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Neivamyrmex moseri
| Neivamyrmex moseri | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
| Genus: | Neivamyrmex |
| Species: | N. moseri |
| Binomial name | |
| Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins, 1969
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| Synonyms | |
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This species apparently is subterranean, as it lacks eyes and was collected in a subterranean bait. No specimens were collected in surface baits or in pitfall traps. It was collected in a highly disturbed area in a grassland mixed with a few small trees (Acacia sp., Prosopis sp.). The area is flat with loam soils. Neivamyrmex harrisii and Neivamyrmex swainsonii, in addition to several other ant species, occur in the area. Labidus coecus and Solenopsis geminata were also collected in subterranean traps. The area was moderately infested with the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. (Mackay 1988, as reported for the synonomized N. isodentatus)
| At a Glance | • Ergatoid queen |
Identification
Neivamyrmex moseri is easily separated from all other described United States species by its unique mandibular structure: there are three large teeth that are usually approximately equal in size; much smaller intercalary denticles may be present. We should note further that the statement by Watkins (1969) that N. moseri workers lack a subantennal lamella is only partly correct; the lateral extension of the frontal carina that runs below the socket is present, but is not elevated to form a distinct lamella in most specimens examined. A low lamella is present in a few specimens. (Snelling and Snelling 2007)
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 31.23333333° to 19.5°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).
Neotropical Region: Honduras.
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
| Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Biology
Castes
Worker
    
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Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0104890. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
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| Paratype of Neivamyrmex moseri. Worker. Specimen code casent0104929. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by USNM, Washington, DC, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- moseri. Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins, 1969: 529, figs. 1-5 (w.) U.S.A. (Louisiana).
- Type-material: holotype worker, paratype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: holotype U.S.A.: Louisiana, Rapides Parish, Kisatchie Nat. Forest, 7 mi. W Alexandria, 31°14’N, 92°36’W, 13.iv.1959 (J.C. Moser); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); AMNH, JFWC, MCZC, MZSP (paratypes).
- Watkins, 1971: 96 (q.).
- Status as species: Watkins, 1971: 95 (redescription); Watkins, 1972: 350 (in key); Watkins, 1976: 14 (in key); Smith, D.R. 1979: 1331; Watkins, 1985: 483 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 290; Snelling, G.C. & Snelling, 2007: 466.
- Senior synonym of isodentatus: Snelling, G.C. & Snelling, 2007: 483.
- Distribution: U.S.A.
- isodentatus. Neivamyrmex isodentatus Mackay, 1998a: 333, fig. 1 (w.) U.S.A. (Texas).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 24 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype U.S.A.: Texas, Kleberg County, Kleberg Airport, 28.vii.1987, #9464L (W. Mackay); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MCZC (holotype); BMNH, ICNB, JFWC, MZSP, TAMU, USNM, UTEL (paratypes).
- Junior synonym of moseri: Snelling, G.C. & Snelling, 2007: 483.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Major Length 3.10 mm. Head: median length without mandibles 0.78 mm, width 0.83 mm, sides slightly convex, posterior margin broadly concave with rounded corners. Eyes absent. Mandibles characteristic, but somewhat similar to those of N. macrodentatus. Basal tooth large, triangular, not curved. Masticatory border with three teeth, the middle tooth less than half the length of the outer teeth, posterior tooth longes.t. Frontal carina short, curved outward and upward to form distinct lamella ending at the lower, inner edge of the antennal depression. Antenna short (1.10 mm); scape length (0.375 mm), about one-half median head length, greatest width 0.125 mm, narrower at the base and gradually thickening distally; flagellum length 0.725 mm, greatest width 0.10 mm, gradually thickening distally, last segment more than two times length of penultimate segment. Alitrunk robust, dorsally flattened, length 1.10 mm, greatest width 0.50 mm. Mesoepinotal suture well defined. Epinotum slightly longer than wide, length 0.45 mm, width at base 0.38 mm, posterior surface in profile steeply sloped and moderately concave (slightly concave to almost straight in some specimens). Petiole in profile strongly convex dorsally; anteroventral tooth large, pellucid, keel-shaped. Petiole from above slightly longer than broad, length 0.35 mm; greatest width 0.30 mm, length of node 0.25 mm, with slightly convex sides and concave anterior face. Postpetiole wider than long with convex sides, length 0.25 mm, greatest width 0.35 mm. Gaster somewhat flattened and elongated (more elongated in smaller specimens), length 1.10 mm, greatest width 0.80 mm. Hind femur and tibia about same length (0.65 mm). Proximal segment of hind tarsus almost as long (0.43 mm) as remaining segments combined (0.48 mm). Scattered punctures on the head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole, but most distinct on the dorsum of the alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole. Mesopleura shagreened. Body, including appendages, shining, yellowish brown, covered with scattered erect and suberect hairs which are longest on the gaster.
