Pogonomyrmex

Pogonomyrmex Temporal range: 37.2–0 Ma K Pa Eo Ol Mi Pl Eocene – Recent
Pogonomyrmex badius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Pogonomyrmecini
Genus:	Pogonomyrmex Mayr, 1868
Type species
Formica badia, now Pogonomyrmex badius
Diversity
95 species 1 fossil species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Pogonomyrmex badius Specimen Label
Synonyms
Ephebomyrmex Wheeler, W.M., 1902 Forelomyrmex Wheeler, W.M., 1913 Janetia Forel, 1899

These ants are common New World ants that are found in arid habitats. Most species are seed harvesters, others feed on a variety of items, especially dead or dying insects. Large quantities of seeds may be stored in their nests. Most species have a large psammophore or beard of coarse hairs on the ventral surface of the head, which are used to carry fine sand during the excavation of the nest. Large mating flights occur in late summer, usually after a rain on the previous day (Mackay, 1981). Some species build large, conspicuous mounds and clear the vegetation from around the nest. Most species in this genus can deliver very painful stings. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Identification

There is currently one species known from Central America (i.e., as defined beginning south of Mexico; Taber's key to North America species includes Mexican species): Pogonomyrmex guatemaltecus. This ant is presently known from Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico. There are three validly named species from the Caribbean. All of these species are Hispaniola endemics and all are considered to be in the subgenus Ephebomyrmex (see this key couplet: 11E).

Pogonomyrmex species groups

Keys including this Genus

• Clave para Pogonomyrmecini
• Key to Ant Genera of the Navajo Reservation
• Key to North American Genera of Myrmicinae
• Key to Pogonomyrmecini
• Key to the Ant Genera of New Mexico

Keys to Subgenera or Species Groups in this Genus

• Key to Pogonomyrmecini genera and Pogonomyrmex species groups
• Clave para obreras de los generos de Pogonomyrmecini y grupos de especies de Pogonomyrmex
• Pogonomyrmex de Sur America clave a las obreras

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to North American Pogonomyrmex
• Key to South American Pogonomyrmex
• Key to Pogonomyrmex californicus species group
• Key to Pogonomyrmex of Hispaniola
• Key to Pogonomyrmex workers of South American
• Key to Pogonomyrmex queens of South American
• Pogonomyrmex de Sur America clave a las reinas

Distribution

Johnson and Cover (2015) - The seed harvester ant genus Pogonomyrmex is a moderate-sized New World group that currently consists of 68 described species that occur as three disjunct faunal groups, one in North America, one in South America, and one on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (containing Haiti and Dominican Republic); no species are common to any two areas. North American species of Pogonomyrmex were the focus of a revision by Cole (1968), which set the stage for numerous studies of ecology, biogeography, territoriality, mating behavior, communication, caste determination, and foraging behavior that have greatly facilitated our understanding of ant biology (Anderson et al. 2006; Gadau et al. 2003; Gordon & Kulig 1996; Hölldobler 1976a, 1976b; Johnson 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006; Taber 1998).

Species by Region

Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

	Afrotropical Region	Australasian Region	Indo-Australian Region	Malagasy Region	Nearctic Region	Neotropical Region	Oriental Region	Palaearctic Region
Species	0	0	0	0	27	86	0	0
Total Species	2841	1736	3045	932	835	4379	1741	2862

Fossils

Fossils are known from: Florissant, Colorado, United States (Late Eocene).

Biology

The genus Pogonomyrmex is the preeminent group of harvesting ants in North America, where it nearly blankets the arid regions of Mexico and the western United States. As is true of other harvesting ants, the workers of this genus collect seeds for food, "harvesting" the plants in their nesting areas by snipping off the seeds with their mandibles. Husked within the nest and stored in subterranean or mound chambers, these highly nutritious seeds become the paramount food for the society, sustaining the ants even through the winter. Seeds are not their sole food, however, because the ants are scavengers as well as harvesters. Although their victims are chiefly arthropods, the workers may transport a varied array of dead booty to their nests.

