Global: All Antweb

Measuring Ants

Guide to Measuring the Ant Genera of Madagascar

Brian Fisher and Kelly Herbinson

Basic Measurements for Workers, Males and Queens

EL	Eye Length	Maximum diameter of eye (Onoyama 1989). Figure 1
FL	Femur Length	Length of the profemur measured along its long axis in posterior view (Ward). Taken only from hind leg. Figure 2
HL	Head Length	In a straight line from anterior clypeal margin to the mid-point of the occipital margin (Bolton). Figure 3
HW	Head Width	Maximum width behind the eyes in full-face view (Bolton). Figure 3
HW (male)	Head Width (male)	FOR MALES: Maximum width INCLUDING the eyes in full-face view. Figure 5
ML	Mandible Length	The straight-line length of the mandible at full closure from the mandibular apex to the clypeal margin, or to the transverse line connecting the anterior-most points in those taxa where the margin is concave medially. Males excepted. Figure 3
PW	Pronotal Width	Maximum width in dorsal view (Bolton). Usually for workers only. Figure 2
SL	Scape Length	Straight line length from base to apex, excluding any basal constriction (Bolton). Figure 3
WL	Weber’s Length	Maximum diagonal distance from base of anterior slope of pronotum (excluding cervix) to metapleural lobe (Onoyama 1989). Figure 4

Additional Measurements

AEP	Anterior Eye Position	Distance from the anterior most point of the eye to the anterior clypeal margin (Bolton unpublished) . Figure 6
EM	Eye to Mandible	Distance from base of compound eye to the mandibular insertion. Figure 7
FCD1	Frontal Carinal Distance (one)	Maximum distance between frontal carinae in full face view (Ward 2005). Figure 8
FCD2	Frontal Carinal Distance (Two)	Minimum distance between frontal carinae in full face view (Sandor and Balint 2004). Figure 9
FW	Femur Width	Maximum width of the hind femur in lateral view. Figure 10
HW (upper)	Upper head width	In full face view, the widest part of the upper portion (occipital lobes) of the head. Figure 11
IOD	Inter Ocular Distance	The distance between the inner margins of the eyes at their mid-length in full-face view (Bolton 1975). Figure 12
LS4	Length of Abdominal Sternite Four	Maximum longitudinal length of the fourth abdominal sternum, measured in lateral view from the anterior margin to the posterolateral extremity. This measurement is taken perpendicular to a line drawn through the anteroventral and anterodorsal margins of the fourth abdominal segment, excluding the acrosclerites. (Ward 1988). Figure 13
LT4	Length of Abdominal Tergum Four.	Length of fourth abdominal tergum, measured in lateral view, from the anterior margin (excluding the acrotergite) to the posterior extremity (Ward 1988). Figure 13
MM	Mesonotal Hairs	Number of erect macrochaetae on mesonotum, left of sagittal plane (Trager 1983)
MTL	Left Mandible Teeth	Number of teeth and denticles on the left mandible.
MTR	Right Mandible Teeth	Number of teeth and denticles on the right mandible.
PEP	Posterior Eye Position	Distance from the posterior most point of the eye to the posterior clypeal margin (Bolton unpublished). Figure 6
PM	Pronotal Hairs	Number of erect macrochaetae on pronotum, left of sagittal plane (Trager 1983)
PML	Promesonotal Length	Dorsal length of promesonotum excluding anterior declivity (Eguchi 1998). Figure 14
PMW	Promesonotal Width	Dorsal width of promesonotum excluding mesothoracic spiracles (Eguchi 1998). (Use instead of Pronotal Width). Figure 14
PPL	Postpetiole Length	Length of the postpetiole, measured in lateral view, from the anterior peduncle of the postpetiole to the point of contact with the fourth abdominal tergum, excluding the pretergite (Ward) Figure 15
PPW	Postpetiolar Width	Maximum width of the postpetiole (third abdominal segment) in dorsal view (Ward 2005). Figure 16
PSL	Promesonotal Shield Length	Promesonotal Shield Length; overall maximum length of shield, dorsal view, measured on axis of midline, between transverse level of anteriormost extremity to transverse level of posteriormost extrem-ity, including spines and spine-like or lamellar ex-tensions (measured to level of apex of pronotal collar when it is the anterior extremity). Only Meranoplus (Taylor 2006) Figure 17
PSW	Promesonotal Shield Width	Promesonotal Shield Width; overall maximum width of shield, dorsal view, measured along right-trans-verse axis spanning its lateral extremities (usually the apices of opposite bilateral spines, or spine-like or lamellar extensions). Only Meranoplus. (Taylor 2006) Figure 17
PTL	Petiole Length	Midline length of petiolar node in dorsal view (Onoyama 1999). Figures 18, 20
PTW	Petiole Width	Maximum width of petiole in dorsal view (Onoyama 1999). Figure 19
SM	Scape Hairs	Number of erect macrochaetae on scape (Trager 1983)
SPD	Distance between Spines	Distance between the tips of the two propodeal spines (Umphrey 1996). Figure 21
SPL	Propodeal Spine Length	Length of propodeal spine, measured from center of the propodeal spiracle to the tip of the spine (Umphrey 1996). Figure 22
SPL2	Pronotal Spine Length	Vertical distance between base of spine on its mesial side, and the level of its apex. (Pristomyrmex) (No Figure Available)
TL	Tibia Length	Maximum length of hind tibia (Umphrey 1996). Figure 10
TPH	Taylor's Height of Petiole	Max. height of petiole in side view from summit of node to extreme lowermost part of subpetiolar process (Taylor 1967)(Onoyama 1989). Figures 20, 23

