Acanthostichus arizonensis

SPECIES NAME: Acanthostichus arizonensis MacKay

TAXONOMIC SUMMARY:

WORKER DIAGNOSIS: The densely punctate petiolar node will distinguish it from all other species in the genus except A. punctiscapus. It can be separated from this latter species in that the scape is mostly smooth and glossy (not heavily punctate as in A. punctiscapus).

BIOLOGY: Acanthostichus are predominately subterranean, predaceous ants that are infrequently collected. Little is know about the biology of most species in the genus. Acanthostichus arizonensis nests under stones from 1070 m to 1780 m, reaching up to the oak-juniper association. The type series was associated with termites.

Known only from workers.

TYPES:

TYPE LOCALITY:

DISTRIBUTION: USA: SE Arizona

DESCRIPTION: Worker: Queen: Male:

ETYMOLOGY

LITERATURE: MacKay, W. P. 1996. A revision of the ant genus Acanthostichus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 27:129-179.