Google Earth view at 36°17'16.16"N 113°05'56.12"W (northwestern Arizona), apparently showing individual nests scattered across the landscape.

The nests themselves are constructed in the soil, generally in areas fully exposed to the sun. Some are beneath stones, whereas others are surmounted by soil craters or by small to huge mounds with or without coverings of gravel. In addition, the workers of some species alter the area peripheral to the nests by clearing away the plants-felling them, bit by bit, with their powerful mandibles. Such mounds with their surrounding denuded area, characteristic of the western harvester, are familiar sights to travelers in the arid West.

Although the workers of some species of Pogonomyrmex are extremely hostile and will vigorously attack and sting an invader, other species are contrastingly inoffensive and retiring. The effects of a sting can be very painful. Localized swelling and inflammation ensue rapidly. Soon thereafter a throbbing pain, which may last for several hours, extends to the lymph nodes of the inguinal, axillary, or cervical area, depending on the location of the sting. Frequently, the skin around the wound becomes very moist. Multiple stings will produce excruciating pain and may induce systemic disturbances of considerable severity. Victims who are hypersensitive to the ant venom may collapse from anaphylactic shock and be in grave danger if not given prompt medical attention.

Considerable economic importance has been attached to this genus not only because of the stinging characteristics but also because some of these harvesters may procure seeds in abundance from cultivated crops and may also damage range lands when their nests are numerous. In the United States four species are so outstanding in these respects that the Entomological Society of America has approved common names for them. These are: the western harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis), the red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus), the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), and the Florida harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex badius).

Bob Johnson has been studying Pogonomyrmex for many decades. The following provides a summary of some of the more intriguing aspects of Pogonomyrmex biology. These topics have been studied in the past and deserve further examination both to better understand Pogonomyrmex and ants more generally.

Mating frequency

In social insects, obligate multiple mating (effective queen mating frequency >2) is only known to occur in vespine wasps (Foster & Ratnieks, 2001), the leaf-cutter ant genera Acromyrmex and Atta (Villesen, Murakami, Schultz, & Boomsma, 2002), army ants (Denny, Franks, Powell, & Edwards, 2004; Kronauer, Johnson, & Boomsma, 2007), honeybees (Moritz et al., 1995; Palmer & Oldroyd, 2000), the ant Cataglyphis cursor (Pearcy, Aron, Doums, & Keller, 2004), and harvester ants in the genus Pogonomyrmex (Gadau, Strehl, Oettler, & Hölldobler, 2003; Overson, 2011; Pol et al., 2008; Rheindt, Gadau, Strehl, & Hölldobler, 2004; Wiernasz, Perroni, & Cole, 2004). Multiple mating is widespread in species of Pogonomyrmex as it has been documented in both North America (Pogonomyrmex barbatus, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Pogonomyrmex badius, Pogonomyrmex californicus, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) and South America (Pogonomyrmex coarctatus, Pogonomyrmex inermis, Pogonomyrmex mendozanus), suggesting that this trait evolved early in the history of the genus (Pol et al., 2008). In addition, both alate and ergatoid queens of Pogonomyrmex pima mate with only one male, such that Pogonomyrmex is the only ant genus known to contain species with both single- and multiple-mating queens (Holbrook, Strehl, Johnson, & Gadau, 2007). Consequently, Pogonomyrmex is an ideal genus to examine the evolution of mating frequency

Colony founding

North American species of Pogonomyrmex exhibit a range of colony founding strategies (Johnson, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010), and available data suggest that those in South America display an equally wide range of strategies (Johnson, 2010; Kusnezov, 1951). There are several species with ergatoid or brachypterous queens that are known to employ independent colony founding (e.g., Pogonomyrmex cunicularius, Pogonomyrmex pencosensis, Pogonomyrmex mendozanus, and both ergatoid and brachypterous queens of Pogonomyrmex laticeps). This is unusual (Life History) because ergatoid and brachypterous queen species typically reproduce via dependent colony founding, i.e., with a group of nestmate workers (Peeters, 2012; Peeters & Molet, 2009). Dependent colony founding is associated with producing few queens, short-distance dispersal on foot, and relatively high survival rates. Alternatively, independent colony founding is associated with producing many queens, long-distance dispersal via wings, and very low survival rates.

