Formica adamsi alpina

Formica adamsi alpina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Formica
Species:	F. adamsi
Subspecies:	F. adamsi alpina
Trinomial name
Formica adamsi alpina Wheeler, W.M., 1909 Specimen labels

Nests are found under stones and logs (as well as in logs), usually banked with thatching, or simply in thatched nests. Reproductives were collected in nests from July to September. This species enslaves Formica neorufibarbis. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Identification

Workers have at least a few blunt tipped or spatulate hairs on the dorsum of the pronotum. The scapes, underside of the head, and petiole lack erect hairs. The gaster has only a few erect hairs, and the surfaces are sparsely covered with silver, appressed pubescence. The head and mesosoma are red, the gaster black. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 48.68318° to 31.92°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).

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.

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.

Castes

Worker

• The following images are provided by AntWeb
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  Head view

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  Side view

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  Top view

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  Specimen labels

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• alpina. Formica adamsi var. alpina Wheeler, W.M. 1909e: 85 (w.) U.S.A. Subspecies of whymperi: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 544; Creighton, 1950a: 509; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1463. Relationship with densiventris: Cole, 1954a: 89. Subspecies of adamsi: Bolton, 1995b: 191.

References

• Borowiec, M.L., Cover, S.P., Rabeling, C. 2021. The evolution of social parasitism in Formica ants revealed by a global phylogeny. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, e2026029118 (doi:10.1073/pnas.2026029118).
• Cole, A. C., Jr. 1954a. Studies of New Mexico ants. VIII. A solution to the Formica densiventris Viereck problem (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 29: 89-90 (page 89, relationship with densiventris)
• Creighton, W. S. 1950a. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104: 1-585 (page 509, Variety/subspecies of whymperi)
• Mackay, W.P. & Mackay, E.E. 2002. The Ants of New Mexico: 400 pp. Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, N.Y.
• Smith, D. R. 1979. Superfamily Formicoidea. Pp. 1323-1467 in: Krombein, K. V., Hurd, P. D., Smith, D. R., Burks, B. D. (eds.) Catalog of Hymenoptera in America north of Mexico. Volume 2. Apocrita (Aculeata). Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Pr (page 1463, Variety/subspecies of whymperi)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1909e. A decade of North American Formicidae. J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 17: 77-90 (page 85, worker described)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1917a. The mountain ants of western North America. Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 52: 457-569 (page 544, Variety/subspecies of whymperi)