Malagasy Genera Table

Genus	Recommended Additional Measurements	References
Adetomyrma	PTW, TL	Ward 1994
Amblyopone	PTW, PTL	Onoyama 1999
Anochetus	None	Fisher 2008
Anoplolepis	TL	Agosti 1990
Aphaenogaster	FW, TL, SPD, SPL Also: PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL	Umphrey 1996
Brachymyrmex	None	Quiran 2004
Camponotus	TL, FCD1	Shattuck 2005, Ward 2005
Cardiocondyla	FCD1, FCD2, PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL, TPH, SPD, SPL	Seifert 2003
Carebara	PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL, SPL	None
Cataulacus	TL, IOD	Bolton 1975
Cerapachys	PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL	Brown 1975
Crematogaster	PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL, SPL, TPH (see Fig. 20)	Longino 2003
Discothyrea	PTW, PTL, TPH, LS4, LT4	Zacharias 2004, Ward 1988
Eutetramorium	FCD2, PTW, PTL, PPW, TPH, SPD, SPL	None
Hypoponera	PTW, PTL, PPW, TPH	Onoyama 1989
Leptogenys	PTW, PTL	Bolton 1975
Melissotarsus	PTW, PTL	Pers. Op. Bolton 1981
Meranoplus	PTW, PTL, PPW, TPH, SPD, SPL, PSL, PSW	Schodl 1998, Taylor 2006
Metapone	PTW, PPW, PML, PMW	Alpert 2007
Monomorium	None, PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL	Heterick 2006, (pers. op.)
Mystrium	None, PTL, PTW	Bihn et al. 2007, (pers. op.)
Nesomyrmex	PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL, SPL	None, (pers. op.)
Ochetellus	None	None
Odontomachus	HW (upper), MTL, MTR	Fisher 2008
Pachycondyla	PTW, PTL, TPH, TL	Wild 2005
Paratrechina, Nylanderia, Paraparatrechina	SM, PM, MM	Trager 1983
Pheidole	None	Eguchi 2001
Pilotrochus	TL, PTL	Brown 1978
Plagiolepis	None	None
Platythyrea	EM, PTW, PTL	Brown 1975
Polyrhachis	TL	Dorow 1995
Prionopelta	PTW, PTL (no literature, used Amblyopone)	None
Pristomyrmex	SPL2, SPL, PTL, TPH	Taylor 1965a
Probolomyrmex	TL, PTW, TPH, PTL	Fisher 2007
Proceratium	LS4, LT4	Fisher 2005, Ward 1988
Pseudolasius	None	LaPolla 2004
Pyramica	PTL, PPL	Deyrup 2006, Zheng-Hui 2004
Simopone	PTL, PTW, PPL, PPW	Taylor 1965b
Solenopsis	None	Trager 1991
Strumigenys	None	Yoshimura et al. 2007
Tapinoma	AEP, PEP	(?)
Technomyrmex	None	None
Terataner	None	None
Tetramorium	FCD2, PTW, PTL, PPW, PPL, SPD, SPL, PMW, TPH	Sandor et al. 2004, Gusten 2006
Tetraponera	FW, TL, PTL, PTW, TPH	Ward 2001
Vollenhovia	PTL, PTW, PPL, PPW	None
“Vitsika”	FW, TL, SPD, SPL	None

References

Agosti, D. (1990). Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Natural History, 24, 1457-1505.

Alpert, G.D. (2007). A review of the ant genus Metapone Forel from Madagascar, pp. 8-18. In Snelling, R.R., B.L. Fisher, and P.S. Ward (eds). Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E.O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80.

Bihn, J.H. and M. Verhaagh. (2007). A review of the genus Mystrium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Indo_Australian region. Zootaxa, 1642, 1-12.

Brown, W. (1975). Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. V. Ponerinae, tribes Platythyreini, Cerapachyini, Cylindromyrmecini, Acanthostichini and Aenictogitini. Search Agriculture. 5 (1).

Brown, W. L. (1978). An aberrant new genus of myrmicine ant from Madagascar. Psyche 84, 218-224.

Dorow, W.H.O, Kohout, R.J. (1995). A review of the subgenus Hemioptica Roger of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Zool. Med. Leiden, 69, 93-104.

Deyrup, M. (2006). Pyramica boltoni, a new species of leaf0litter inhabiting ant from Florida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dacetimi). Florida Entomologist. 89(1), 1-5.

