Anergates

The single species of this genus, Anergates atratulus, is a social parasite of Tetramorium caespitum and Tetramorium impurum. This species is rarely encountered.

Identification
From Fisher and Cover (2007): The males are found only in nests of the host and are pupoidal - cream to yellow in color, wingless, and barely able to walk. The queens are tiny and physogastric when found in the host nest. When found outside the nest they are dispersing and may be recognized by the unique, prominent median longitudinal depression on the dorsal surface of the gaster.

Biology
See Anergates atratulus for information about the biology of this genus.

Castes
The only species of this genus is a workerless parasite.

Nomenclature

 *  ANERGATES [Myrmicinae: Tetramoriini]
 * Anergates Forel, 1874: 67 (see also p. 93). Type-species: Myrmica atratula, by monotypy.

Additional References

 * Fisher and Cover. 2007. Ants of North America. A guide to the Genera. University of California Press.
 * Forel, A. 1874. Les fourmis de la Suisse. Systématique, notices anatomiques et physiologiques, architecture, distribution géographique, nouvelles expériences et observations de moeurs. Neue Denkschriften der Allgemeinen Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften. 26:1-452.
 * Heinze,J., B. Lautenschläger & A. Buschinger 2007. Female-biased sex ratios and unusually potent males in the social parasite Anergates atratulus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 10, 1-5 PDF.