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. 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.