The Ants of Africa

	The Ants of Africa SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Oligomyrmex
Contents - Myrmicinae - Carebara sensu Fernandez - Introduction

Main Genus page

Fernández cites his Carebara concinna species complex (antennae 11-segmented) to exemplify neotropical "Oligomyrmex". The species he listed are C. longii, C. peruviana (queen only known, TL 7 mm), C. urichi and C. brevipilosa (minor only). Oligomyrmex concinna Mayr (1867a) was described and remains known only from the queen.
Fernández (2004: 211) refers to the C. concinna species complex but that should have read Carebara lignata species complex (9-segmented antennae), all monomorphic, except possibly bruchi, panamensis (ergatoid rather than major?), and tenua (major only known). He also cites O. panamensis, O. bruchi and O. coeca as having minors indistinguishable from Carebara. He states the minors of those are eyeless and lack the typical Oligomyrmex sculpturing or pilosity. The minorsa of the African Oligomyrmex, however, show considerable variation in both and there is no "typical" state.

Key to Global Oligomyrmex : Key to African major workers : Key to African minor workers

--	non-African Carebara ?	--
--	Note apparent similarity to the African Oligomyrmex politus (j. syn. villiersi: synonymy not realised by Fernández (2010) who placed it in Carebara)
--	Antenna 11-segmented, Major worker not found at nest with many minors. Minor TL 1.5-2.25 mm; eye of a single facet; without obvious sculpturation; amber yellow to pale brown; seemingly similar to menozzii but that has long scapes and is far less hairy In Fernández (2004) Carebara concinna species complex Major unknown Erebomyrma (debateable status)	USA - longii
--	Antenna 11-segmented Minor TL 1.5 mm; most of head, alitrunk and pedicel reticulate-rugose; ferruginous, gaster and appendages lighter In Fernández (2004) Carebara concinna species complex Despite numerous findings no majors were known prior to Fernández (2004) but see eidmanni (below) Erebomyrma (debateable status)	.
.		Trinidad - urichi
--	Antenna 11-segmented; described from minors and queens Minor TL 1.5 mm Queen head shape Carebara like, TL 6 mm, forewing 6 mm; dark brown Possibly an 11-segmented Solenopsis (originally described in comparison with fugax)	Indonesia - weyeri
--	non-African anomaly ? Oligomyrmex - Fernández (2004) Carebara lignata species complex	--
--	Antenna 9-segmented; ergatoid and minor Ergatoid TL 1.3 mm Minor TL 0.9 mm; eyeless, propodeum transition from dorsum to declivity rounded, no teeth In Fernández (2004) Carebara lignata species complex Erebomyrma	.
.		Panama - panamensis
--	Antenna 9-segmented; queen, ergatoid and minor only known (? monomorphic workers) Ergatoid (head right) HL ca 1.00 HW ca 0.82 shape like latro Minor alitrunk profile (right) unlike any African species In Fernández (2004) Carebara lignata species complex	Argentina - bruchi
--	Antenna 9-segmented; major and minor workers known Major TL 2.61 HL 0.78 HW 0.55 Minor TL 1.10 HL 0.31 HW 0.23 In Fernández (2004) Carebara lignata species complex Major with ocelli and eyes "present, reduced or absent" though not in illustration	Argentina - coeca
--	non-African Oligomyrmex	--
--	Antennae 9-segmented; Major (undescribed, Antweb specimen from Mexico) TL ca 2.2 mm, HL 0.56 HW 0.43 SL 0.24; largely unsculptured but head with weak lateral rugae and transverse rugae on occiput, plus well developed triangular, forwrad angled processes Minor TL 1.02-1.2 mm; propodeum weakly dentate In Fernández (2004) Carebara escherichi species complex	Belize - Carebara intermedia
--	Antennae 9-segmented; Major TL 2.5-4 mm; head rectangular, HL 1.1, HW 0.6; clypeus strongly bicarinate but anterior margin without teeth; occipital angles with forward-curved teeth, frontal carinae short, eye single facet, larger median ocellus; propodeum subdentate; smooth and shiny, front of head striate, head also with weak but distinct puncturation, rest of body with indistinct sculpturation; reddish-yellow, pedicel, gaster and appendages paler Minor TL 1-1.1 mm; eyeless, propodeum rounded without any angle; scape reaches posterior third apparently close to the East African erythraeus and thoracicus	India - asinus
--	Antennae 9-segmented; Major TL 1.5-1.7 mm; HL ca 1/3 > HW; eyes minute ferruginous, head opaque and dull, appendages paler; propodeum subcubic, teeth sharp; most of body punctate and dull Minor TL 0.8 mm; propodeum dentate	New Guinea - atomus
--	Antenna 9-segmented; Minor only known, TL ca 1.2 mm; scape reaches 3/4 point of head; propodeum with obtuse angle	New Guinea - subreptor
--	Antennae 10-segmented Major TL 3.0-3.2 mm; head elongated rectangle with small forward turned protuberances (horns); eye small but of seveal facets, median ocellus; propodeum with raised teeth; head finely longitudinally and densely striate, the striations diverging posteriorly, pronotum partly reticulo-pinctate; reddish, appendages paler, gaster honey-coloured	.
.	Minor TL 1.2-1.3 mm, mandibles with 5-teeth; eye of a single just visible facet; scapes short; smooth except propodeum which is matt, reticulo-punctate Nearest to africanus from Botswana (larger than any African species); africanus was described by comparision with nosindambo	Madagascar - nosindambo
--	Antenna 11-segmented; Major TL 1.8-2.0 mm; HL 1.25 X HW; brown-yellow, scape half length of head; Minor TL 1.0 mm; propodeum with obtuse angles not spines Aeneleus cf diabolus but that has very small eyes and is significantly larger	Indonesia - sarasinorum
--	Antenna 11-segmented; Major TL 2.5 mm; HL 0.33 X HW; fuscoferruginous; occiput with short denticular processes; scape half length of head; propodeal spines triangular and acute apically Minor TL 0.75-1.0 mm; propodeum with slender acute spines	Solomon Islands - viehmeyeri
--	Antenna 11-segmented; Major TL 2.53 mm; HL 0.75, HW 0.36; scape ca 0.33 of head; almost without sculpture; pale-yellowish-brown Minor TL 1.3 mm; propodeum with obtuse angles not spines	Yemen - arabicus
--	Antenna 11-segmented; Major TL 2.5 mm; HL 0.33 X HW; fuscoferruginous; occiput with short denticular processes; scape half length of head; propodeal spines triangular and acute apically Minor TL 0.75-1.0 mm; propodeum with slender acute spines	Brazil - eidmanni

MYRMICINAE Introduction

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