Leptanillinae, Emery, 1910

Cedric A. Collingwood, Donat Agosti, Mostafa R. Sharaf & Antonius van Harten, 2011, Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae, Arthropod fauna of the UAE 4, pp. 1-70 : 3-4

Key to the subfamilies of ants of the United Arab Emirates (workers)

1 Eyes absent ( Plate 1 , Fig. 3 ). Minute ants; length generally less than 2 mm and head width less than 0.25 mm in all castes ...................................................................... Leptanillinae

– Eyes present ( Plate 2 , Fig. 5 ) ............................................................................................. 2

2 Peduncle with a single node or scale ( Plate 3 , Fig. 4 ) ....................................................... 4

– Peduncle with two distinct segments, the petiole and the postpetiole ( Plate 4 , Fig. 6 ) ..... 3

3 Clypeus projects back between the frontal ridges ( Plate 5 , Fig. 7 ); tarsal claws simple. Ocelli absent in worker caste. In most species eyes small to medium sized ... Myrmicinae

– Clypeus does not project back between frontal ridges but bends vertically downwards in front of the head. Eyes large, at least one third head length ( Plate 6 , Fig. 8 ) ........................ ............................................................................................................. Pseudomyrmecinae

4 Gaster with a projecting sting. First and second gaster tergites with a distinct constriction between them ( Plate 7 , Fig. 9 ) ........................................................................................... 5

– Gaster without a projecting sting. First and second gaster tergites not separated by a distinct constriction ( Plate 8 , Fig. 10 ) ................................................................................ 6

5 Pygidium (last visible gaster tergite) rounded without short projecting teeth or spines. Antennal insertions concealed by frontal laminae in dorsal view ( Plate 9 , Fig. 11 ) ............. ............................................................................................................................. Ponerinae

– Pygidium flattened, armed with very short spines or peg-like teeth. Antennal insertions exposed ( Plate 10 , Fig. 12 ) ........................................................................ Cerapachyinae

6 Gaster with a fringe of hairs on the ultimate gastral segment (acidopore) ( Plate 11 ) ........... .......................................................................................................................... Formicinae

– Gaster without a fringe of hairs on the ultimate gastral segment ............... Dolichoderinae

Figures

Plates 1–6. 1: Leptanilla spec., head; 2: Monomorium spec., head; 3: Cataglyphis spec., habitus, in lateral view; 4: Monomorium spec., habitus in lateral view; 5: Monomorium spec., head; 6: Tetraponera spec., head.(Photographs by A.Nobile,© www.antweb.org)

Figures 3–14.3: Leptanilla spec., head;4:Pachycondyla spec., peduncle; 5: Camponotus spec., head; 6: Tetramorium spec, peduncle; 7: Messor spec., head in dorsal view; 8: Tetraponera spec., head; 9: Ponerinae, peduncle and gaster; 10: Plagiolepis spec., peduncle and gaster; 11: Ponerinae, head in dorsal view; 12: Cerapachys spec., head; 13: Tapinoma spec., peduncle and gaster; 14: Technomyrmex spec., peduncleand gaster.

Plates 7–11. 7: Cerapachys spec, habitus in lateral view; 8: Tapinoma spec., habitus in lateral view; 9: Ponerinae, head; 10: Cerapachys spec., head; 11: Cataglyphis spec., habitus in lateral view. arrow showing acidopore.(Photographs 7–8, 10–11 by A.Nobile,9 by M. Esposito,© www.antweb.org)