Boring but important information
An introduction to the guide can be found here.
Useful definitions and diagrams can be found here.
The subfamilies †Sphecomyrminae and †Zigrasimeciini are currently not included on the chart. This is for many reasons including the fact that the genera within these subfamilies have been moved around and changed a lot recently. Although the debate is coming to an end, their classification as ants has been questioned so I omitted them for now. They will be added as and when their status is finalized. Due to all of this uncertainty, the diagnosing features of these genera are unclear. As they are both extinct and rather uncommon their omission shouldn’t affect users too much. However, as previously mentioned, they will be added when I am comfortable adding them.
When using the guide, the same characteristic features may be used more than once to identify different subfamilies. This is intended as each question has different answers based on the path you used to get there.
As with features, you will find 1 or 2 subfamilies at multiple places on the chart. This is intended as some of the answers to the diagnostic questions will be both yes and no.
As of writing this the guide only helps you identify subfamilies as this was hard enough on its own. I will add tribes and genera and species as time goes on. Just please remember I am 1 man and there are over 15,859 species. I will probably never finish this so I may need help. Become a patron on my Patreon to fund the workforce I will need for this! But that is for another day.
Please note that this is a work in progress and may have mistakes. If you find any please let me know on my Facebook page and please be gentle. I am still learning.
Anyway.
ON TO THE GUIDE!
Alex's Ants 