Morphological Feautures of of Ants

Morphological Feautures of of Ants

Lateral view of a worker Myrmica punctiventris showing various morphological features. Antenna, cly-clypeus, cx-coxa, eye, femur, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), fu-funicullus, gaster, gena (=cheek), head, hel-helcium, man-mandible, mesosoma, mgb-metapleural gland bulla, ms-mesonotum, mtg-metanotal groove, oc-occipital region, pl-propodeal lobe, pms-promesonotal suture, pn-pronotum, ppd-proprodeum (=epinotum), ppds-propodeal spine, ppt-postpetiole, pt-petiole, scape, spp-sub petiolar process, spr-spiracle, sting, tarsi, tc-tarsal claws, tibia, ts-tibial spur, and waist.

Morphological characters of the head of Prenolepis imparis, full face view. as-antennal socket, at-apical tooth of mandible, bt-basal tooth of mandible, cly-clypeus, eye, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), funiculus, gn-gena (=cheek), man-mandible, mb-basal margin of mandible, mc-median portion of clypeus, me-external margin of mandible, occ-bor-occipital margin of head, scape, to-torulus, tp-tentorial pit

Lateral view of a worker Camponotus castaneus showing various morphological features: acd-acidopore, antenna, cly-clypeus, cx-coxa, eye, femur, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), fu-funicullus, gaster, gena (=cheek), head, hel-helcium, lbp-labial palp, man-mandible, mesp-mesopleuron, mesosoma, ms-mesonotum, mtg-metanotal groove, mxp-maxillary palp, occ-bor-occipital border area, pl-propodeal lobe, pms-promesonotal suture, pn-pronotum, ppd-proprodeum (=epinotum), pt-petiole, S (1-5)-sternites, scape, spr-spiracle, sting, spp-sub petiolar process, T (1-5)-tergites, tarsi, tc-tarsal claws, tibia, tc-tibial claw, ts-tibial spur, and waist.

Lateral view of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing various morphological features: Anep-anepisternum (upper sclerite of mesopleura), eye, gaster, Ktep-katepisternum, Lmpl-lower metapleuron, Man-mandible, MsSc-mesopleural sulcus, MsScl-mesoscutellum, MsSct-mesoscutum, Mtn-metanotum, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Prnt-Pronotum, Prpd-propodeum, Teg-tegula, Umpl-upper metapleuron.

Dorsal view of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing various morphological features: MsScl-mesoscutellum, MsSct-mesoscutum, Mtn-metanotum, Oc-occelli, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Prnt-Pronotum, ScSc-scutellar sulcus.
Forewing (top) and hindwing (bottom) of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing labeled wing venation.

Labeled diagram of antenna of Pheidole navigans major worker: Club, Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape Labeled diagram of antenna of Pheidole navigans male: Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape

Pheidole navigans major worker showing various morphological features: (A) Head characters: Ant-antenna, CE-compound eye, Ck-cheek (=gena), Cly-clypeus, Fr-frontal region, FC-frontal carina, Mn-mandible, Vt-vertex; (B) the posterior lobe region (=occipital lobe); (C) Antenna: Club, Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape; (D) underside of head showing hypostomal teeth: HB-hypostomal border, IHT-inner hypostomal teeth, MT-median hypostomal tooth, and OHT-outer hypostomal teeth; (F) Mes-mesosoma, Ms-mesonotum, Mpl-mesopleuron, Mtg-metanotal groove (or suture), Pn-pronotum, Ppd-propodeum; (E) lateral view: C-coxa, F-femur, Ga-gaster, Hd-head, HT-hypostomal tooth, Mes-mesosoma, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Tar-tarsi, and Ti-tibia; (H) dorsal view (unlabeled).

Pheidole navigans major worker showing methods used for measuring various features: (A) Full face view: EL-eye length, HL-head length, HW-head width, and SL-scape length; (B) dorsal view of mesosoma: PnW-pronotal width, PPW-postpetiolar width, and PTW-petiolar width; (C) lateral view: PSL-propodeal spine length, SPL-spiracle length (inset), and WL-Weber's length or mesosomal length.

At times, various indices and measurements are used. These terms are described below.

TL - HL + WL + Waist Length+ GL
HL - Head length in full frontal view from anteriormost point of clypeus to a line perpendicular to the posteriormost of head.
HW - Maximum width of head including eyes in full frontal view
EL - Maximum diameter of compound eye
SL - Length of antennal scape from base (not including radical) to terminal point
SPL - Length of spiracle
PetW (PW) - Width of petiole (measured in dorsal view)
PpW - Width of postpetiole (measured in dorsal view)
PnW - Maximum width of pronotum
WL - (or Mesosomal length) Weber's length of mesosoma, from anterior edge of pronotum to posterior corner of metapleuron
FL - Length of fore femur
GL - Length of gaster in dorsal view (not including acidopore, genitalia of males, or sting)
CI = HW X 100/ HL
OI = EL X 100/HL
SI = SL X 100/HL
FI = FL X 100/HL
REL = Relative Eye Index (EL/HL) X 100