The few data available indicate that these four ergatoid and brachypterous queen species are exceptions to these two reproductive syndromes. Haplometrotic foundresses of the ergatoid queen species P. cunicularius and P. pencosensis have been excavated (n = 1 for each species) (Johnson, 2010), and colonies typically produce >100 queens (pers. obs.). Haplometrotic foundresses have also been excavated for ergatoid (n = 1) and brachypterous queens (n = 1) of P. laticeps, and colonies of both queen phenotypes produce >50 queens (Peeters et al., 2012). Brachypterous queens also have been observed to employ independent colony founding in P. mendozanus, in which colonies can also produce approximately 100 queens (pers. obs.). More data are needed to better document nest founding strategies in these and other ergatoid queen species of Pogonomyrmex.

These species clearly provide an opportunity to examine previously unknown tradeoffs in nest founding syndromes. All of these species probably employ queen foraging, which allows queens to adjust brood production to environmental conditions. When food is high in abundance and/or predictable in occurrence, foraging queens can produce more minim workers than fully claustral queens that have fixed energy reserves (Johnson, 2006). A granivorous diet has been proposed as one explanation—many arid and semi-arid habitats, such as those occupied by species of Pogonomyrmex, experience relatively predictable pulses of seed production that result from seasonal rainfall. These seeds can remain dormant in the seed bank for several or more years (Lopez, 2003; Reichman, 1984; Tevis, 1958), and have the additional advantage that they can be stored for extended periods by the ants. However, seed use may not be the only explanation because these four species have different diets and two of them, P. pencosensis and probably P. cunicularius, harvest more insects than seeds (Aranda-Rickert & Fracchia, 2011, 2012).

Association with Other Organisms

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Species Uncertain

• An unknown species is a host for the nematode Steinerema carpocapsae (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (multiple encounter modes; indirect transmission; transmission outside nest).

All Associate Records for Genus

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Taxon	Relationship	Associate Type	Associate Taxon	Associate Relationship	Locality	Source	Notes
Pogonomyrmex	host	nematode	Steinerema carpocapsae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	multiple encounter modes; indirect transmission; transmission outside nest
Pogonomyrmex anergismus	workerless inquiline	ant	Pogonomyrmex barbatus	host
Pogonomyrmex anergismus	workerless inquiline	ant	Pogonomyrmex rugosus	host
Pogonomyrmex badius	host	eucharitid wasp	Kapala floridana	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	primary host
Pogonomyrmex badius	host	fungus	Myrmicinosporidium durum	pathogen	United States	Pereira, 2004; Espadaler & Santamaria, 2012
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	host	ant	Pogonomyrmex anergismus	workerless inquiline
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	host	cricket	Myrmecophilus nebrascensis	myrmecophile	United States
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	host	fungus	Myrmicinosporidium durum	pathogen	Texas, United States	Sanchez-Peña et al., 1993; Espadaler & Santamaria, 2012
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	host	nematode	Skrjabinoptera phrynosoma	parasite	Texas, United States	Lee, 1957
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela formosa gibsoni	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela pugetana	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela pulchra	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela scutellaris	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela tranquebarica kirbyi	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	xenobiont	ant	Monomorium minimum	xenobiont	United States	Kanizsai et al., 2013; Wheeler, 1901
Pogonomyrmex colei	workerless inquiline	ant	Pogonomyrmex rugosus	host
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis	mutualist	aphid	Hyalopterus pruni	trophobiont		Jones, 1927; Saddiqui et al., 2019
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindela sp.	predator	United States	Willis, 1967; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex rugosus	host	ant	Pogonomyrmex anergismus	workerless inquiline
Pogonomyrmex rugosus	host	ant	Pogonomyrmex colei	workerless inquiline
Pogonomyrmex rugosus	prey	tiger beetle	Cicindelidia obsoleta	predator	United States	Valenti & Gaimari, 2000; Polidori et al., 2020
Pogonomyrmex serpens	host	eucharitid wasp	Galearia latreillei	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	primary host
Pogonomyrmex serpens	host	eucharitid wasp	Galearia latreillei	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest

