| . |  |
pan-African - caffraria |
| -- |  Propodeum
profile a smooth curve; sides of head convex; TL 5.0-5.3 mm; mandibles
stout triangular, with 9 teeth, lightly striated; mostly dark brown,
but lightening posteriorly, gastral apex rusty yellow; all over with
fine golden pubescence |
. |
| . |  |
South Africa - wroughtoni |
| -- |  TL 5 mm (Nigeria
specimens are TL 6.97-7.66 mm, HL
1.68-1.87, HW 1.43-1.59, SL 1.24-1.40, PW 1.09-1.18); mandibles large
triangular, with more than eight teeth; clypeus longitudinally
carinate; propodeum compressed above, considerably narrower in dorsal
view than the pronotum, posterior face concave; subpetiolar process
with rounded corners or a very small tooth at the anterior corner; with
dense pilosity; dark red-brown, lighter brown on extremities, funicular
apex yellow |
. |
| . |  |
Eritrea, ?Nigeria, & South Africa - escherichi |
| -- |  TL
5.5-6.0 mm; HL > HW; mandibles moderately long with 8-9 teeth;
petiole scale with faces near flat; few erect hairs; castaneous,
mandibles deep red with black margins |
. |
| . |  |
Congo Basin and ? Sahel - ingesta |
| ° |  Queen only |
Sudan - flavopilosa |
| 1 | Eyes larger > 40 facets | 2 |
| -- | Small eyes < 40 facets | 4 |
| -- | Eyes larger > 40 facets | 2 |
| 2 |  Mandibles with much
reduced teeth; TL 6.5-7.0 mm; HL >
HW; clypeus a narrow scale; deep castaneous near black |
. |
| . |  |
Zaïre - subiridescens |
| -- |  TL
6.6 mm; eyes small (60 facets); propodeum laterally bordered; mandibles
elongated with 12-13 small teeth; almost entirely dark red; fine
yellowish pilosity all over |
. |
| . |  |
Guinea - nimba |
| -- | Eyes < 40 facets | -- |
| 4 | TL 6.0 mm; eyes 6
facets in longitudinal diameter; mandible long with 12-13 teeth
alternating between small and
minute; propodeum with smooth transition but laterally bordered;
entirely rust-brown; shiny except head and anterior pronotum which are
finely punctate and densely pubescent - available type images are
conflicting - see species page |
Congo Basin - scolopax |
| -- | Eyes with 10-30 facets | 5 |
| 5 | TL 3.2 mm | 6 |
| -- | TL at least 4.5 mm | 7 |
| 6 |  TL 3.2 mm, HL 0.8, HW 0.6 mm. Separable from weberi
by the head details - finely reticulated and matt; thorax without
reticulation, with large puncturations and the outline of transverse
rugae. Eyes reduced to 4 facets, 4 times further from the mandibles
than their length. Antennal lobes more rounded. Clypeus punctuated, not
sinuated, anterior border almost rectilinear, with a very fine point.
Mandibles bluntly widened, 9 equal, large, contiguous, yellow teeth.
Propodeum and petiole scale similar to weberi. Uniform dark
red, darker than the related weberi, appendages yellowish. |
. |
| . |  |
Guinea - novemdentata |
| -- |  TL 3.2 mm, HL 0.8, HW
0.55 mm. Head parallel for most of
its length, unlike its larger relatives. Clypeus yellow, with large
puncturations, anteriorly sinuated, median point blunt. Mandibles
yellow, little puncturated, distinctly differing from other "Xiphopelta"
by the progressive widening; 13 large, contiguous, yellow but somewhat
inequal, teeth. Eyes small, some 8 facets, 3.5 times further from
mandible bases than their length. Frontal lobes more angular than other
relatives. Propodeum with obtuse angle, the two faces seeming equal.
Overall shiny but head, thorax and abdomen with very visible medium
reticulation. Propodeum and petiole smoother. Sparse white hairs, dense
on the petiole scale, white pubescence on the head. Red-brown, darker
on the gaster, antennal lobe and mandible bases; appendages yellow. |
. |
| . |  |
Guinea - weberi |
| -- | TL at least 4.5 mm | -- |
| 7 |  TL 4.5 mm; castaneous
or piceous brown; appendages yellower |
. |
| . |  |
Southern & East Africa - elisae |
| -- | TL at least 5 mm | 8 |
| 8 | Colour no more than chestnut brown | 9 |
| -- | Colour dark, at least brown-black | 10 |
| 9 |  TL
5.2 mm; eyes brown flat with some 30 facets; mandibles slender with
12-13 teeth; propodeum relatively elongated; metanotal groove shallow;
testaceous-yellow |
Guinea - testacea |
| . |  |
|
| -- |  TL 5.0-5.5 mm; eyes
with 8 facets diameter; mandibles
elongate with 14-15 teeth alternating small and minute; deep metanotal
groove; propodeum with distinct but rounded transition; petiole with
convex anterior face and concave posterior; head and anterior pronotum
densely punctate matt; red-brown extremities lighter |
. |
| . |  |
Senegal & Guinea, Gabon - senegalensis |
| -- |  TL 5.3-5.6 mm, HL 1.35 HW 0.90 mm. A very distinct form.