Lateral view of a worker Myrmica punctiventris showing various morphological features. Antenna, cly-clypeus, cx-coxa, eye, femur, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), fu-funicullus, gaster, gena (=cheek), head, hel-helcium, man-mandible, mesosoma, mgb-metapleural gland bulla, ms-mesonotum, mtg-metanotal groove, oc-occipital region, pl-propodeal lobe, pms-promesonotal suture, pn-pronotum, ppd-proprodeum (=epinotum), ppds-propodeal spine, ppt-postpetiole, pt-petiole, scape, spp-sub petiolar process, spr-spiracle, sting, tarsi, tc-tarsal claws, tibia, ts-tibial spur, and waist.	Morphological characters of the head of Prenolepis imparis, full face view. as-antennal socket, at-apical tooth of mandible, bt-basal tooth of mandible, cly-clypeus, eye, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), funiculus, gn-gena (=cheek), man-mandible, mb-basal margin of mandible, mc-median portion of clypeus, me-external margin of mandible, occ-bor-occipital margin of head, scape, to-torulus, tp-tentorial pit

Lateral view of a worker Camponotus castaneus showing various morphological features: acd-acidopore, antenna, cly-clypeus, cx-coxa, eye, femur, fc-frontal carina (=frontal lobe), fu-funicullus, gaster, gena (=cheek), head, hel-helcium, lbp-labial palp, man-mandible, mesp-mesopleuron, mesosoma, ms-mesonotum, mtg-metanotal groove, mxp-maxillary palp, occ-bor-occipital border area, pl-propodeal lobe, pms-promesonotal suture, pn-pronotum, ppd-proprodeum (=epinotum), pt-petiole, S (1-5)-sternites, scape, spr-spiracle, sting, spp-sub petiolar process, T (1-5)-tergites, tarsi, tc-tarsal claws, tibia, tc-tibial claw, ts-tibial spur, and waist.	Lateral view of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing various morphological features: Anep-anepisternum (upper sclerite of mesopleura), eye, gaster, Ktep-katepisternum, Lmpl-lower metapleuron, Man-mandible, MsSc-mesopleural sulcus, MsScl-mesoscutellum, MsSct-mesoscutum, Mtn-metanotum, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Prnt-Pronotum, Prpd-propodeum, Teg-tegula, Umpl-upper metapleuron.

Dorsal view of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing various morphological features: MsScl-mesoscutellum, MsSct-mesoscutum, Mtn-metanotum, Oc-occelli, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Prnt-Pronotum, ScSc-scutellar sulcus.	Forewing (top) and hindwing (bottom) of a queen of Pheidole obscurithorax showing labeled wing venation.

Labeled diagram of antenna of Pheidole navigans major worker: Club, Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape	Labeled diagram of antenna of Pheidole navigans male: Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape

Pheidole navigans major worker showing various morphological features: (A) Head characters: Ant-antenna, CE-compound eye, Ck-cheek (=gena), Cly-clypeus, Fr-frontal region, FC-frontal carina, Mn-mandible, Vt-vertex; (B) the posterior lobe region (=occipital lobe); (C) Antenna: Club, Fu-funiculus, Ped-pedicel, and Sc-scape; (D) underside of head showing hypostomal teeth: HB-hypostomal border, IHT-inner hypostomal teeth, MT-median hypostomal tooth, and OHT-outer hypostomal teeth; (F) Mes-mesosoma, Ms-mesonotum, Mpl-mesopleuron, Mtg-metanotal groove (or suture), Pn-pronotum, Ppd-propodeum; (E) lateral view: C-coxa, F-femur, Ga-gaster, Hd-head, HT-hypostomal tooth, Mes-mesosoma, P-petiole, Pp-postpetiole, Tar-tarsi, and Ti-tibia; (H) dorsal view (unlabeled).	Pheidole navigans major worker showing methods used for measuring various features: (A) Full face view: EL-eye length, HL-head length, HW-head width, and SL-scape length; (B) dorsal view of mesosoma: PnW-pronotal width, PPW-postpetiolar width, and PTW-petiolar width; (C) lateral view: PSL-propodeal spine length, SPL-spiracle length (inset), and WL-Weber's length or mesosomal length.
At times, various indices and measurements are used. These terms are described below. TL - HL + WL + Waist Length+ GL HL - Head length in full frontal view from anteriormost point of clypeus to a line perpendicular to the posteriormost of head. HW - Maximum width of head including eyes in full frontal view EL - Maximum diameter of compound eye SL - Length of antennal scape from base (not including radical) to terminal point SPL - Length of spiracle PetW (PW) - Width of petiole (measured in dorsal view) PpW - Width of postpetiole (measured in dorsal view) PnW - Maximum width of pronotum WL - (or Mesosomal length) Weber's length of mesosoma, from anterior edge of pronotum to posterior corner of metapleuron FL - Length of fore femur GL - Length of gaster in dorsal view (not including acidopore, genitalia of males, or sting) CI = HW X 100/ HL OI = EL X 100/HL SI = SL X 100/HL FI = FL X 100/HL REL = Relative Eye Index (EL/HL) X 100