Formicoxenus provancheri

This species nests under stones, and is a guest in the nests of and. Apparently it cannot live without its host in the laboratory, although it can be found nesting alone in the field. Sexuals occur in the nests in July and August. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Identification
This species has several erect hairs on the eyes, and the clypeus of the worker is weakly depressed in the middle and is without a medial carina, although several lateral carinae are present. The scapes have numerous suberect hairs. The propodeal spines are well developed, and thickened throughout. The anterior face of the petiole meets the dorsum in a sharp angle, the posterior face is also straight. The dorsum of the postpetiole is nearly completely free of sculpture. The mesosoma has heavy and dense sculpture, con-sisting of punctures interspersed among poorly defined striae. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Distribution
Eastern US south and west to New Mexico.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: Canada, United States.

Nomenclature

 * . Leptothorax (Leptothorax) provancheri Emery, 1895c: 320 (w.) CANADA (Québec).
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Canada: Québec, Cap Rouge (Provancher).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973b: 73 (l.); Buschinger, Francoeur & Fischer, 1981: 8 (k.).
 * Combination in L. (Mychothorax): Emery, 1924d: 262;
 * combination in Leptothorax: Mackay, Lowrie, et al. 1988: 90; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1989a: 323;
 * combination in Formicoxenus: Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1903c: 229; Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 566; Donisthorpe, 1915d: 83 (referred to Formicoxenus nitidulus); Emery, 1924d: 262; Creighton, 1950a: 279; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 822; Cole, 1954d: 241; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, M.R. 1967: 360; Francoeur, 1977b: 207; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Buschinger, 1981: 213; Buschinger, Francoeur & Fischer, 1981: 1; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377 (redescription); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 51 (in key); Mackay, Lowrie, et al. 1988: 90; Wheeler, G.C., et al. 1994: 302; Bolton, 1995b: 207; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 104; Coovert, 2005: 80; Ellison, et al. 2012: 241.
 * Senior synonym of emersoni: Creighton, 1950a: 279; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207; Coovert, 2005: 80.
 * Senior synonym of glacialis: Cole, 1954d: 241 (in text); Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207.
 * Senior synonym of hirtipilis: Creighton, 1950a: 279; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207.
 * Distribution: Canada, U.S.A.
 * emersoni. Leptothorax emersoni Wheeler, W.M. 1901a: 433, figs. 2, 3 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. (Connecticut).
 * Type-material: 14 syntype workers, 1 syntype queen, 4 syntype males.
 * Type-locality: U.S.A.: Connecticut, Litchfield Hills, nr Colebrook, viii.1900 (W.M. Wheeler).
 * Type-depositories: MCZC, USNM.
 * [Also described as new by Wheeler, W.M. 1901b: 539.]
 * Combination in L. (Mychothorax): Emery, 1924d: 261.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1903c: 230; Wheeler, W.M. 1906b: 8; Wheeler, W.M. 1908f: 621; Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 566; Wheeler, W.M. 1916m: 588; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 514; Emery, 1924d: 261; Essig, 1926: 862; Wing, 1939: 162; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 821.
 * Junior synonym of provancheri: Creighton, 1950a: 279; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207; Coovert, 2005: 80.
 * glacialis. Leptothorax emersoni subsp. glacialis Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 71 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. (Colorado).
 * Type-material: syntype workers, 1(?) syntype queen, 1 (?) syntype male (numbers not stated).
 * Type-locality: U.S.A.: Colorado, Florissant Canyon, 8500 ft, 1906 (W.M. Wheeler).
 * Type-depositories: MCZC, USNM.
 * Combination in L. (Mychothorax): Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 514.
 * Subspecies of emersoni: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 566; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 514; Emery, 1924d: 261; Essig, 1926: 862; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 821.
 * Subspecies of provancheri: Creighton, 1950a: 280.
 * Junior synonym of provancheri: Cole, 1954d: 241 (in text); Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207.
 * hirtipilis. Leptothorax (Mychothorax) emersoni subsp. hirtipilis Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 515 (w.) CANADA (Alberta).
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Canada: Alberta, Banff, Tunnell Mt (W.M. Wheeler).
 * Type-depository: MCZC.
 * Subspecies of emersoni: Emery, 1924d: 261; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 822.
 * Junior synonym of provancheri: Creighton, 1950a: 279; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 134; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1398; Francoeur, Loiselle & Buschinger, 1985: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 207.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Francoeur A. 2010. Liste des especes de fourmis (Formicides, Hymenopteres). Entomofaune du Quebec. Document Faunique no. 1, Version 5, 0. 1-10 pp.
 * Glasier J. R. N., S. Nielsen, J. H. Acorn, L. H. Borysenko, and T. Radtke. 2016. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Saskatchewan. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(1): 40-48.
 * Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
 * Kannowski P. B. 1956. The ants of Ramsey County, North Dakota. American Midland Naturalist 56(1): 168-185.
 * Lubertazi, D. Personal Communication. Specimen Data from Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard
 * Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
 * Mackay, W., D. Lowrie, A. Fisher, E. Mackay, F. Barnes and D. Lowrie. 1988. The ants of Los Alamos County, New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). pages 79-131 in J.C. Trager, editor, Advances in Myrmecololgy.
 * Merle W. W. 1939. An Annotated List of the Ants of Maine (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News. 50: 161-165
 * Wheeler G. C., J. N. Wheeler, and P. B. Kannowski. 1994. Checklist of the ants of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 26(4): 297-310
 * Wheeler W. M. 1903. A revision of the North American ants of the genus Leptothorax Mayr. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 55: 215-260.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1904. A new type of social parasitism among ants. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 20: 347-375.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Montana. Psyche 95:101-114
 * Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler and P.B. Kannowski. 1994. CHECKLIST OF THE ANTS OF MICHIGAN (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE). Great Lakes Entomologist 26:1:297-310
 * Wing M. W. 1939. An annotated list of the ants of Maine (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News 50:161-165.