Table 1.
Diagnostic characters of three sympatric and morphologically similar myrmicine genera.
| Character | Temnothorax | Nesomyrmex | Tetramorium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sting with apical or apicodorsal lamelliform appendage | no | no | yes |
| Maxillary palp segments | 5 | 5 | 3 or 4 |
| Lateral clypeal lobes raised into a narrow ridge or shield-wall in front of antennal insertions | no | no | yes |
| Median clypeal lobe in the form of an apron that fits tightly over the base of the mandibular dorsum in profile | no | yes | no |
| Number of mandibular teeth | 5 | 5 | 6 to 7 |