Formica lasioides

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Formica lasioides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species: F. lasioides
Binomial name
Formica lasioides
Emery, 1893

Formica lasioides casent0005380 profile 1.jpg

Formica lasioides casent0005380 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Subspecies
Synonyms

This is a common species, which nests in the soil, usually under stones or logs.

Identification

A small Formica with its entire surface smooth and polished. The pronotum has 10 or more erect hairs and the scape has numerous, short, delicate, white hairs. Most other body parts are covered with bristly hairs. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution

Widespread in North America.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 54.856047° to 30.88333333°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: Canada, United States (type locality).
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

Habitat

In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Primarily pine forest, ponderosa pine-riparian, fir forests, spruce and aspen forests, pinyon pine, oak forest, although it occurs in other habitats, including semiarid grasslands.

Biology

For New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Brood was collected in nests in July and August. Two dealate females were collected on the soil surface on 6 Aug. 1986. It nests together (possibly enslaved by) with Formica occulta. One colony was nesting together with Lasius pallitarsis, several nests contained colonies of Leptothorax crassipilis. One mixed nest included F. argentea, F. aserva, F. obtusopilosa, F. rubicunda, F. lasioides and Myrmica. These ants are docile, and escape when the nest is excavated.

Nevada, Wheeler and Wheeler (1986) - In Nevada lasioides is well scattered throughout the state, although most (87%) of the records are above 6,000 ft. We have 79 records for this species from 56 localities; 3,800-10,900 ft. Of these records 4 were in the Alpine Biome, 40 in the Coniferous Forest Biome, 8 in the Pinyon-Juniper, and 16 in the Cool Desert (3 in sand dunes and 1 in a disturbed area). Of the nests for which we have descriptions, the majority were under stones; those exposed were surmounted by a low irregular messy pile of soil, which in some cases resembled a crater; such structures ranged from 4 to 30 cm in diameter. This is a rapid-moving and timid species, but residents of populous colonies are sometimes aggressive and their bites are annoying.

Formica pergandei is a host for the following species dulotic species:

It is also a host for the temporary parasite Formica microgyna.

Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis asclepiadis (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis salicariae (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis varians (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1978; Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (a trophobiont) (Jones, 1927; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a host for the fungus Laboulbenia formicarum (a parasite) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest).
  • This species is a host for the fungus Laboulbenia formicarum (a pathogen) (Espadaler & Santamaria, 2012).

Castes

Worker

MCZ-ENT00021706 Formica neogagates var vetula hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00021706 Formica neogagates var vetula hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00021706 Formica neogagates var vetula had.jpgMCZ-ENT00021706 Formica neogagates var vetula lbs.jpgFormica lasioides hef.jpgFormica lasioides hal.jpgFormica lasioides had.jpgFormica lasioides lbs.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Formica lasioides casent0064827 head 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0064827 profile 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0064827 dorsal 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0064827 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0064827. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Formica lasioides casent0102797 head 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0102797 profile 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0102797 dorsal 1.jpgFormica lasioides casent0102797 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0102797. Photographer Jen Fogarty, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • lasioides. Formica lasioides Emery, 1893i: 664 (w.) U.S.A. Combination in Proformica: Emery, 1912f: 100; in Formica (Proformica): Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 539; in Formica: Francoeur, 1973: 114. Subspecies of fusca: Wheeler, W.M. 1908g: 409; of neogagates: Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 539. Revived status as species and senior synonym of vetula: Creighton, 1950a: 457.
  • picea. Formica lasioides var. picea Emery, 1895c: 335 (w.) U.S.A. [Junior primary homonym of picea Leach, 1825: 292, above.] Replacement name: vetula Wheeler, W.M. 1912c: 90.
  • vetula. Formica lasioides var. vetula Wheeler, W.M. 1912c: 90. Replacement name for picea Emery, 1895c: 335. [Junior primary homonym of picea Leach, 1825: 292.] Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 554 (q.). Combination in F. (Proformica): Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 540. Subspecies of neogagates: Buren, 1944a: 308. Junior synonym of lasioides: Creighton, 1950a: 458.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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