Aenictus, Shuckard, 1840

Gómez, Kiko, 2022, A revision of the Afrotropical species of the Dorylinae ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste, Belgian Journal of Entomology 124, pp. 1-86 : 48-49

rotundatus species group

DIAGNOSIS. Species with triangular mandibles which close tightly against clypeus and with a developed sharp apical tooth followed by a series of denticles (4–10).

Other common characters are: Clypeus a row of 8–10 triangular denticles, sometimes hardly visible when mandibles closed. Parafrontal ridges weakly developed but present, never extending from the antennal sockets, visible as a faint striae in lateral view and weakly dentiform basally. Femora and tibiae with its apical half swollen. Setation variable, but with dorsopropodeum always bare, except adjacent to mesopropodeal suture and propodeal declivity. Workers may present wide variation in size, even with a marked allometry (e. g. mariae complex).

OVERVIEW. This group gathers eleven species. Numerical analysis for SIL shows a bimodal distribution, which I have arbitrarily used to divide the group in two species complexes which are useful for identification purposes. The mariae complex gathers the four species with very short scapes (SIL <57), while the rotundatus complex comprises the species with SIL>60.

Identification of minima workers may be difficult in some cases, and using major workers for this purpose is highly encouraged.