Formica gnava
| Formica gnava | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Formicini |
| Genus: | Formica |
| Species: | F. gnava |
| Binomial name | |
| Formica gnava Buckley, 1866
| |
This ant nests under stones and in the soil without mounds. It feeds from extrafloral nectaries of the cholla (Opuntia spp), and forages into cotton wood trees. These ants can be very aggressive when the nest is disturbed, spraying formic acid at the intruder. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)
Contents
Identification
Bicolored with a dull surface.
Keys including this Species
- Key to Nearctic Formica fusca group males
- Key to Nearctic Formica fusca group queens
- Key to Nearctic Formica fusca group workers
- Key to Polyergus Species
- Key to US Polyergus species
Distribution
Southerwestern United States and Chihuahua Mexico.
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).
Neotropical Region: Mexico.
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Habitat
In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Semi-deserts and shady canyons up to oak forests and pinyon pine forests and rarely to fir forests.
Biology
This species is a host for the ant Polyergus topoffi (a slave maker).
Castes
Worker
- Images provided by Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's New General Catalogue, a catalogue of the world's ants.
- gnava. Formica gnava Buckley, 1866: 156 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Combination in F. (Serviformica): Emery, 1925b: 250. Subspecies of fusca: Wheeler, W.M. 1902f: 20; of rufibarbis: Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 518; Creighton, 1950a: 539. Revived status as species: Francoeur, 1973: 238. Material of the nomen nudum subsericeoneorufibarbis (misspelled as subsericeorufibarbis by Emery, 1925b: 250) referred here by Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 518.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
References
- Buckley, S. B. 1866. Descriptions of new species of North American Formicidae. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Phila. 6: 152-172 (page 156, worker, queen, male described)
- Creighton, W. S. 1950a. The ants of North America. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 104: 1-585 (page 539, Variety/subspecies of rufibarbis)
- Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 250, Combination in F. (Serviformica))
- Francoeur, A. 1973. Révision taxonomique des espèces néarctiques du groupe fusca, genre Formica (Formicidae, Hymenoptera). Mém. Soc. Entomol. Qué. 3: 1-316 (page 238, revived status as species)
- Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
- Wheeler, W. M. 1902g. A consideration of S. B. Buckley's "North American Formicidae.". Trans. Tex. Acad. Sci. 4: 17-31 (page 20, Variety/subspecies of fusca)
- Wheeler, W. M. 1913i. A revision of the ants of the genus Formica (Linné) Mayr. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 53: 379-565 (page 518, Variety/subspecies of rufibarbis, Material of the nomen nudum subsericeoneorufibarbis referred here.(misspelled as subsericeorufibarbis by Emery, 1925b: 250))
