Army ants reassessed: the phylogeny and classification of the doryline section (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

Detailed comparative morphology of the ants continues to provide an abundance of new characters with great significance for our understanding of formicide phylogeny. This study discusses earlier phylogenies and goes on to show that the doryline section, nominated here to include the subfamilies Dorylinae, Aenictinae stat. n., Cerapachyinae and Ecitoninae, forms a monophyletic lineage within the poneroid group of subfamilies, with Leptanillinae as the sister-group. Numerous characters, both old and new, are considered, the section is defined and discussed, and diagnostic autapomorphies are given for each subfamily. The wider relationships of the doryline section are considered with respect to its position in the poneroid group and the poneroid complex, and the elevation of Aenictinae to subfamily status is justified. A provisional new-format key to ant subfamilies is provided at the end of the paper, and the phylogeny of the poneroid complex outlined in the light of this survey.

Keywords :

• Formicidae
• subfamilies
• doryline section
• phylogeny
• classification
• key