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The Ants of
Africa SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Pyramica - subgenus Serrastruma |
Genus Pyramica |
Diagnostic Features - Mandibles elongate, triangular, and serially denticulate, with more than 20 denticulae, the basal 4-8 possibly much bigger than the others. Antennae 6-segmented, second and third funicular segments reduced. Antennal scrobes present. Promesonotal suture may be present as a weak impression. Pronotum may be differently sculptured to the mesonotum. Metanotal groove impressed, propodeum armed with a pair of teeth, which may be reduced. Spongiform appendage of pedicel usually reduced. All species golden yellow.
An early key to African and Madagascar dacetines is that of
Santschi (1913b); that, with modern annotation, is .
Genus first separated by Brown (1948e), as a subgenus of Smithistruma, and raised to full genus by Brown (1949d). Subsequently Brown (1952e) reviewed many of the then known specimens, but Bolton (1983) completely revised the genus with a number of synonymies and several new species being defined. Bolton (1999) has made a radical revision and now has Serrastruma as a junior synonym of Pyramica Roger.
For convenience, I have retained Serrastruma as a subgenus of Pyramica and, so, have kept the key.
All members of the subgenus are from sub-Saharan Africa, with ludovici and simoni having spread to Madagascar and Mauritius.
Bolton (2000: 269 ff) had the following species-group (wholly
matching the subgenus, so why Bolton felt a species-group name should
be erected is curious): lujae-group:
bequaerti, concolor, depilosa (sp.n.), dotaja, geoterra, inquilina, lucifuga (sp.n.), ludovici, lujae, maynei, miccata, serrula, simoni and sulumana. I add braeti and mckeyi.
Key to workers of African species (adapted from Bolton, 1983; and Bolton, 2000: 272; couplets 1 -> 9 -> 10 ff to 22):
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Zaïre (Ruwenzori) - inquilina |
1 | ![]() |
2 |
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9 |
2 | Dorsum of head and alitrunk with very conspicuous thickly spatulate to scale-like coarse ground-pilosity | 3 |
-- | Dorsum of head and alitrunk with inconspicuous slender, very narrowly spatulate ground-pilosity | 6 |
. | Dorsum of head and alitrunk with very conspicuous dense, thickly spatulate to scale-like coarse ground-pilosity; antennal scapes relatively short SI 73-83 | . |
3 | Dorsal alitrunk sculptured; sides of head not broadly convex posteriorly; TL 2.3-3.0 mm; dull brownish-yellow to mid-brown | 4 |
-- | Dorsal alitrunk glassy smooth; sides of head broadly convex posteriorly; TL 2.6-2.7 mm; glossy brown | 5 |
4 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - maynei |
-- |
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Cameroun & Gabon - depilosa |
5 | ![]() |
Cameroun & Kenya - lucifuga |
-- | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Cameroun & Kenya - geoterra |
. | Dorsum of head and alitrunk with inconspicuous slender, very narrowly spatulate ground-pilosity | . |
6 | Pronotal humeri each with a long, fine flagellate hair | 7 |
-- | Pronotal humeri without a long, fine flagellate hair | 8 |
7 | ![]() |
Cameroun - sulumana |
-- | ![]() |
Cameroun & Zaire - bequaerti |
-- | ![]() 0.25; orange yellow |
Cameroun - new species - mckeyi |
-- | ![]() |
Cameroun - Pyramica nsp CASENT0414575 |
. | Pronotal humeri without a long, fine flagellate hair | . |
8 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Ghana - miccata |
-- | ![]() |
Congo - new species - braeti |
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With the head in full-face view the upper scrobe margin just behind the level of the eye with a projecting long flagellate or simple fine hair | . |
9 | Main sculpture of dorsal pronotum dense reticulate-punctation, with or without overlaying but secondary costulate or striate sculpture | 10 |
-- | ![]() |
13 |
10 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - ludovici (part) |
-- | Basal series of mandibular denticles not markedly enlarged | 11 |
11 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - serrula |
-- | Mesonotum usually with a single anterior pair of apically thickened to strongly clavate hairs; rarely a second pair present, if so close to first pair; ground pilosity of promesonotum feeble and inconspicuous; punctate sculpture on head and alitrunk usually fine | 12 |
12 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - lujae |
-- | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - concolor |
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Main sculpture of dorsal pronotum of longitudinal to oblique striae or costulae, or smooth and unsculptured; secondary punctate sculpture usually absent or no more than feeble | . |
13 | ![]() |
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. | ![]() |
Cameroun & Gabon - dotaja |
-- | Pronotal humeri but not mesonotum with flagellate hairs; mesonotum usually with a single pair (rarely 2 pairs) of stout hairs, thickened or clavate apically; first gastral tergite with thickened or clavate hairs | 14 |
14 | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - ludovici (part) |
-- | ![]() |
. |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African - simoni |
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MYRMICINAE Introduction |
© 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 - Brian
Taylor CBiol FSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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