Formica lepida

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Formica lepida
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species: F. lepida
Binomial name
Formica lepida
Wheeler, W.M., 1913

Formica lepida casent0005366 profile 1.jpg

Formica lepida casent0005366 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

This species nests under stones.

Identification

Workers may be recognized by the lack of a process on the metasternum, being concolorous yellow to blackish-brown, by lacking elongate punctures on the genae, and in having erect hairs present on the ventral surface of the head, posterior border, promesonotum, propodeum and dorsal margin of the petiole. The four faces of the femora have erect hairs, and the petiole is thick as seen in profile, with a rounded apex. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 48.759613° to 33.92°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

This species is a host for the ant Formica dakotensis (a temporary parasite).

This species is a host for the ant Formica puberula (a slave maker) (Mackay & Mackay, 2002).

This species is a host for the ant Formica rubicunda (a slave maker).

This species is a host for the ant Formica wheeleri (a slave maker).

Association with Other Organisms

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  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis asclepiadis (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Jones, 1927; Saddiqui et al., 2019; 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, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (a trophobiont) (Jones, 1927; Saddiqui et al., 2019).

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • lepida. Formica cinerea var. lepida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 399 (diagnosis in key) (w.) U.S.A. [Formica cinerea subsp. cinerea var. lepida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 526; unavailable name.] Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 551 (q.). Subspecies of cinerea: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 551; Creighton, 1950a: 531. Raised to species: Francoeur, 1973: 122.

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

Description

Francoeur 1973. Figures 200-207.


References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Beck D. E., D. M. Allred, W. J. Despain. 1967. Predaceous-scavenger ants in Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 27: 67-78
  • Borchert, H.F. and N.L. Anderson. 1973. The Ants of the Bearpaw Mountains of Montana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 46(2):200-224
  • Cole A. C., Jr. 1954. Studies of New Mexico ants. XI. The genus Formica with a description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 29: 163-167.
  • Francoeur A., and R. R. Snelling. 1979. Notes for a revision of the ant genus Formica. 2. Reidentifications for some specimens from the T. W. Cook collection and new distribution data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 309: 1-7.
  • Francoeur. A. 1973. Revision taxonomique des especes nearctiques du group fusca, genre Formica. Memoires de la Societe Entomologique du Quebec 3: 1-316.
  • Gregg R. E. 1969. Geographic distribution of the ant genus Formica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 71: 38-49.
  • Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
  • La Rivers I. 1968. A first listing of the ants of Nevada. Biological Society of Nevada, Occasional Papers 17: 1-12.
  • Lavigne R., and T. J. Tepedino. 1976. Checklist of the insects in Wyoming. I. Hymenoptera. Agric. Exp. Sta., Univ. Wyoming Res. J. 106: 24-26.
  • Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
  • Mallis A. 1941. A list of the ants of California with notes on their habits and distribution. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 40: 61-100. 
  • Wheeler W. M. 1913. A revision of the ants of the genus Formica (Linné) Mayr. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 53: 379-565.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.
  • Yensen, N.P., W.H. Clark and A. Francoeur. 1977. A checklist of Idaho Ants. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 53:181-187
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