The Ants of Egypt SUBFAMILY CERAPACHYINAE - Genus Cerapachys F Smith

Diagnostic Features - Head with clypeus narrow so that antennal insertions are quite close to the anterior margin of the head, frontal carinae raised exposing the condylar bulbs of the antennae. Antenna thick with short clavate scapes and funiculi. Eyes usually present, may be minute or absent. Alitrunk box-like and rigid, with dorsum devoid of sutures. Petiole of a single segment, although the constriction between the first and second gastral segments may be very deep, such that petiole is effectively two-segmented. Pygidium impressed, armed laterally or posteriorly with spines or denticulae. Sting well developed and functional. Essentially monomorphic, though often with a considerable range of sizes in a single species and even in a single nest series (Brown, 1975).

Revisions by Brown (1975: 18), who synonymized Phyracaces with Cerapachys F. Smith (1857a: 75) and had Cerapachyini, as a ponerine tribe, and by Bolton (1990a, 1990b) who considered it as a member of the doryline section. This is where Hölldobler & Wilson (1990) have them but the subfamily was resurrected by Bolton (1994), was used by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b), and remains in Bolton (1995). It seems sensible, therefore, to retain the subfamily.

Separation of genera

Sphinctomyrmex - gaster with marked constrictions between segments 1 & 2, 2 & 3 and 3 & 4; pygidium exposed dorsally, pointed, rounded or excavated, and armed with numerous minute spinules - not known from Egypt.
Simopone - gaster with constriction only between segments 1 & 2; middle legs without tibial spurs; pretarsal claws usually with a single preapical tooth - not known from Egypt.
Cerapachys - gaster with constriction only between segments 1 & 2; middle legs with tibial spurs; pretarsal claws always simple.

Genus Cerapachys F. Smith (1857a: 74), includes previous Phyracaces

Diagnostic Features - Antennae 11- or 12-segmented, the apical funicular segment greatly swollen, forming a club. Genus longitudinally carinate, eyes present. Petiole a massive node, never marginate laterally. The gastral constriction may be extreme, so that in some species there is a petiole and a post-petiole. Middle and hind tibiae with two spurs, claws simple.

Smith's (1857a) genus definition is at .

Egyptian species - nominally these are Cerapachys longitarsus (Mayr) and Cerapachys collingwoodi Sharaf; possibly also, from Tunisia, Cerapachys noctambulus (Santschi). On the species pages comparisons of type images of the available males suggest all three may be synonymous, with C. longitarsus as the earliest. Questions are raised, however, as to whether any of the males are actually longitarsus.

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