Flight Period

All Flight Records for Genus

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Taxon	Month	Source	Notes
Pogonomyrmex badius	May • Jun • Jul	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex californicus	Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex magnacanthus	Apr • May	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex maricopa	Jul • Aug	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex montanus	Jul	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis	Aug • Sep	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex rugosus	Jul • Aug • Sep	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex subdentatus	Mar • Apr • May • Jun	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus	Jun	antkeeping.info
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus	Jul	antkeeping.info

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: 21-12358 (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: inquilinism (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: herbivore; omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging behaviour: cooperative (Greer et al., 2021)

Castes

Worker

Worker polymorphism is relatively rare among ants, having evolved approximately 15–20 times in the more than 300 extant ant genera (Bolton, 2014; Brady, Schultz, Fisher, & Ward, 2006; Oster & Wilson, 1978). Despite the relative rarity of this trait, polymorphism has evolved two times within Pogonomyrmex, once in South America (Pogonomyrmex coarctatus) and once in North America (Pogonomyrmex badius), and both species produce supermajors (Cole, 1968; Kusnezov, 1951). Head width for P. badius ranges from 1.27–3.74 mm, while that for P. coarctatus ranges from 1.97–3.99 mm. In addition, the size-frequency distribution is bimodal in P. badius, with nests containing numerous minors and few majors, with intermediate-sized workers being rare. Alternatively, the distribution is continuous in P. coarctatus, with nests containing numerous minors, and abundant medias and majors (Tschinkel, 1998, C. Smith, unpub. data). Majors of the two species also concentrate in different parts of the nest and appear to specialize at different tasks; P. badius majors occur deeper in the nest and rarely forage, leading to the suggestion that these individuals are seed-milling specialists (direct data are meager to support this hypothesis), while those of P. coarctatus concentrate in upper parts of the nest and appear to be foraging specialists (Tschinkel, 1998, C. Smith, unpub. data). These differences suggest that different evolutionary pressures selected for polymorphism in these two species.

The ecological release hypothesis has been suggested to explain the evolution of polymorphism in P. badius and other species of ants (Oster & Wilson, 1978). This hypothesis suggests that polymorphism evolved to expand dietary breadth in species that experience reduced interspecific competition (P. badius is the only large harvester ant in the eastern United States). However, this hypothesis was not supported for P. badius because workers did not display a significant correlation between worker size and seed or prey size harvested (Ferster & Traniello, 1995; Traniello & Beshers, 1991). Neither does the ecological release hypothesis apply to P. coarctatus, which is sympatric with two to four congeners throughout its geographic range (this study). One commonality between P. badius and P. coarctatus is that both species live in mesic, low-elevation habitats where resources appear to be abundant (pers. obs.; C. Smith, pers. comm.). Moreover, factors selecting for the evolution of polymorphism in these two species remain unknown, but mechanisms that determine caste (at least in P. badius) involve an interaction of nutrition, social environment, and genetics (Rheindt, Strehl, & Gadau, 2005; Smith, Anderson, Tillberg, Gadau, & Suarez, 2008).

