Aphaenogaster occidentalis

This species is known to be a pest in Washington homes (DeMarco, 2015).

Identification
Aphaenogaster occidentalis has relatively short spines and scapes (DeMarco, 2015).

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

Nomenclature

 * . Stenamma (Aphaenogaster) subterraneum subsp. occidentale Emery, 1895c: 301 (w.) U.S.A. (Washington).
 * Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953b: 61 (l.).
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma): Emery, 1921f: 60.
 * Subspecies of subterranea: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 565; Santschi, 1911d: 5; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 515; Emery, 1921f: 60; Essig, 1926: 860; Menozzi, 1932b: 310; Cole, 1936a: 36; Cole, 1937a: 101; Cole, 1942: 364; Creighton, 1950a: 149; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 797; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 118; Beck, et al. 1967: 68; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1362; Blacker, 1992: 5 (error).
 * Status as species: Hunt & Snelling, 1975: 21; Yensen, et al. 1977: 183; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1978: 391; Allred, 1982: 453; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 37; Bolton, 1995b: 71; Ward, 2005: 31; Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 13; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 335 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of borealis: Creighton, 1950a: 150; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 118; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1362; Bolton, 1995b: 71; Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 13; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 335.
 * Senior synonym of valida: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 13; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 335.
 * Material of the unavailable name manni referred here by Creighton, 1950a: 150; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 118; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1362; Bolton, 1995b: 71; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 336.
 * borealis. Aphaenogaster subterranea subsp. borealis Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 412 (w.) CANADA (British Columbia).
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma): Emery, 1921f: 60.
 * Subspecies of subterranea: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 516; Emery, 1921f: 60; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 797.
 * Junior synonym of occidentalis: Creighton, 1950a: 150; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 118; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1362; Bolton, 1995b: 68; Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 13; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 335.
 * valida. Aphaenogaster subterranea subsp. valida Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 411 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. (Colorado).
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma): Emery, 1921f: 60.
 * Subspecies of subterranea: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 516; Emery, 1921f: 60; Creighton, 1950a: 150; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 797; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 118; Beck, et al. 1967: 68; Smith, M.R. 1967: 352; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1362; Bolton, 1995b: 74; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 77.
 * Junior synonym of occidentalis: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 13; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 335.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Allred D. M. 1982. Ants of Utah. The Great Basin Naturalist 42: 415-511.
 * Allred, D.M. 1982. The ants of Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 42:415-511.
 * Beck D. E., D. M. Allred, W. J. Despain. 1967. Predaceous-scavenger ants in Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 27: 67-78
 * Blacker, N.C. 1992. Some Ants from Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. J. Entomol. Soc. Bri. Columbia 89:3-12.
 * Blacker, N.C. 1992. Some ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 89:3-12
 * Borchert, H.F. and N.L. Anderson. 1973. The Ants of the Bearpaw Mountains of Montana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 46(2):200-224
 * Boulton A. M., Davies K. F. and Ward P. S. 2005. Species richness, abundance, and composition of ground-dwelling ants in northern California grasslands: role of plants, soil, and grazing. Environmental Entomology 34: 96-104
 * Cole A. C., Jr. 1937. An annotated list of the ants of Arizona (Hymen.: Formicidae). [part]. Entomological News 48: 97-101.
 * Cole A. C., Jr. 1942. The ants of Utah. American Midland Naturalist 28: 358-388.
 * Cole, A.C. 1936. An annotated list of the ants of Idaho (Hymenoptera; Formicidae). Canadian Entomologist 68(2):34-39
 * DeMarco B. B., and A. I. Cognato. 2016. A multiple-gene phylogeny reveals polyphyly among eastern North American Aphaenogaster species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoologica Scripta DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12168
 * Des Lauriers J., and D. Ikeda. 2017. The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA with an annotated list. In: Reynolds R. E. (Ed.) Desert Studies Symposium. California State University Desert Studies Consortium, 342 pp. Pages 264-277.
 * Glesne R. S. 2000. Terrestrial riparian arthropod investigations in the Big Beaver Creek Research Natural Area, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 1995-1996: Part IV, Hymenoptera: Formicidae. 48 pages
 * Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
 * Higgins R. J. 2010. The ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) communities of the central interior of British Columbia: adaptations to a temperature-constrained environment. ??? 1-183.
 * Hoey-Chamberlain R. V., L. D. Hansen, J. H. Klotz and C. McNeeley. 2010. A survey of the ants of Washington and Surrounding areas in Idaho and Oregon focusing on disturbed sites (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology. 56: 195-207
 * Hunt J. H. and Snelling R. R. 1975. A checklist of the ants of Arizona. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Science 10: 20-23
 * La Rivers I. 1968. A first listing of the ants of Nevada. Biological Society of Nevada, Occasional Papers 17: 1-12.
 * Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database
 * Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
 * MontBlanc E. M., J. C. Chambers, and P. F. Brussard. 2007. Variation in ant populations with elevation, tree cover, and fire in a Pinyon-Juniper-dominated watershed. Western North American Naturalist 67(4): 469491.
 * Post D. C., and R. L. Jeanne. 1982. Rate of exploration of arboreal baits by ants in an old-field habitat in Wisconsin. American Midland Naturalist 108(1): 88-95.
 * Ratchford, J.S., S.E. Wittman, E.S. Jules, A.M. Ellison, N.J. Gotelli and N.J. Sanders. 2005. The effects of fire, local environment and time on ant assemblages in fens and forests. Diversity and Distributions 11:487-497.
 * Rees D. M., and A. W. Grundmann. 1940. A preliminary list of the ants of Utah. Bulletin of the University of Utah, 31(5): 1-12.
 * Santschi F. 1911. Formicides récoltés par Mr. le Prof. F. Silvestri aux Etats Unis en 1908. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 41: 3-7.
 * Schmidt A. C., L. H. Fraser, C. N. Carlyle, and E. R. L. Bassett. 2012. Does cattle grazing affect ant abundance and diversity in temperate grasslands? Rangeland Ecology & Management 65: 292298.
 * Smith F. 1941. A list of the ants of Washington State. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 17(1): 23-28.
 * Ward P. S. 1987. Distribution of the introduced Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis) in natural habitats of the lower Sacramento Valley and its effects on the indigenous ant fauna. Hilgardia 55: 1-16
 * Ward P. S. 2005. A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 936: 1-68.
 * Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1986. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp.
 * Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1987. A Checklist of the Ants of South Dakota. Prairie Nat. 19(3): 199-208.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1915. Some additions to the North American ant-fauna. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 34: 389-421.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1978. Mountain ants of Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 35(4):379-396
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Montana. Psyche 95:101-114
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1988. A checklist of the ants of Wyoming. Insecta Mundi 2(3&4):230-239