Eguchi, K. (2001). A revision of the Bornean species of ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Tropics Monograph. Series No. 2.

Fisher, B. (2005). A new species of Discothyrea Roger from Mauritius and a new species of Proceratium Roger from Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc.Calif. Acad. Sci. 56(35), 657-667.

Fisher, B. (2007). A new species of Probolomyrmex from Madagascar. Advances in Ant Systematics: Homage to EO Wilson. Eds. Snelling, R., Fisher, B., Ward, P.

Fisher, B.L. and M.A. Smith. (2008). A revision of Malagasy species of Anochetus Mayr and Odontomachus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLoS ONE, 3(5), e1787.

Gusten, R., Schulz, A. and Sanettra, M. 2006. Redescription of Tetramorium forte Forel, 1904 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a western Mediterranean ant species. Zootaxa. No. 1310: 1-35.

Heterick, B. (2006). A revision of the Malagasy ants belonging to genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 57 (3), 69-202.

LaPolla, J.S. (2004). Taxonomic review of the ant genus Pseudolasius (Formicidae: Formicinae) in the afrotropical region. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 112(2-3), 97-105.

Longino, J. (2003). The Crematogaster (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) of Costa Rica. Zootaxa, 151, 1-150.

Onoyama, K. (1989). Notes on the ants of the genus Hypoponera in Japan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edaphologia, 41, 1-10.

Onoyama, K. (1999). A new and newly recorded species of the ant genus Amblyopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Japan. Entomological Science, 2(1), 157-161.

Quiran, E., Martinez, J. and A. Bachmann. (2004). The neotropical genus Brachymyrmex Mayr, 1868 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Argentina. Redescription of the type species, B. patagonicus Mayr, 1868; B. bruchi Forel, 1912 and B. oculatus Santschi, 1919. Acta Zoologca Mexicana (n.s.) 20 (1), 273-285.

Sandor, C. and M. Balint. (2004). Redescription of Tetramorium hungaricum Roszler, 1935, a related species of T. caespitum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten, 6, 49-59.

Schodl, S. (1998). Taxonomic revision of Oriental Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien. 100b: 361-394.

Schodl, S. (2007). Revision of Australian Meranoplus: The Meranoplus Diversus group. Advances in Ant Systematics: Homage to EO Wilson. Eds. Snelling, R., Fisher, B., Ward, P.

Seifert, B. (2003). The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae)- a taxonomic revision of C. elegans, C. bulgarica, C. batesii, C. nuda, C. shuckardi, C. stambuloffi, C. wroughtonii, C. emeryi and C. minutior species groups. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 104b, 203-338.

Shattuck, S. (2005). Review of the Camponotus aureopilus species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), including a second Camponotus with a metapleural gland. Zootaxa , 903, 1-20.

Taylor, R.W. (1965a). The Australian ants of the genus Pristomyrmex, with a case of apparent character displacement. Psyche, 72, 35-54.

Taylor, R.W. (1965b). Notes on the Indo-Australian ants of the genus Simopone Forel (Hymenoptera:-Formicidae). Psyche, 72, 287-290.

Taylor, R.W. (2006). Ants of the genus Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Three new species and others from northeastern Australian rainforests. Myrmecologische Nachrichten, 8, 21-29.

Trager, J.C. (1991). A revision of the fire ants, Solenopsis geminata group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). J. New York Entomol. Soc. 99(2), 141-198.

Umphrey, G. (1996). Morphometric discrimination among sibling species in the fulva-rudis-texana complex of the ant genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Canadian journal of zoology 74(33), 528-559, National Research Council of Canada.

Ward, P.S. (1988). Mesic elements in the western nearctic ant fauna: taxonomic and biological notes on Amblyopone, Proceratium, and Smithistruma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Kans. Ento. Soc. 61(1), 102-124.

Ward, P. S. (1994). Adetomyrma, an enigmatic new ant genus from Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and its implications for ant phylogeny. Systematic Entomology, 19, 159-175.

Ward, P. S. “Ants of the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae: Use of morphometric measurements” on http://wardlab.wordpress.com/research/pseudomyrmecinae/pseudomyrmex/measurements/

Ward, P.S. (2001). Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the ant genus Tetraponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Oriental and Australian regions. Invertebrate Taxonomy, 15, 589-665.

Ward, P.S. (2005). A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 936, 1-68.

Wild, A.L. (2005). Taxonomic revision of the Pachycondyla apicalis species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 834, 1-25.

Yoshimura, M. and K. Onoyama. (2007). A new sibling species of the genus Strumigenys, with a redefinition of S. lewisi Cameron. Advances in Ant Systematics: Homage to EO Wilson. Eds. Snelling, R., Fisher, B., Ward, P.

Zheng-Hui, X. and Xing-Guo, Z. (2004). Systematic study on the ant genus Pyramica Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of China. Ata. Zootaxonomica Sinica. 29(3), 440-450.