Variation in queen phenotypes

Species of Pogonomyrmex display most of the wide array of queen phenotypes known among ants, including species with alate queens, brachypterous queens, and ergatoid queens. In some species queens are dimorphic, i.e., winged and ergatoid queens or brachypterous and ergatoid queens within the same species (Heinze et al., 1992; Johnson et al., 2007; Peeters, 2012; Peeters et al., 2012). The most striking pattern related to queen phenotypes in Pogonomyrmex is the large number of South American species that have only ergatoid queens (five species in three species-groups; Pogonomyrmex bispinosus [bispinosus-group], Pogonomyrmex mayri [mayri-group], and Pogonomyrmex cunicularius, Pogonomyrmex pencosensis, and Pogonomyrmex serpens [cunicularius-group]), whereas no species with only ergatoid queens occur in North America. The most worker-like ergatoid queen species are those in the P. cunicularius-group, in which queens and workers are morphologically similar (the mesosomal segments are fused as in workers), except that queens are slightly larger, possess ocelli and a spermatheca (lacking in workers), and contain more ovarioles than workers (Johnson, 2010). The ergatoid queens of P. mayri appear to lack ocelli. The sister genus Hylomyrma (Ward et al., 2015) also has several species with ergatoid queens (Kempf, 1973). Ergatoid queens are absent in the P. angustus-group, which consists of three species that will be placed in a new genus (Ward et al., 2015). Poor dispersal ability likely precluded migration to North America by species that possess only ergatoid queens.

Queen dimorphic species occur in both North and South America. Little is known about mechanisms that cause queen dimorphism, but a mitochondrial phylogeny and a comparison of microsatellite allele frequencies in the North American species Pogonomyrmex pima inferred that the two queen phenotypes (alate and ergatoid) belong to the same gene pool (Johnson et al., 2007). Ergatoid queens of both P. pima and Pogonomyrmex imberbiculus (another queen dimorphic species) possess all the reproductive structures of alate queens (except for wings), and both phenotypes have a similar reproductive capacity; this same pattern is probable for Pogonomyrmex naegelii, but dissections have not be done.

In another type of queen dimorphism, the South American species Pogonomyrmex laticeps produces ergatoid and brachypterous queens; so far, only one queen phenotype has been found in a colony (Peeters et al., 2012). Current data also suggest that ergatoid and brachypterous queens have discrete geographic ranges—ergatoid queens are only known from southern portions of the range, whereas brachypterous queens are only known from northern portions of the range. In all queen dimorphic species, ergatoid queens are intermediate in size between that of worker and alate/brachypterous queens (Heinze et al., 1992; Johnson et al., 2007; Peeters et al., 2012).

Queens of Pogonomyrmex are also known for their dramatic variation in body size. Queen dry mass varies by approximately 20-fold across species in both North and South America, from approximately 1.5 mg dry mass (P. pima and P. imberbiculus in North America, P. naegelii in South America) to those that approach 30 mg dry mass (Pogonomyrmex wheeleri in North America, Pogonomyrmex coarctatus in South America) (unpub. data).

Morphology

Worker Morphology

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• Antennal segment count: 12 • Antennal club: 4-5 • Palp formula: 5,4; 4,3 • Total dental count: 5-8 • Spur formula: 1 simple-pectinate, 1 simple-pectinate • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: dentiform; present • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: present • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent

Male Morphology

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 • Antennal segment count 13 • Antennal club 0 • Palp formula 5,4; 4,3 • Total dental count 2-8 • Spur formula 1 simple-pectinate, 1 barbulate-pectinate

Karyotype

All Karyotype Records for Genus

• See additional details at the Ant Chromosome Database.

