Cephalotes clypeatus (Fabricius, 1804)

Oliveira, Aline Machado, Powell, Scott & Feitosa, Rodrigo Machado, 2021, A taxonomic study of the Brazilian turtle ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Cephalotes), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 65 (3), No. e 20210028, pp. 1-52 : 23

The clypeatus species group

( Figs. 22, 23)

The clypeatus groupwas proposed byDe Andrade and Baroni Urbani (1999) to include three species from the former genus Zacryptocerus . The authorsstatedthat the diagnostic charactersof this group (triangular vertexal angles, and pronotal and propodeal spines fused by lamella) could indeed be enough to keep them in a separated genus from Cephalotes .However, thiswould render Cephalotes paraphyletic since the phylogeny shows this group as a clade within the genus Cephalotes ( Fig. 54). All species in this group are exclusively South American.

Diagnosis: In workers andsoldiers, pronotal andpropodeal spines fused by lamellae ( Fig. 2o). Gaster surrounded by a lamella ( Fig. 22).

Brazilian species of clypeatus group

Cephalotes clypeatus (Fabricius, 1804)

Obsolete combination: Cryptocerus clypeatus

Cephalotes membranaceus (Klug, 1824)

Obsolete combination: Cryptocerus membranaceus

= Cephalotes fervidus (Smith, 1876)

Obsolete combination: Cryptocerus fervidus Cephalotes ustus (Kempf, 1973)

Obsolete combination: Zacryptocerus ustus

Key to the identification of Brazilian species of the clypeatus group of Cephalotes based on workers and soldiers

( Figs. 22 a-c)

1 Indorsalview, gastersmoothandshiny ( Fig.22a)......................... C. clypeatus

1’ In dorsal view, gaster sculptured and opaque ( Fig. 22b, c).................2

2 Gasteryellowishtobrownishwithsparsehairs( Fig.22b).......... C.membranaceus

2’ Gaster black, with abundanthairs ( Fig.22c)........................................ C. ustus