Afrotropical Gonatopus Group 2: key to the ♀♀

1. Meso-metapleural suture obsolete or incomplete............................................................ 2

- Meso-metapleural suture distinct and complete............................................................ 13

2. Metanotum with lateral pointed protrusions (Fig. 169C)............ G. comorensis Olmi, Copeland & van Noort, sp. nov.

- Metanotum with sides rounded (Figs 171F, 174G)........................................................... 3

3. Mesosoma at least partly black.......................................................................... 4

- Mesosoma completely yellow-testaceous, or yellow-reddish, or brown-reddish, or partly yellow-reddish and brown-reddish 7

4. Pronotum with anterior collar black and disc yellow................................... G. perkinsiellavorus (Benoit)

- Pronotum completely black, or brown, or testaceous......................................................... 5

5. Mesoscutum yellow, with anterior margin darkened; antennomere 10 brown.................................................................................................. G. harteni (Olmi) or G. festivus Olmi (see remarks)

- Mesoscutum black; antennomere 10 brown, or whitish, or yellow............................................... 6

6. Antennomere 10 whitish or yellow......................................................... G. pilosoides Olmi

- Antennomere 10 brown.................................................................. G. niassensis Olmi

7. Body very shiny, unsculptured, except propodeal declivity transversely striate........................ G. ceballosi Olmi

- Body at least partly strongly or slightly granulate, or rugose................................................... 8

8. Head completely yellow-testaceous...................................................................... 9

- Head brown-black or brown, except occiput, clypeus, mandible and anterior part of frons yellow..................... 10

9. Top of metapectal-propodeal disc with track of median furrow..................................... G. polli (Benoit)

- Top of metapectal-propodeal disc without track of median furrow................................ G. ghanensis Olmi

10. Top and anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc rugose and sculptured by irregular striae; head with OL about 3 × as long as POL; frontal line present also in ocellar triangle forming median longitudinal keel............... G. ntumenensis Olmi

- Top and anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc unsculptured or very slightly granulate; head with OL twice or less than twice as long as POL; frontal line not present in ocellar triangle............................................... 11

11. Pronotum showing disc contraction near posterior margin (Fig. 171F); sides of metanotum less sinuate (Fig. 171F)............................................................................................... G. festivus Olmi - Pronotum not showing disc contraction near posterior margin (Fig. 174I); sides of metanotum more sinuate (Fig. 174I)... 12

12. Top of metapectal-propodeal disc without track of median longitudinal furrow.......................... G. ruens Olmi

- Top of metapectal-propodeal disc with track of median longitudinal furrow.......................... G. amoenus Olmi

13. Body at least partly black or brown or brown-reddish....................................................... 14

- Body yellow testaceous, or testaceous, or ferruginous, except petiole black; occasionally antenna or metasoma partly or totally brown or black...................................................................................... 17

14. Anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc sculptured by many strong longitudinal striae; top of metapectal-propodeal disc with strong median longitudinal furrow; head deeply excavated (Fig. 171D)...................... G. camposensis Olmi

- Anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc unsculptured, or granulate, or punctate, never sculptured by striae; top of metapectal-propodeal disc without median longitudinal furrow or with track of median longitudinal furrow; head less excavated (Figs 168C, 174D, 175D)............................................................................. 15

15. Subdistal tooth of enlarged claw larger (see Fig. 175E).......................................... G. jacksoni Olmi

- Subdistal tooth of enlarged claw smaller (see Figs 168D, 176F)............................................... 16

16. Head less excavated (Fig. 168C); anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc very shiny, unsculptured.. G. acutus (Olmi)

- Head more excavated (Fig. 175D); anterior surface of metapectal-propodeal disc slightly dull, partly punctate and granulate...................................................................................... G. vannoorti Olmi

17. Metanotum excavated behind mesoscutellum (Fig. 174B).......................................... G. fisheri Olmi

- Metanotum about coplanar to mesoscutellum (Figs 174K, 175C).............................................. 18

18. Pronotum with transverse impression narrow and less deep (Fig. 174K); top of metapectal-propodeal disc usually without median furrow (Fig. 174J), occasionally with track of median longitudinal furrow........................ G. similis Brues

- Pronotum with transverse impression very deep and broad (Fig. 175C); top of metapectal-propodeal disc usually with strong median furrow (Fig. 175B), occasionally with track of median longitudinal furrow............... G. spiracularis (Benoit)

Remarks. The ♀ mesosoma of Gonatopus festivus Olmi can vary in colour, from totally testaceous to partly black or brown. If the colour is partly black or brown, ♀♀ of G. festivus can be confused with G. harteni Olmi. In this case, ♀♀ of these two species are indistinguishable. However, the two species are distinct, because their ♂♂ show strong differences.