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Taxon	Haploid	Diploid	Karyotype	Locality	Source	Notes
Pogonomyrmex apache		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex badius		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex barbatus	16	32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex brevispinosus		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex californicus		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988	as ''P. estebanius''
Pogonomyrmex comanche	16	32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex desertorum		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex huachucanus		36		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex imberbiculus		58		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex imberbiculus		61		USA	Taber et al., 1988	B chromosome
Pogonomyrmex imberbiculus		62		USA	Taber et al., 1988	B chromosome
Pogonomyrmex imberbiculus	30	60		USA	Taber et al., 1988	B chromosome
Pogonomyrmex magnacanthus		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex montanus		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex rugosus		32		USA	Taber et al., 1988
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus	16	32		USA	Taber et al., 1988

Phylogeny

Myrmicinae

Myrmicini ⊞(2 genera) ⊟ Manica  (5 species, 2 fossil species) Myrmica  (214 species, 18 fossil species) Pogonomyrmecini ⊞(3 genera) ⊟ Patagonomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Hylomyrma  (30 species, 0 fossil species) Pogonomyrmex  (95 species, 1 fossil species) Stenammini ⊞(7 genera) ⊟ Stenamma  (85 species, 1 fossil species) Novomessor  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Veromessor  (10 species, 0 fossil species) some Aphaenogaster  (218 species, 14 fossil species) some Aphaenogaster Messor  (169 species, 1 fossil species) Goniomma  (10 species, 1 fossil species) Oxyopomyrmex  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Solenopsidini ⊞(22 genera) ⊟ Stegomyrmex  (5 species, 0 fossil species) Dolopomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) some Rogeria  (40 species, 0 fossil species) Bariamyrma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) some Rogeria Solenopsis  (215 species, 9 fossil species) Kempfidris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Tropidomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Austromorium  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium  (320 species, 3 fossil species) some Monomorium Oxyepoecus  (21 species, 0 fossil species) Megalomyrmex  (45 species, 0 fossil species) Tyrannomyrmex  (4 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium Epelysidris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Anillomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmicaria  (71 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium Syllophopsis  (23 species, 0 fossil species) some Adelomyrmex  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Cryptomyrmex  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Adelomyrmex Baracidris  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Attini ⊞(49 genera) ⊟ Ochetomyrmex  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Tranopelta  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Diaphoromyrma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Lachnomyrmex  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Blepharidatta  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Allomerus  (8 species, 0 fossil species) Wasmannia  (11 species, 0 fossil species) Pheidole  (1,294 species, 7 fossil species) Cephalotes  (123 species, 16 fossil species) Procryptocerus  (44 species, 0 fossil species) Strumigenys  (880 species, 4 fossil species) Phalacromyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Pilotrochus  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Protalaridris  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Rhopalothrix  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Basiceros  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Octostruma  (35 species, 0 fossil species) Eurhopalothrix  (55 species, 0 fossil species) Talaridris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Acanthognathus  (7 species, 1 fossil species) Daceton  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Lenomyrmex  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Microdaceton  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Orectognathus  (29 species, 0 fossil species) Colobostruma  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Epopostruma  (20 species, 0 fossil species) Mesostruma  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Paleoattina Apterostigma  (44 species, 2 fossil species) Mycocepurus  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmicocrypta  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Neoattina Cyatta  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Kalathomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetarotes  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetosoritis  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Cyphomyrmex  (23 species, 2 fossil species) some Cyphomyrmex Paramycetophylax  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetophylax  (21 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetagroicus  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetomoellerius  (31 species, 1 fossil species) Sericomyrmex  (11 species, 0 fossil species) Xerolitor  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Paratrachymyrmex  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Trachymyrmex  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Amoimyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Atta  (20 species, 1 fossil species) some Acromyrmex  (56 species, 0 fossil species) some Acromyrmex Pseudoatta  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Crematogastrini ⊞(65 genera) ⊟ Rostromyrmex  (1 species, 6 fossil species) Cardiocondyla  (90 species, 0 fossil species) Ocymyrmex  (34 species, 0 fossil species) Nesomyrmex  (84 species, 2 fossil species) Xenomyrmex  (5 species, 0 fossil species) Terataner  (14 species, 0 fossil species) Atopomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Cataulacus  (65 species, 3 fossil species) Carebara  (249 species, 9 fossil species) Diplomorium  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Melissotarsus  (4 species, 1 fossil species) Rhopalomastix  (14 species, 0 fossil species) Calyptomyrmex  (38 species, 0 fossil species) Strongylognathus  (27 species, 0 fossil species), Tetramorium  (601 species, 2 fossil species) Cyphoidris  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Dicroaspis  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Aretidris  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Vollenhovia  (83 species, 3 fossil species) Dacetinops  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Indomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Crematogaster  (784 species, 3 fossil species) Meranoplus  (93 species, 0 fossil species) Lophomyrmex  (13 species, 0 fossil species) Adlerzia  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Recurvidris  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Stereomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Trichomyrmex  (29 species, 0 fossil species) Eutetramorium  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Royidris  (15 species, 0 fossil species) Malagidris  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Vitsika  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Huberia  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Podomyrma  (62 species, 1 fossil species) Liomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Metapone  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Kartidris  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Mayriella  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Tetheamyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Dacatria  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Proatta  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Dilobocondyla  (22 species, 0 fossil species) Secostruma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Acanthomyrmex  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmecina  (106 species, 0 fossil species) Perissomyrmex  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Pristomyrmex  (61 species, 3 fossil species) some Lordomyrma  (36 species, 0 fossil species) Propodilobus  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Lasiomyrma  (4 species, 0 fossil species) some Lordomyrma Ancyridris  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Lordomyrma Paratopula  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Poecilomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Romblonella  (10 species, 0 fossil species) Rotastruma  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Gauromyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Vombisidris  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Temnothorax  (512 species, 7 fossil species) Harpagoxenus  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Formicoxenus  (8 species, 0 fossil species) Leptothorax  (20 species, 0 fossil species)

