Formicinae Latreille, 1809

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 : 51

Subfamily Formicinae Latreille, 1809

Figs 5I, 7B, F , 16 A–B

Diagnosis

The Formicinae are uniquely identified by the following combination of characters: mandibles never serrate; antennal toruli usually situated posterad posterior clypeal margin; antenna 8–13-merous; oblique mesopleural sulcus present; at most six closed cells present on forewing; jugal lobe absent; petiolar peduncle short to absent; petiole narrowly attached to abdominal segment III; abdominal segment III unpetiolated; abdominal segment IV without cinctus between pre- and postsclerites; abdominal sternum IX unpronged and edentate.

Comments

In terms of both number of described species (~3,000) and genera (51), the Formicinae is one of the most diverse lineages of ants. Genera of the Formicinae are relatively easily delimitable based on males (B. Boudinot, in prep.), but little work has been done to render males identifiable. Males are unknown or at least undescribed for seven genera ( Agraulomyrmex , Alloformica, Bregmatomyrmex , Forelophilus , Pseudonotoncus , Santschiella , Teratomyrmex ), and the identity of Echinopla and Phasmomyrmex is uncertain.

Figures

Fig. 7. A–B. Forewing. A. Ventral view, gyne. B. Dorsal view, male. C–D. Mesosoma, lateral view, male. E–F. Paramere, lateral view, male. — A. Aneuretus simoni (Sri Lanka, CASENT0172259, A. Nobile). B. Nylanderia vividula (U.S.A., CASENT0058918, A. Nobile). C. Apomyrma stygia (Central African Republic, CASENT0086073, E. Prado). D. Anochetus boltoni (Madagascar, CASENT0063847, A. Nobile). E. Dolichoderus validus (Costa Rica, INB0003662427, B. Boudinot). F. Formica pacifica (U.S.A., JTLC000006350, B. Boudinot). Scale bars: A–C, E–F = 0.5 mm, D = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 16. Male representatives of three subfamilies. A–B. Formica wheeleri, Formicinae (U.S.A., CASENT0173024, A. Nobile). C–D. Rhytidoponera, Ectatomminae, ectaheteromorph clade (Australia, CASENT0004610, A. Nobile). E–F. Pogonomyrmex rastratus (Argentina, CASENT0172673, A.