Pseudomyrmecinae M.R. Smith, 1952

Boudinot, Brendon E., 2015, Contributions to the knowledge of Formicidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata): a new diagnosis of the family, the first global male-based key to subfamilies, and a treatment of early branching lineages, European Journal of Taxonomy 120, pp. 1-62 : 49

Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae M.R. Smith, 1952

Figs 5B, E , 15 A–B

Diagnosis

Pseudomyrmecine males are uniquely identified by the absence of the jugal lobes in combination with the following character combination: cuticle soft, flexible, weakly-sculptured; frontal carinae inconspicuous or absent; meso- and metatibia each with two ventroapical spurs; more than three forewing cells closed; abdominal segment III petiolated; abdominal sternum IX unpronged.

Comments

The Pseudomyrmecinae is comprised of three genera, the widespread New World Pseudomyrmex , the Amazon endemic Myrcidris , and the Old World genus Tetraponera . Ward (1990) provided a male-based key to the genera for the subfamily.

Figures

Fig. 5. Male morphology. A–C, F–I. Metasoma, lateral view. D–E. Head capsule, frontal view. — A. Myrmica latifrons (U.S.A., CASENT0104816, A. Nobile). B. Pseudomyrmex indet. (Mexico, CASENT0103327, A. Nobile). C. Nothomyrmecia macrops (Australia, CASENT0902784, Z. Lieberman); note that abdominal segment III is reduced relative to, but not differentiated from segment IV. D. Myrmecia pilosula (Australia, CASENT0902800, Z. Lieberman). E. Tetraponera indet. (Madagascar, CASENT0053316, A. Nobile). F. Tatzuidris tatusia (Panama, CASENT0178870, E. Prado). G. Acromyrmex volcanus (Costa Rica, INBIOCRI001283114, E. Ortega). H. Platythyrea arthuri (Mayotte, CASENT0132466, E. Prado). I. Formica pallidefulva (U.S.A., CASENT0172882, A. Nobile). Scale bars: A–F = 0.5 mm, G–I = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 15. Male representatives of three subfamilies. A, D. Frontal view. B–C, E. Lateral view. — A–B. Pseudomyrmex holmgreni, Pseudomyrmecinae (Paraguay, CASENT0173758, A. Nobile). C. Aneuretus simoni, Aneuretinae, used with permission from Wilson et al. (1956). D–E. Technomyrmex difficilis, Dolichoderinae (Madagascar, CASENT0049968, A. Nobile). Scale bars: A, D = 0.2 mm, B = 1.0 mm, E = 0.5 mm, no scale available for C.