See Phylogeny of Myrmicinae for details.

Nomenclature

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

• POGONOMYRMEX [Myrmicinae: Myrmicini]
  • Pogonomyrmex Mayr, 1868b: 169. Type-species: Formica badia, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 170.
  • Pogonomyrmex senior synonym of Ephebomyrmex, Forelomyrmex (and the junior homonym Janetia Forel): Lattke, 1991a: 305; Bolton, 1994: 106; Bolton, 1995b: 28; Fernández & Palacio, 1998: 1649; Bolton, 2003: 223.
• EPHEBOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Pogonomyrmex]
  • Ephebomyrmex Wheeler, W.M. 1902c: 390 [as subgenus of Pogonomyrmex]. Type-species: Pogonomyrmex naegelii, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 163.
  • Ephebomyrmex subgenus of Pogonomyrmex: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 140; Emery, 1921f: 48; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 660; Gallardo, 1932b: 94; Kusnezov, 1949c: 293; Creighton, 1950a: 132; Kusnezov, 1951a: 245; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 794; Kusnezov, 1956: 118; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 115; Kusnezov, 1964: 56; Smith, M.R. 1967: 351; Cole, 1968: 22; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1357; Mackay, Mackay, Dominguez, et al. 1985: 42.
  • Ephebomyrmex as genus: Creighton, 1957a: 54; Kusnezov, 1960b: 350; Kempf, 1972a: 106; Brown, 1973b: 180; Snelling, R.R. 1981: 395; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1985: 257; Dlussky & Fedoseeva, 1988: 79; Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990: 13; Taber, 1998: 146.
  • Ephebomyrmex junior synonym of Pogonomyrmex: Lattke, 1991a: 305; Bolton, 1994: 106; Bolton, 1995b: 28; Fernández & Palacio, 1998: 1649; Bolton, 2003: 223.
• FORELOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Pogonomyrmex]
  • Forelomyrmex Wheeler, W.M. 1913a: 80 [as subgenus of Pogonomyrmex]. Replacement name for Janetia Forel, 1899c: 61 (footnote). [Junior homonym of Janetia Kieffer, 1896: 236 (Diptera).]
  • Forelomyrmex raised to genus: Taber, 1990: 307.
  • Forelomyrmex junior synonym of Pogonomyrmex: Lattke, 1991a: 305; Bolton, 1994: 106.

References

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