Social Parasitism

Social parasitism in ants is the coexistence of two or more ant species in one nest or colony, whereby the parasitic species lives in obligatory or facultative, permanent or temporary, dependence of one or several host species. Various forms of social parasitism have been distinguished:
 * Xenobiosis (guest ants)
 * Temporary parasitism (only during the time of colony foundation)
 * Permanent parasitism with slavery (dulosis) - The biology of Chalepoxenus brunneus provides a representative account of dulosis.
 * Perrmanent parasitism without slavery (inquilinism) - The biology of Teleutomyrmex schneideri provides natural history information about one representative inquiline ant.

Parasitic Ant Species
This information has been slightly modified from [http://www.myrmecologicalnews.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=315:myrmecol-news-12-219-235-online-earlier&Itemid=81&layout=default Buschinger, A. (2009) Social parasitism among ants: a review. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 12: 219-235.] Please cite the original publication as the source for this data.

Names, taxonomy, type of parasitism, and species range.

dDul = degenerate dulosis; Dul = dulosis, slave-maker; In = inquilinism; Tp = temporary parasitism; Xen = xenobiosis, guest ant.

{|border="1" !width="180"|species !width="100"|reference !width="50"|Subfamily !width="50"|Type !width="50"|Range !width="100"|Remarks




 * Acromyrmex insinuator
 * SCHULTZ, BEKKEVOLD & BOOMSMA, 1998
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Panama
 * "Incipient" social parasite


 * Anergates atratulus
 * (SCHENCK, 1852)
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Europe
 * Queen-intolerant


 * Bothriomyrmex
 * EMERY, 1869
 * Dolichoderinae
 * Tp
 * Old World, Australia
 * Ca. 38 species + many subspecies


 * Bothriomyrmex decapitans
 * SANTSCHI, 1911
 * Dolichoderinae
 * Tp
 * N-Africa


 * Camponotus universitatis
 * FOREL, 1890
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * S-Europe


 * Cataglyphis hannae
 * AGOSTI, 1994
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * N-Africa


 * Chalepoxenus spp.
 * MENOZZI, 1923
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul, dDul
 * S-Europe to Turkmenistan
 * Ca. 9 species


 * Chalepoxenus brunneus
 * CAGNIANT, 1985
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * dDul
 * N-Africa
 * Workerless


 * Chalepoxenus kutteri
 * CAGNIANT, 1973
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * S-Europe


 * Chalepoxenus muellerianus
 * (FINZI, 1922)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * S-Europe


 * Ectatomma parasiticum
 * FEITOSA & FRESNEAU, 2008
 * Ectatomminae
 * In
 * Mexico
 * Host E. tuberculatum


 * Formica dirksi
 * WING, 1949
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * N-America


 * Formica rufa
 * LINNAEUS, 1761
 * Formicinae
 * Tp
 * Eurasia
 * Facultative Tp


 * Formica talbotae
 * WILSON, 1977
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * N-America


 * Formica (Coptoformica) spp.
 * MÜLLER, 1923
 * Formicinae
 * Tp
 * Eurasia
 * Facultative Tp


 * Formica (Raptiformica) sanguinea
 * LATREILLE, 1798
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Eurasia
 * Facultative Dul


 * Formicoxenus
 * MAYR, 1855
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Xen
 * holarctic
 * 7 species


 * Formicoxenus nitidulus
 * (NYLANDER, 1846)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Xen
 * Eurasia


 * Formicoxenus provancheri
 * (EMERY, 1895)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Xen
 * N-America


 * Formicoxenus quebecensis
 * FRANCOEUR, 1985
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Xen
 * N-America


 * Harpagoxenus canadensis
 * SMITH, 1939
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Harpagoxenus sublaevis
 * (Nylander, 1849)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * Eurasia


 * Lasius fuliginosus
 * (LATREILLE, 1798)
 * Formicinae
 * Tp
 * Eurasia
 * Hyperparasite


 * Lasius reginae
 * FABER, 1967
 * Formicinae
 * Tp
 * Europe


 * Lasius umbratus
 * (NYLANDER, 1846)
 * Formicinae
 * Tp
 * Eurasia


 * Leptothorax goesswaldi
 * KUTTER, 1967
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-intolerant


 * Leptothorax kutteri
 * BUSCHINGER, 1966
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Leptothorax pacis
 * (KUTTER, 1945)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Leptothorax paraxenus
 * HEINZE & ALLOWAY, 1992
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * N-America


 * Leptothorax pocahontas
 * (BUSCHINGER, 1979)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In?
 * N-America
 * Parasitism questionable


 * Leptothorax wilsoni
 * HEINZE, 1989
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * N-America


 * Megalomyrmex mondabora
 * BRANDÃO, 1990
 * Myrmicinae
 * Central and S-America
 * Agro-Predation
 * Agro-Predation


 * Megalomyrmex symmetochus
 * WHEELER, 1925
 * Myrmicinae
 * Xen?
 * Panama


 * Myrmecocystus spp.
 * WESMAEL, 1838
 * Formicinae
 * Dul?
 * N-America
 * Intraspecific!


