boerorum ^HNS group

Species with the following combination of characters in the worker caste.

1 Metanotal groove present across dorsum of mesosoma.

2 Petiole node not squamiform.

3 Eyes usually present, rarely absent.

4 Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view is about the same as the width of the second tergite at its midlength.

5 Cinctus of second gastral tergite with strong cross-ribs.

6 Anterior clypeal margin lacks a median indentation or notch. Five southern African species are included here ( boerorum ^HNS, ignavia ^HNS, spei ^HNS, sulcatinasis ^HNS, transvaalensis ^HNS). The

group may be artificial as it basically represents species that are similar to the abeillei ^HNS group but which retain a strongly developed metanotal groove.