Family Formicidae Latreille, 1809

Revision to the male-based key to global subfamilies. Due to the unconstricted condition of abdominal segment IV in † Desyopone hereon gen. et sp. nov., in addition to presence of the pleural sulcus and absence of the jugal lobe, it is necessary to revise couplet 8 from the global male-based key to subfamilies from Boudinot [42]. Modifications to this couplet are indicated by italics:

8. Abdominal segment IV with cinctus (=constriction) between the pre- and postsclerite or jugal lobe present or oblique mesopleural sulcus absent or indistinct or petiole without tergosternal fusion ... 9 ( Ponerinae, Apomyrminae, Amblyoponinae, Proceratiinae, Dorylinae part, †Prionomyrmecini [Myrmeciinae], and Ectatomminae).

–. Abdominal segment IV without a cinctus and jugal lobe absent and oblique mesopleural sulcus always present and petiole with complete tergosternal fusion, i.e., petiolar posttergites and poststernites fused along their lengths ... 19 (“Formicomorpha” sensu Bolton [11], i.e., Aneuretinae, Dolichoderinae, Formicinae).

Note also: An additional emendation is necessary: in couplet 11, the specimen that the lead author had previously identified as Dolioponera ( Ponerini, CASENT090028) and used for construction of the key is correctly identified as an aberrant member of Dorylinae; it may represent the unknown male of Vicinopone .