Minor Length 1.90 mm. Head slightly longer than wide, median length without mandibles 0.48 mm, greatest width 0.40 mm, sides almost parallel, posterior margin broadly concave with rounded corners. Median carina short, narrow, resembling an inverted "Y" with short outwardly curved "arms." Flagellum (0.43 mm) approximately two times length of scape (0.23 mm), last segment two times length of penultimate segment. Mandible somewhat similar to that of N. macrodentatus minor, length 0.25 mm; "basal tooth" forms outermost tooth of masticatory margin and is similar in size and shape to the next two adjacent teeth, posterior tooth large, more than three times length of other teeth. Dorsum of alitrunk unusually flattened, sides almost perpendicular, length 0.70 mm, greatest width 0.25 mm, mesoepinotal suture well defined. Petiole approximately as long as wide (0.15 mm), slightly convex sides, strongly convex dorsally, anteroventral tooth small, but distinct. Postpetiole wider (0.18 mm) than long (0.10 mm). Gaster elongate (0.70 mm), somewhat flattened, greatest width 0.43 mm, greatest height 0.33 mm. Hind femur (0.35 mm) slightly longer than tibia (0.33 mm). Length of proximal segment of hind tarsus (0.20 mm) two-thirds total length of remaining segments (0.30 mm). Body, including appendages, covered with scattered, moderately long, suberect hairs; surface smooth, except shagreened mesopleura; shining, yellowish.
Type Material
Type locality and materials studied. Numerous workers collected by John C. Moser (April 13, 1959) 7 miles W. Alexandria, La. (92° 36' long., 31° 14' lat.) Kisatchie Nat. Forest, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, from a single colony found at a depth of one foot in the excavated surface subsoil of a large nest of Atta texana (Buckley).
Types (red labels). One holotype major and one paratype minor deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; other paratypes deposited in the American Museum of Natural History, New York; Borgmeier's collection, Sao Paulo, Brasil (in care of Walter W. Kempf), and the collection of J. F. Watkins, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
References
- Mackay, W.P. 1998b. A new army ant from southern Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 43: 333-335. [ix.1998.]
- Snelling, G. C.; Snelling, R. R. 2007. New synonymy, new species, new keys to Neivamyrmex army ants of the United States. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80:459-550. [2007-09]
- Watkins, J. F., II. 1969 [1968]. A new species of Neivamyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Louisiana. J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 41: 528-531 (page 529, figs. 1-4 worker described)
- Watkins, J. F., II. 1971. A taxonomic review of Neivamyrmex moseri, N. pauxillus, and N. leonardi, including new distribution records and original descriptions of queens of the first two species. J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 44: 93-103 (page 96, queen described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Dash S. T. and L. M. Hooper-Bui. 2008. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Louisiana. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity. 101: 1056-1066
- Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
- Feitosa, R.M., R.R. Hora, J.H.C. Delabie, J. Valenzuela and D. Fresneau. 2008. A new social parasite in the ant genus Ectatomma F. Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ectatomminae). Zootaxa 1713:47-52.
- O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
- Watkins J. F., II 1969. A new species of Neivamyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Louisiana. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 41: 528-531.
- Watkins J. F., II 1971. A taxonomic review of Neivamyrmex moseri, N. pauxillus, and N. leonardi, including new distribution records and original descriptions of queens of the first two species. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 44: 93-103.
- Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.