The Ants of Africa CHAPTER 6 - Taxonomy - Tribes

Given what Bolton (1995: 8) wrote concerning the accuracy of the classification into Tribes and, as keys usually provide for separation of families, genera or species, I have decided to give the following list of Tribes within Subfamilies at this point and to omit that level hereafter. All the presently recognised living subfamilies are given even though some are not known from Africa. Following the layout used by Bolton in both works, the organisation of this guide uses simple alphabetical order through each of the levels.

June 2005 - having accessed Bolton's "Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae" [B Bolton, 2003. Memoirs of the American Entomological Insitiute, 71, 1-370.], which purports to clarify and modernise the understanding of ant subfamilies, I find the situation in some aspects even more confusing. Thus, I continue to restrict the use of Tribes to this point. I have added the new divisions in Red font (Bolton, 2003).

Family FORMICIDAE -

formicomorph subfamilies

Subfamily ANEURETINAE - Tribe Aneuretini, one living genus and species from Sri Lanka.

Subfamily DOLICHODERINAE - Tribe Dolichoderini, African genera Axinidris, Linepithema, Tapinoma and Technomyrmex.

Subfamily FORMICINAE
lasiine tribe group
Tribe Lasiini - African genera Acropyga and Anoplolepis
Tribe Plagiolepidini - African genera Agraulomyrmex , Aphomomyrmex, Lepisiota , Paratrechina, Petalomyrmex, Plagiolepis, Pseudolasius and Tapinolepis
formicine tribe group
Tribe Camponotini - African genera Camponotus, Phasmomyrmex and Polyrhachis
Tribe Formicini - African genera - Bajcaridris (north Africa) and Cataglyphis and Polyergus (north Africa)
Tribe Oecophyllini - sole genus Oecophylla
Not in above tribe groups
Tribe Gesomyrmecini - Santschiella.

myrmeciomorph subfamilies

Subfamily MYRMECIINAE - one living Tribe and genus, all species Australasian.

Subfamily PSEUDOMYRMECINAE - Tribe Pseudomyrecini, sole African genus Tetraponera.

dorylomorph subfamilies

Subfamily AENICTINAE - Tribe Aenictini, sole genus Aenictus.

Subfamily AENICTOGITONINAE - Tribe Aenictogitini, sole genus Aenictogiton.

Subfamily CERAPACHYINAE - sole African Tribe Cerapachyini - African genera Cerapachys, Simopone, Sphinctomyrmex and Vicinopone.

Subfamily DORYLINAE - Tribe Dorylini, sole genus Dorylus.

Subfamily ECITONINAE - no African representatives.

Subfamily LEPTANILLOIDINAE - no African representatives.

leptanillomorph subfamilies

Subfamily APOMYRMINAE - Tribe Apomyrmini, sole genus and species Apomyrma stygia.

Subfamily LEPTANILLINAE - sole African Tribe Leptanillini - single African genus Leptanilla.

poneromorph subfamilies

Subfamily AMBLYOPONINAE
Tribe Amblyoponini - African genera Amblyopone, Concoctio, Mystrium and Prionopelta.

Subfamily ECTATOMMINAE
No African members.

Subfamily HETEROPONERINAE
No African members.

Subfamily PARAPONERINAE
No African members.

Subfamily PONERINAE - African Tribes -
Tribe Platythyreini - sole genus Platythyrea
Tribe Ponerini - African genera Anochetus, Asphinctopone, Centromyrmex, Cryptopone, Dolioponera, Hypoponera, Leptogenys, Loboponera, Odontomachus, Pachycondyla, Phrynoponera, Plectroctena, Psalidomyrmex and Streblognathus.

Subfamily PROCERATIINAE
Tribe Proceratiini - African genera Discothyrea and Proceratium.
Tribe Probolomyrecini - sole genus Probolomyrmex.

myrmicomorph subfamilies

Subfamily AGROECOMYRMECINAE
No African members.

Subfamily MYRMICINAE African Tribes -
attine tribe group
Tribe Blepharidattini - of Neotropical origin but one species of Wasmannia has been introduced to West Africa.
cephalotine tribe group
Tribe Cataulacini - single genus Cataulacus.
dacetine tribe group
Tribe Dacetini - African genera Microdaceton, Pyramica and Strumigenys.
formicoxenine tribe group
Tribe Ankylomyrmini - sole genus Ankylomyrma.
Tribe Crematogastrini - single African genus Crematogaster.
Tribe Meranoplini - sole African genus Meranoplus.
Tribe Myrmicariini - sole genus Myrmicaria.
Tribe Formicoxenini - African genera Atopomyrmex, Cardiocondyla, Leptothorax, Temnothorax and Terataner.
myrmicine tribe group
Tribe Pheidolini - African genera Aphaenogaster, Messor, Ocymyrmex and Pheidole
Tribe Tetramoriini - African genera Decamorium, Rhoptromyrmex and Tetramorium.
solenopsidine tribe group
Tribe Solenopsidini - African genera Afroxyidris, Bondroitia, Carebara, Diplomorium, Monomorium , Oligomyrmex, Paedalgus, Pheidologeton and Solenopsis
Tribe Stenammini - African genera Adelomyrmex (?), Baracidris, Calyptomyrmex, Cyphoidris and Dicroaspis .
not in above tribe groups
Tribe Melissotarsini - sole African genus Melissotarsus.
Tribe Myrmecinini - sole African genus Pristomyrmex.

A key to the Ant Subfamilies of the world can be found at The Phylogeny of the Formicidae page on the Social Insects Web site of the American Museum of Natural History.

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