Myrmeciinae Emery, 1877

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 Myrmeciinae Emery, 1877

Figs 5 C–D, 6H, 14E–F

Diagnosis

Uniquely identified by the combination of petiolation of abdominal segment III ( Myrmeciini ), retention of the jugal lobe and of two ventroapical spurs on each meso- and metatibia, and complete fusion of the petiolar tergum and sternum anteriorly ( Prionomyrmecini ). The third abdominal segment of the male of Nothomyrmecia (Prionomyrmecini) is incompletely petiolated, although it is still recognizable by the other states indicated above.

Comment

Extant Myrmeciinae are restricted to Australia and New Caledonia, and are comprised of two monogeneric tribes, Myrmeciini (Myrmecia) and Prionomyrmecini (Nothomyrmecia) . Ward & Brady (2007) provided keys to the extant and extinct genera of Myrmeciinae , including males, although the two extant genera may also be separated by the key presented above.