REVISION OF THE MYRMICINE ANT GENUS LOPHOMYRMEX, WITH A REVIEW OF ITS TAXONOMIC POSITION (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

The myrmicine ant genus Lophomyrmex is fully revised and transferred from tribe Pheidologetonini to Pheidolini (tribal transfer: Pheidolini, senior synonym of Lophomyrmecini syn.n.). Ten species are recognized, which are placed into two species groups. The quadrispinosus group, characterized by the presence of pronotal teeth or spines, includes birmanus, kali sp.n., opaciceps stat.n. (=javana syn.n.), quadrispinosus (=taprobanae syn.n.) and taivanae stat.n. The bedoti group, in which the pronotum is dorsolaterally marginate, includes ambiguus sp.n., bedoti, longicornis sp.n., lucidus stat.n. and striatulus sp.n. A key to the worker caste is presented and descriptions of known sexual forms are given.