Subfamily Proceratiinae Emery, 1895

Figs 6A, 14 A–B

Diagnosis

All proceratiine genera share the following characters which are required for identification: oblique mesopleural sulcus present; mesotibia with one or no apicoventral spurs, metatibia with one apicoventral spur; propodeal lobe present; three to five closed cells present on forewing; jugal lobe absent; petiolar tergum and sternum distinct; abdominal sternum IX unpronged and edentate. Two conditional sets of characters are required in conjunction with those indicated above: 1) if mandibles triangular then antennal toruli situated well-posterad anterior clypeal margin and crossvein 1m-cu absent; and 2) if mandibles reduced then antennal toruli situated at or produced anterad anterior clypeal margin; 1m-cu may be present or absent. Additionally, proceratiine males may or may not have vaulted fourth abdominal terga, and the eighth abdominal tergum is never spiniform.

Comments

Yoshimura & Fisher’s (2009) key to the Malagasy Proceratiinae has global applicability. The three genera of Proceratiinae, Discothyrea, Probolomyrmex, and Proceratium, seem to be well-defined taxa.