Myrmica Species Groups of North America

The genus Myrmica is primarily a Holartic genus. These ants are a common element of the ant faunas of large parts of Europe and North America. Species identification can be difficult and frustrating. Radchenko and Elmes have been been steadily and consistently improving the taxonomy of the Palearctic species for more than 2 decades, with Seifert also making important contributions in this effort. Franceour has been studying the North American Myrmica for decades but little of his research has been finalized and published.

What follows are a few species groups that have been presented by Franceour for some of the North American species.

Species group treatments for the rest of the world are found here: Myrmica Species Groups''

crassirugis group

 * Myrmica crassirugis
 * Myrmica wheelerorum

This group contains two sister species. The females are characterized by the following combination of morphological characters. Head rounded. Clypeus not elongated, with anterior margin evenly convex. Eyes oval. Frontal lobes relatively wide, upwardly produced, with a strongly convex margin on nearly half of the length, follow carinae curving outwards to merge with front rugae; front area sagitally elongated. Scapes slightly shorter than head length; angularly bent basally, bend surrounded by a lamina small to spoonlike. Mesosoma profile convex with a promesonotal furrow very shallow; body coarsely striato-rugulose. Spines of medium length, shorter than the distance separating their tips, subdiverging. In lateral view metasternal flanges bilobate or bidentate from a thin rectangular base. Wings translucid. Western species occuring in dry and warm habitats.