Odontomachus haematodus

Sorger, D. M. & Zettel, H., 2011, On the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Philippine Islands: V. The genus Odontomachus Latreille, 1804., Myrmecological News 14, pp. 141-163 : 157-158

Odontomachus haematodus species group

Diagnosis: Palp formula 4, 3 (one labial palp segment lost by fusion; unique in Odontomachus , see Brown 1976). Head broad. Mandibles stout and relatively short, with short, blunt teeth; apical and especially subapical tooth short, tooth is scarcely or not at all projecting beyond the inner mandibular border (in callow workers, consists of two low, obtuse points separated by a weak concavity). Antennae tending to be shorter than in other groups (especially scapes of larger species only slightly surpassing posterior margin of head). In most species dorsal surface strongly sculptured, mostly by striation, in many species also petiole and gaster tergites with some striation or reticulation. Mesosoma stout, not depressed. Petiole stout, without or with short spine.

Diversity and distribution: Odontomachus simillimus Smith, 1858 is the only Indo-Pacific species of this speciose group. Odontomachus troglodytes Santschi, 1914 inhabits Africa, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. Most species (19) are found in the Neotropics: Odontomachus affinis Guerin-Meneville, 1844 , O. allolabis Kempf, 1974 , O. bauri Emery, 1892 , O. biolleyi Forel, 1908 , O. biumbonatus Brown, 1976 , O. brunneus (Paton, 1894) , O. caelatus Brown, 1976 , O. chelifer (Latreille, 1802) , O. clarus Roger, 1861 , O. erythrocephalus Emery, 1890 , O. haematodus (Linnaeus, 1758) , O. insularis Guérin- Méneville, 1844, O. laticeps Roger, 1861 , O. mayi Mann, 1912 , O. meinerti Forel, 1905 , O. opaciventris Forel, 1899 , O. panamensis Forel, 1899 , O. spissus Kempf, 1962 , O. yucatecus Brown, 1976 .