 * Myrmica hirsuta
 * ELMES, 1978
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Europe


 * Myrmica schenckioides
 * BOER & NOORDIJK, 2005
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Europe


 * Myrmica semiparasitica
 * FRANCOEUR, 2007
 * Myrmicinae
 * Tp
 * Canada
 * Not confirmed


 * Myrmica vandeli
 * BONDROIT, 1920
 * Myrmicinae
 * Tp?
 * Europe
 * Not confirmed


 * Myrmoxenus spp.
 * RUZSKY, 1902
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul, dDul
 * Europe, N-Africa
 * Ca. 12 species


 * Myrmoxenus adlerzi
 * (DOUWES, JESSEN & BUSCHINGER, 1988)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * dDul
 * Greece
 * Workerless


 * Myrmoxenus algeriana
 * (CAGNIANT, 1968)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * N-Africa


 * Myrmoxenus bernardi
 * (ESPADALER, 1982)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * S-Europe


 * Myrmoxenus birgitae
 * (SCHULZ, 1994)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * dDul
 * Tenerife
 * Workerless


 * Myrmoxenus corsica
 * (EMERY, 1895)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * dDul
 * S-Europe
 * Workerless


 * Myrmoxenus kraussei
 * (EMERY, 1915)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * dDul
 * S-Europe
 * Workers few to none


 * Myrmoxenus ravouxi
 * (ANDRÉ, 1896)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * Europe


 * Plagiolepis spp.
 * MAYR, 1861
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * Europe, N-Africa
 * Many independent


 * Plagiolepis ampeloni
 * (FABER, 1969)
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * S-Europe
 * (= Aporomyrmex FABER, 1969)


 * Plagiolepis grassei
 * LE MASNE, 1956
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * S-Europe
 * Few own workers


 * Plagiolepis regis
 * KARAVAIEV, 1931
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * Turkestan
 * (= Paraplagiolepis FABER, 1969)


 * Plagiolepis xene
 * STAERCKE, 1936
 * Formicinae
 * In
 * S-Europe
 * (= Paraplagiolepis FABER, 1969)


 * Pogonomyrmex anergismus
 * COLE, 1954
 * Mymicinae
 * In
 * N-America


 * Pogonomyrmex colei
 * SNELLING, 1982
 * Mymicinae
 * In
 * N-America


 * Polyergus
 * LA TREILLE, 1804
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Holarctic
 * 6 spp., several sspp.


 * Polyergus breviceps
 * EMERY, 1893
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Polyergus lucidus
 * MAYR, 1870
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Polyergus nigerrimus
 * MARIKOVSKY, 1963
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * E-Asia


 * Polyergus rufescens
 * (LATREILLE, 1798)
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Europe


 * Polyergus samurai
 * YANO, 1911
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Japan


 * Polyrhachis lama
 * KOHOUT, 1994
 * Formicinae
 * Xen
 * SE-Asia


 * Polyrhachis lamellidens
 * SMITH, 1874
 * Formicinae
 * Tp?
 * SE-Asia ??


 * Polyrhachis loweryi
 * KOHOUT, 1990
 * Formicinae
 * Xen
 * Australia


 * Pheidole spp.
 * WESTWOOD, 1839
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * World-wide
 * Many independent


 * Protomognathus americanus
 * (EMERY, 1895)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Pseudoatta argentina
 * GALLARDO, 1916
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * S-America


 * Pseudomyrmex inquilinus
 * WARD, 1996
 * Pseudomyrmecinae
 * In
 * S-America


 * Rossomyrmex minuchae
 * TINAUT, 1981
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Spain, Turkey


 * Rossomyrmex proformicarum
 * ARNOL'DI, 1928
 * Formicinae
 * Dul
 * Central to East Asia


 * Solenopsis enigmatica
 * DEYRUP & PRUSAK, 2008
 * Myrmicinae
 * Tp?
 * West Indies
 * Not confirmed


 * Strongylognathus spp.
 * MAYR, 1853
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul, dDul
 * Eurasia
 * Ca. 25 species


 * Strongylognathus afer
 * EMERY, 1884
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul
 * N-Africa


 * Strongylognathus karawajewi
 * PISARSKI, 1966
 * Myrmicinae
 * dDul
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Strongylognathus minutus
 * RADCHENKO, 1991
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul?
 * Europe


 * Strongylognathus pisarskii
 * POLDI, 1994
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul?
 * Europe


 * Strongylognathus potanini
 * RADCHENKO, 1995
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul?
 * China


 * Strongylognathus testaceus
 * (SCHENCK, 1852)
 * Myrmicinae
 * dDul
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Strongylognathus tylonus
 * WEI, XU & HE, 2001
 * Myrmicinae
 * Dul?
 * China


 * Teleutomyrmex kutteri
 * TINAUT, 1990
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * S-Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Teleutomyrmex schneideri
 * KUTTER, 1950
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Europe
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Temnothorax duloticus
 * (WESSON, 1937)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Temnothorax minutissimus
 * (SMITH, 1942)
 * Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini
 * In
 * N-America
 * Host-queen-tolerant


 * Temnothorax sp.
 * S. Cover, in litt.
 * Formicoxenini
 * Dul
 * N-America


 * Vollenhovia nipponica
 * KINOMURA & YAMAUCHI, 1992
 * Myrmicinae
 * In
 * Japan