Ochetellus glaber

Nomenclature

Species: Ochetellus glaber (Mayr, 1862)

Usage: valid

External links

Diagnostic description

Diagnosis of worker among Antkey species

Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal scape length less than 1.5x head length. Antennal sockets and posterior clypeal margin separated by a distance less than the minimum width of antennal scape. Eyes medium to large (greater than 6 facets); do not break outline of head. Dorsum of mesosoma with distinct metanotal groove, but never with a deep and broad concavity; lacking erect hairs. Propodeum with distinct and posteriorly projecting protrusion causing declivity to be strongly concave. Waist 1-segmented. Petiole upright and not appearing flattened. Gaster armed with ventral slit. Distinct constriction not visible between abdominal segments 3+4. Color uniformly brown to black.

The Ochetellus glaber group is easily recognized among introduced and commonly intercepted dolichoderines by the unique shape of the propodeum which forms a blunt, posteriorly projecting knob and caused a noticeably concave declivity. Species in this group are most likely confused with Dolichoderus species, but can be separated by the lack of a deep and broad concavity separating the promesonotum from the propodeum, and also by the presence of erect hairs on the mesosomal dorsum.

Look alikes

Dolichoderus thoracicus

Distribution

Click here for updated occurrence data and map on antmaps.org
Click here for updated occurrence data and map on GBIF.org

Adult. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	Adult worker grooming. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org.	Anterior view of head, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org.
Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. Propodeum shape.	Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. The propodeum forms a posteriorly projecting protrusion (a) which causes the propodeal declivity (b) to be concave. Used in Antkey to separate species in the Ochetellus glaber complex from various species of dolichoderines and formicines.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Dorsum of lacking deep and broad concavity. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org, modified.	Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. Propodeum and petiolar node armed with pairs of short teeth.