Head with clypeus uniformly convex and smooth apart from some
puncturation, laterally narrower than related species. Eyes black,
flat, elongated, with 20 plus facets; some 2.5 times further from
mandible bases than own length. Mandible with 13 teeth, small, black
and spaced out, more inequal than picea. Propodeum notably more humped
in profile than close relatives; posterior to the hump the declivity is
twice as short, flat, and limited laterally by fine borders. Head very
finely shagreened, somewhat shiny, remainder smooth and shiny,
puncturation fine and rare. White pubescence on head and thorax, plus
erect whitish hairs (less dense than on picea). Pale reddish,
clypeal margin and part of gaster darker, appendages dark-yellow. |
. |
| . |  |
Guinea & Liberia - villiersi |
| -- | Dark brown-black to black | -- |
| 10 |  TL
5.0-6.0 mm; apical segment of funiculus relatively long (as long as
three preceding together); dark brown-black |
. |
| . |  |
West Africa, Congo Basin ?& tramp species - ambigua |
| -- |  TL variable 5.2-6.5 mm, largest HL 1.6 and HW 1.33 mm.
Head widest posteriorly. Eyes black and small, 30-40 facets, distance
from mandible bases some 1.5 times their length. Clypeus convex, but
without well defined median "gibbosité", apex short and relatively
large. Mandibles brown, slightly punctured, with 12 black fairly large
and subequal teeth. Propodeum rectilinear in profile from both aspects,
less convex than related species. Head elegantly and regularly
reticulate, alitrunk near smooth with a few puncturations. Dark,
black-brown or brown-red; petiole scale, tarsi and part of gaster red. |
. |
| . |  |
Guinea & Gabon - picea |
Brachyponera-group - with
short, broad alitrunk and raised mesonotum; mandibles with a distinct
baso-lateral fovea
| 1 |  TL 4-4.5 mm; overall
more slender; in full face view head
with more convex sides and deeper occipital impression; mandibles
unsculptured apart from sparse setal insertions; pronotal dorsum flat
and more obviously bordered; pubescence finer and denser; variable
brown to brown-orange |
West Africa & Congo Basin - decolor |
| -- | generally dark brown to black; mandibles distinctly sculptured with relatively coarse setae | 2 |
| 2 |  TL ca 5 mm;
mandibles with 6-7 moderate and equisized
teeth along entire inner margin, also no more than finely sculptured
and uniformly dark orange; antennae similarly dark orange; promesonotum
profile is a high flat topped dome; gaster with a distinctly concave
anterior; with a generally silky appearance due to fineness of the
pubescence |
sub-Saharan south into Congo Basin - ruginota |
| -- |  TL 5-6 mm; mandibles
with 3-4 distinctly apical teeth;
head with parallel sides and straight occiput; promesonotum with uneven
profile; gaster with weakly convex anterior face; head and alitrunk
with sparse pilosity; generally finely and densely puncturate;
generally dark brown to black, appendages ferruginous; mandibles dark
red to black, with fine striations and abundant short pilosity |
pan-African - sennaarensis |
| 1 |  TL 9.3-9.5 mm,
alitrunk profile almost flat, weak shallow
fovea on the mandibles, stronger punctures on the inner surface of the
mandibles, with coarser teeth, and, the more rectangular, straight
sided head |
saldanhae |
| -- | Mandibles with a deep, oblique fovea; alitrunk profile undulating | 2 |
| 2 |  TL 12.5 mm; whole
body matt and very closely
reticulo-punctate; mandibles striate |
havilandi |
| -- |  TL 11-12 mm; whole
body quite shiny, head with very fine
puncturation, visible only at high magnification |
peringueyi |
Euponera [African Trachymesopus] key - note the last species according to Schmidt & Shattuck is Parvoponera darwinii.
| 1 | Eyes reduced to a single facet or ommatidium | 2 |
| -- | Eyes small but clearly with a number of facets or ommatidia | 3 |
| 2 |  TL 3.4 mm; petiole
scale with convex anterior face; light
yellow-rust, head slightly darker; submatt, gaster shiny |
. |
| .. |  |
Tanzania - suspecta |
| -- |  TL 3.7 mm;
brownish-black, posterior margins of gastral
tergites and clypeus brownish-yellow, appendages ferruginous |
. |
| . |  |
Gabon & South Africa - aenigmatica |
| 3 |  TL 3.9-4.2 mm up to
4.75 mm; black, red-brown extremities
and appendages; sculpture of fine dense puncturation, relatively dense
pilosity all over; mandibles with a basal fovea on dorsolateral
surface; clypeus carinate medially; metanotal groove very weakly
impressed; dorsum of propodeum narrower than that of pronotum. |
Widespread - brunoi |
| -- | TL > 5 mm | 4 |
| 4 |  TL
5.0-6.0 mm; broader head CI 98-100; mandibles elongate triangular, with
small or reduced teeth; petiole node wider above than below; black and
shiny; whole body with fine greyish pubescence |
. |
| . |  |
South Africa - fossigera |
| -- |  TL
4.3-4.9 mm; head almost as wide as long, CI 92-93; anterior margin of
clypeus with a prominent median tooth; mandible with coarse teeth;
petiole node less truncated, more rounded posteriorly, upper anterior
border less clear and, in profile not forming an slightly acuminate
angle; yellowish darwinii type formSchmidt & Shattuck (2014: 35) separate the genus in Africa by the small to absent eyes, and a subpetiolar process with an anterior fenestra and/or a pair of teeth (?) |
Widespread but relatively uncommon (possibly wrongly identified in Africa) - Parvoponera darwinii |
 |
PONERINAE Introduction |
© 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 - Brian Taylor
CBiol
FSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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