Aphaenogaster tennesseensis

This species is presumed to be a temporary parasite in ground nests of other species of Aphaenogaster, including Aphaenogaster fulva, Aphaenogaster picea and Aphaenogaster rudis (Smith, 1979). Workers forage on trees and nest in rotting wood.

Identification
Workers are relatively large, dark reddish-brown, with heavy sculpture, long curved propodeal spines, and have the postpetiole broader than long and suboval in shape. The queens are very distinctive looking and are almost entirely smooth, lacking any obvious sculpture, and have long blunt tipped propodeal spines.

This ant is easily diagnosed by its lack of hair on the mesosoma and metasoma, and by the propodeal spines that curve back towards the gaster (DeMarco, 2015).

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



Nomenclature

 * laevis. Atta laevis Mayr, 1862: 743 (q.) U.S.A. Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 30. Junior synonym of tennesseensis: Mayr, 1886d: 446.
 *  tennesseensis. Atta tennesseensis Mayr, 1862: 743 (w.) U.S.A. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953b: 61 (l.). Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 30; in Stenamma (Aphaenogaster): Emery, 1895c: 301; in Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma): Emery, 1921f: 60. Senior synonym of subrubra: Mayr, 1886c: 365; of laevis: Mayr, 1886d: 446; of ecalcaratum: Creighton, 1950a: 151.
 * subrubra. Myrmica subrubra Buckley, 1867: 336 (w.q.) U.S.A. Junior synonym of tennesseensis: Mayr, 1886c: 365. See also: Wheeler, W.M. 1902f: 26.
 * ecalcaratum. Stenamma (Aphaenogaster) tennesseense var. ecalcaratum Emery, 1895c: 301 (w.) U.S.A. Combination in Aphaenogaster: Emery, 1921f: 60. Junior synonym of tennesseensis: Creighton, 1950a: 151.