The Ants of Africa

	The Ants of Africa SUBFAMILY AMBLYOPONINAE Forel
Contents - Amblyoponinae

Subfamily Amblyoponinae Forel, 1893a: 162

Diagnostic Features - Pedicel of a single segment, with a very broad connection to the gaster (the helcium) so that the petiole is without a distinct posterior face. Eyes usually present; clypeus well developed so that the antennal insertions are some distance behind the anterior margin of the head. Genae usually not carinate. Frontal carinae usually at least partially cover the antennal insertions, if not then the dorsum of the alitrunk is without sutures. Pygidium never impressed or armed with spines or denticles. Alitrunk dorsally usually with at least one suture.

Revised status published by Bolton (2003: 41) but changed by Yoshimura & Fisher (2012). They revive the monotypic Xymmer and Stigmatomma and the residual Amblyopone has no African members

Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. (2012) A Revision of Male Ants of the Malagasy Amblyoponinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Resurrections of the Genera Stigmatomma and Xymmer. PLoS ONE 7(3): e33325. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033325

Illustrated key to Amblyoponine genera of Africa - derived in part from Bolton (1994)

1	Mandible elongate and usually linear, multidentate, and not closing tightly against the clypeus, always with more than 3 teeth	2
--	Mandible short, triangular or subtriangular, with relatively few teeth (1-3), and closing tightly against the clypeus	4
2	Mandible pointed at apex, not as long as head; tooth row on inner margin of mandible single. Spatulate setae absent from head	Mystrium
--	Mandible blunt at apex and very long, longer than head; tooth row on inner margin of mandible double. Spatulate setae present on head	3
3	Clypeus with unarmed anterior margin (a plate-like projection); petiole ventrally with only a low tubercle, with a distinct narrow peduncle and a narrowed junction with the gaster; head strongly narrowed posteriorly in full-face view; mandibles elongated; generally slender	Xymmer
--	Clypeus with peg-like structures visible on the anterior margin	Stigmatomma
4	Apical tooth of mandible followed by a short cleft, remainder of apical (masticatory) margin edentate. Alitrunk in dorsal view marginate anteriorly and strongly constricted from side to side in front of metanotal groove. Antenna 9-segmented with a strongly defined, 4-segmented club	Concoctio
--	Apical tooth of mandible followed by 2 more teeth, the second tooth small, the third larger than the second. Alitrunk in dorsal view not marginate anteriorly nor constricted from side to side in front of the metanotal groove. Antenna 8-12 segmented with a 3- or 4-segmented club	Prionopelta

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