Tetramorium spinosum

This species nests in the soil, with the entrance surrounded by a small mound, or under stones. It feeds on seeds and dead insects.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Habitat
Creosotebush scrub, arroyos, arid grassy sites.

Nomenclature

 *  spinosum. Xiphomyrmex spinosus Pergande, 1896: 894 (w.) MEXICO. Cole, 1957c: 209 (m.); Taber & Cokendolpher, 1988: 95 (k.). Combination in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1979: 163. Senior synonym of insons, wheeleri: Bolton, 1979: 163. See also: Smith, M.R. 1938a: 127.
 * wheeleri. Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) wheeleri Forel, 1901c: 128 (w.) MEXICO. Subspecies of spinosum: Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 416; Smith, M.R. 1938a: 130. Junior synonym of spinosum: Bolton, 1979: 163.
 * insons. Xiphomyrmex spinosus subsp. insons Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 416 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Junior synonym of spinosum: Bolton, 1979: 163.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * Cook J. L. 2003. Conservation of biodiversity in an area impacted by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biodiversity and Conservation 12: 187195.
 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
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 * Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
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 * LeBrun E. G., R. M. Plowes, and L. E. Gilbert. 2015. Imported fire ants near the edge of their range: disturbance and moisture determine prevalence and impact of an invasive social insect. Journal of Animal Ecology,81: 884–895.
 * Lopez, A. S., M. Vasquez-Bolanos, and G. A. Q. Rocha. 2015. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del Cerro de la Culebra, Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. Dugesiana 19: 151-155.
 * Mackay, W.P. and E. *Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
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 * Moody J. V., and O. F. Francke. 1982. The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Western Texas Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Graduate Studies Texas Tech University 27: 80 pp.
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 * Pergande, T. 1895. Mexican Formicidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences Ser. 2 :850-896
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 * Rocio, C. B., F. Solis Marin, A. Ortega Rubio, H. Romero Schmidt, and C. Arguelles Mendez, 1993. Absence of response of ant numbers to livestock exclosure at baja-california-sur, Mexico. Arquivos de Biologia e Tecnologia 36: 829-837.
 * Ríos-Casanova, L., A. Valiente-Banuet and V. Rico-Gray. 2004. Las hormigas del Valle de Tehuacan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Una comparacion con otras zonas aridas de Mexico. Acta Zoologica Mexicana 20(1):37-54
 * Smith M. R. 1938. A study of the North American ants of the genus Xiphomyrmex Forel. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 28: 126-130.
 * Taber S. W., and J. C. Cokendolpher. 1988. Karyotypes of a dozen ant species from the southwestern U.S.A. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caryologia 41: 93-102.
 * Van Pelt, A. 1983. Ants of the Chisos Mountains, Texas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) . Southwestern Naturalist 28:137-142.
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 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M., G. Castaño-Meneses, and R. Guzmán-Mendoza. 2011. New species of Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Puebla state, Mexico. Dugesiana 40: 452-455.
 * Ward P.S. and A.M. Boulton. 2002. Checklist of the ants of the Gulf of California Islands. In Island Biogeography of the sea of Cortes. T.J. Case, M.L. Cody and E. Ezcurra Editors. 690 pp.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1901. Notices biologiques sur les fourmis Mexicaines. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 45: 199-205.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1902. A new agricultural ant from Texas, with remarks on the known North American species. American Naturalist. 36: 85-100.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1915. Some additions to the North American ant-fauna. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 34: 389-421.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.