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The Ants of
Africa SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Ocymyrmex |
Contents - Myrmicinae - MYRMICINAE Introduction |
Diagnostic Features
The original genus definition, Emery (1886) - is at . Arnold (1916: 194) gave a translation,
genus notes and a key (for Southern Africa), these are at
. Revised by Bolton (1981b) and further by
Bolton & Marsh (1989). Bolton (1981b) can be seen at can be seen at
-
. and, the full text of
the latter revision can be seen at -
.
Note 2: Bolton & Marsh
cite descriptions by "Prins & Roux (1989). Annals of the South African Museum
(in press)". The full list of publications in the Annals can be seen at http://media1.mweb.co.za/iziko/education/pdfs/annals.pdf.
The cited paper is not listed and, therefore, the validity of the names
has to be questioned. These are cilliei,
gariepensis and gordoni. Apart from characters
given in the Bolton & Marsh key (1989: 1282) no descriptions exist.
On the Antweb site at http://www.antweb.org//description.do?name=cilliei&genus=ocymyrmex&rank=species&project=worldants
cilliei is listed as authored
by Bolton & Marsh 1989 (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013); also for gariepensis at http://www.antweb.org/images.do?genus=ocymyrmex&name=gariepensis&rank=species&project=allantwebants
and gordoni at http://www.antweb.org/description.do?genus=ocymyrmex&name=gordoni&rank=species&project=allantwebants
Key developed from Bolton & Marsh (1989) but without reliance on
"invisible" characters, eg. palp formula and mandible teeth;
distribution as per those authors.
Species-group | TL mm | Features | . |
. | . | Southern African | Link |
. | . | East African - Tanzania northwards - all with a low, narrow petiole node | . |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 12 |
9.2-9.3 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | . | ![]() |
Somalia - robecchii |
. | . | Anterior margin of clypeus impressed to sharply notched | next |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 25 |
7.7-8.0 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | . | ![]() |
Kenya & Tanzania - phraxus |
-- |
Dorsum of head near smooth
giving a polished appearance |
next |
|
weitzeckeri-group couplet 28 |
7.4-7.8 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | . | ![]() |
North-east Africa - nitidulus |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 28 |
8.0-9.0 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
South Sudan & Kenya - celer |
. | . | Southern Africa - Zimbabwe southwards | . |
barbiger-group couplet 20 |
?? | Never
described ?? but cf barbiger only males separable! Images of male on species page |
South Africa & Namibia - cilliei |
. | . | Anterior margin of clypeus with median semi-circular or V-shaped impression | Link |
. | . | Anterior margin of clypeus at least weakly convex without a median semi-circular or V-shaped impression (part 2) | . |
velox-group couplet 5 |
5.8 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | , | ![]() |
Namibia (holotype, Walvis Bay) - turneri |
. | . | Base of gaster strongly constricted to form a neck or collar | Link |
. | . | Base of gaster not strongly constricted to form a neck or collar | . |
velox-group couplet 8 |
8.4 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia (holotype only) - zekhem |
-- |
-- |
Relatively short scapes, SI 105
or less |
Next |
velox-group couplet 9 |
9.7-10.2 mm | ![]() |
Angola (single collection) - ankhu |
velox-group couplet 9 |
10.0-10.7 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia & Angola - velox |
. | . | Base of gaster strongly constricted to form a neck or collar | . |
laticeps-group couplet 7 |
7.2-7.6 mm | ![]() |
. |
. | . | ![]() |
Angola & Namibia - laticeps |
laticeps-group couplet 7 |
9.7 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Angola (holotype only) - cursor |
. | . | Anterior margin of clypeus with a median semi-circular or V-shaped impression | . |
. | . | Alitrunk profile bizarrely saddle-shaped, PF 5,3 (part 1) | . |
cavatodorsatus-group couplet 3 |
4.5-5.0 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
South Africa - cavatodorsatus |
cavatodorsatus-group couplet 3 |
TL ?? | Never fully described ??; median portion of clypeus
with anterior section abruptly truncated cf cavatodorsatus but alitrunk profile
not so bizarre - no images available |
South Africa - gordoni |
cavatodorsatus-group couplet 1 |
TL ca 4.5 mm |
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South Africa - gariepensis |
. | . | Alitrunk profile no more than shallowly concave | . |
. | . | TL < 6 mm | . |
kahas-group couplet 19 |
5.2 mm |
Entirely yellow - no images available |
Namibia (single collection) - flavescens |
kahas-group couplet 19 |
5.8 mm |
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Namibia (single collection) - afradu |
barbiger-group couplet 21 |
5.8-6.0 mm |
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Namibia & South Africa - dekerus |
tachys-group part 4, couplet 15 |
5.4-5.5 mm |
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Namibia (single collection) - engytachys |
tachys-group part 4, couplet 15 |
5.2-5.7 mm |
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Namibia (Skeleton Coast) - tachys |
barbiger-group couplet 21 |
5.5 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia - robustior |
. | . | TL > 6 mm to 9.0 mm | . |
. | . | Alitrunk very densely hairy (part 7, couplets 31-35) | . |
hirsutus-group couplet 33 |
6.9-7.8 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Botswana & South Africa - hirsutus |
hirsutus-group couplet 34 |
7.9-8.3 mm |
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South Africa - ignotus |
hirsutus-group couplet 32 |
6.2-6.9 mm |
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Namibia - micans |
hirsutus-group couplet 35 |
7.9-8.6 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
South Africa (poss Botswana, Namibia) - resekhes |
hirsutus-group couplet 35 |
7.1-7.4 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia, Botswana & South Africa - flaviventris |
hirsutus-group couplet 31 |
6.7 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia (holotype only) - shushan |
. | . | Alitrunk not densely hairy (part 6, couplets 23-30) | . |
barbiger-group couplet 20 |
6.7-7.2 mm |
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Botswana & S. Africa - barbiger |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 25 |
7.3-8.0 mm |
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Zimbabwe & South Africa - foreli |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 27 |
6.7-8.2 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
pan-southern Africa - fortior |
kahas-group couplet-18 |
6.3-7.0 mm |
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, |
. | . | ![]() |
Namibia (single collection) - kahas |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 29 |
7.4-8.1 mm |
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Angola & Namibia - monardi |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 30 |
6.3-7.3 mm |
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Namibia - okys |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 24 |
7.6-8.8 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Botswana, South Africa & Zimbabwe - sobek |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 30 |
6.7-7.8 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
South Africa & Lesotho - weitzeckeri |
. | . | TL > 9.0 mm (part 3, couplets 11-13) | . |
weitzeckeri-group couplet 11 |
11.6-12.6 unique mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
pan-Southern Africa - picardi |
. | . | Alitrunk densely hairy, the hairs white to silvery | . |
hirsutus-group couplet 13 |
9.4-9.8 mm |
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. |
. |
. | ![]() |
Botswana & South Africa - alacer |
hirsutus-group couplet 13 |
9.3-10.1 mm |
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. |
. | . | ![]() |
Botswana & South Africa - sphinx |
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MYRMICINAE Introduction |
© 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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