Lasius occidentalis

Lasius occidentalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Lasiini
Genus:	Lasius
Section:	flavus clade
Species group:	claviger
Species:	L. occidentalis
Binomial name
	Lasius occidentalis; Wheeler, W.M., 1909 Specimen labels

This species nests under stones or logs in sandy soil or loam with scattered rocks.

At a Glance

• Temporary parasite

Identification

The apex of the petiole of workers of this species is moderately sharp, and is usually notched. The hairs on the underside of the head are relatively short (less than 0.20 mm) and are present only on the posterior 1/2 to 3/4 of the surface. The erect hairs on the gaster are relatively short (less than 0.23 mm) and are scattered over the entire surface. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

British Columbia and Washington east to Manitoba and Minnesota with a southern extension to New Mexico.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 52.466667° to 31.882254°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

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

A dated view of Lasius occidentalis occurrence records (open circles) Wing 1968

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.

Biology

Data associated with specimens are scanty, and very little has been published on this species. The types came from several different nests, all under stones, in or near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 4 collections I made in Anoka Co., Minesota all came from dry sandy soil. The 2 nests with alates taken in July had very low mounds, but it is by no means certain that mounds would be visible at other than flight time; these nests are discussed below. The other 2 nests were collected from under logs in the early spring. A Nebraska collection was made in sandy soil. A nest sample from Washington and one from Montana were both under stones. A nest sample from British Columbia was taken under a stone on a dry hillside. The altitudinal data available for a few of the 34 samples ranged from a little below 1000 to over 8000 ft. (Wing 1968)

Mackay and Mackay (2002), reporting on Lasius occidentalis in New Mexico: Occurs in meadows, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine forests, to spruce and aspen forests, including riparian meadows. Nuptial flights occurred at night during July and August (sexuals are attracted to black light traps). A dealate female was found loose in September.

This species is likely to be a temporary parasite, but its host is unknown.

Reproduction

Of 13 dated samples containing one or both sexes, only 1 did not include workers. These 12 samples are assumed to represent nest collections. A single queen was collected at light in Fort Collins, Colorado on July 26, 1935. The extreme dates for these collections are July 14 and August 17. The only available biological data on colonies with alates are from my field books. These notes cover 2 colonies collected in Anoka Co., Minnesota on July 21, 1950. The nests were in the middle of a sandy private road with sparse vegetation growing in its center. The workers had opened up the first nest by excavation; many were walking about on the surface of the ground near the nest openings. The collection was made in the early afternoon of a warm day with an overcast sky. Males and workers were collected by digging into the upper few inches of the nest. The second nest was located several yards down the road. All comments made on the first nest apply to this one, except that queens, males, and workers were taken from this nest. Both nests seemed ready to begin flights, awaiting the right combination of environmental conditions. From the meager data at hand it is not possible to delimit the flight period. However, it probably extends from mid-July to mid-August or later. (Wing 1968)

Castes

Nomenclature

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

occidentalis. Lasius (Acanthomyops) occidentalis Wheeler, W.M. 1909e: 83 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Combination in Acanthomyops: Creighton, 1950a: 432; in Lasius: Ward, 2005: 13. See also: Wing, 1968: 143.

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

Description

Worker

Wing 1968 Acanthomyops figs. 186-194

Wing (1968) - Body size and eyes small; similar in appearance to some subglaber and most mexicanus specimens. Standing body hairs not delicate; posterior border of head as seen in full-face view feebly emarginate in some specimens. Pubescence moderate to dense and fairly short. Crest of petiolar scale sharp to moderate, usually emarginate. Crest of erect scale at or above level of propodeal spiracles. Sides of scale usually more or less straight and parallel. Propodeum in profile more or less straight, rarely convex. See treatment of subglaber for further diagnosis of these two closely related taxa.

Body and appendages pale yellow to brownish yellow, head often a little darker.

Queen

Wing (1968) - With rare exceptions this is the only taxon that has the posterior border of the head broadly and distinctly emarginated as seen in full-face view. Antennal scapes short, their tips reaching to a little beyond the posterior margins of the eyes. Scapes and funiculi only slightly clavate. Crest of petiolar scale sharp to moderately sharp; usually emarginate, often deeply so. Scale with sides straight, its width about equal to height from spiracle to crest. Body and appendages with pubescence moderately dense to dense. Scutellum with central area free of pubescence. CI 98 or less.

Color yellowish brown.

Male

Wing (1968) - Small, AL 1.05 - 1.30 mm, SL under 0.60 mm. Crest of petiolar scale sharp to moderately sharp, emarginate to straight, and with a row of flexed hairs. Width of scale about equal to its height above petiolar spiracles. Scutellum with pubescence absent centrally. Longer hairs at posterior tip of gaster less than 0.20 mm, often 0.15 mm or less.

Pubescence fairly dilute, body shining. Body and appendages brown, head piceous brown.

Type Material

Wing (1968) - Type locality: Colorado Springs, EI Paso Co., Colorado. Location of types: Syntypes in the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

References

Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 53, catalogue)
Creighton, W. S. 1950a. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104: 1-585 (page 432, Combination in Acanthomyops)
Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
Ward, P.S. 2005. A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 936: 1-68 (page 13, revived combination in Lasius (Acanthomyops))
Wheeler, W. M. 1909e. A decade of North American Formicidae. J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 17: 77-90 (page 83, worker, queen, male described)
Wing, M. W. 1968a. Taxonomic revision of the Nearctic genus Acanthomyops (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mem. Cornell Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. 405: 1-173 (page 143, see also)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Allred D. M. 1982. Ants of Utah. The Great Basin Naturalist 42: 415-511.
Allred, D.M. 1982. The ants of Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 42:415-511.
Cover S. P., and R. A. Johnson. 20011. Checklist of Arizona Ants. Downloaded on January 7th at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/AZants-2011%20updatev2.pdf
Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
Hunt J. H. and Snelling R. R. 1975. A checklist of the ants of Arizona. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Science 10: 20-23
Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1963. Ants of North Dakota
Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler, T.D. Galloway and G.L. Ayre. 1989. A list of the ants of Manitoba. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba 45:34-49
Wing M. W. 1968. Taxonomic revision of the Nearctic genus Acanthomyops (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station 405: 1-173.