Formica approximans

Formica approximans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Formica
Species:	F. approximans
Binomial name
Formica approximans Wheeler, W.M., 1933

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (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.

Nomenclature

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

• approximans. Formica truncorum var. approximans Wheeler, W.M. 1933c: 65 (w.) CHINA.
  • Status as species: Wu, J. 1990: 4, 5 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 191; Wu, J. & Wang, 1995: 145.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Very similar to the typical truncorum of Europe. Pilosity on the body and legs as abundant but of a bright golden yellow color, and on the tibiae somewhat coarser though not longer than in the type. Color of head, thorax and petiole darker red; vertex and often also the middle of the promesonotum dark brown, even in large specimens; base of first gastric segment not yellowish red but dark brown like the remainder of the gaster.

Type Material

Six specimens from Eastern Tombs, near Peking, China (Chi Ho).

References

• Wheeler, W. M. 1933c. New ants from China and Japan. Psyche (Camb.) 40: 65-67 (page 65, worker described)
• Wu, J. 1990. Taxonomic studies on the genus Formica L. of China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). For. Res. 3: 1-8 (page 4, raised to species)
• Zhu, W., Wu, L., Duan, L., Xu, S. 2022. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in northern Shaanxi Province, China, with one new species of genus Proformica Ruzsky, 1902, Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 25, 101875 (doi:10.1016/j.aspen.2022.101875).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
• Ran H., and S. Y. Zhou. 2012. Checklist of chinese ants: formicomorph subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) II. Journal of Guangxi Normal University: Natural Science Edition 30(4): 81-91.
• Xia Yongjuan, and Zheng Zhemin. 1997. A survey of Formicidae form Xinjiang. Journal of Shaanxi Normal University 25(2): 64-66.