Snelling, Roy R. (1934-2008)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Roy R. Snelling (September 30, 1934, Turlock, California - April 21, 2008, on expedition in Kenya) was an internationally renowned American entomologist who studied Hymenoptera, mainly ants, wasps, and bees. He was the emeritus collections manager at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County where he worked for over 30 years, joining the museum in 1963 and retiring in 1993. He dedicated his professional life to making insect biodiversity better known and appreciated.

As a foremost myrmecologist, he is credited with many important finds of rare or new ant species, such as the first Nobomessor cockerellis colony in California, Myrmecocystus tenuinodis Snelling 1976 (the honeypot ant), Neivamyrmex wilsoni Snelling & Snelling 2007, and Myrmecocystus wheeleri, named by Snelling after the noted myrmecologist William Morton Wheeler, who was also William Steele Creighton's academic advisor. Snelling wrote that he was much influenced by W. S. Creighton's important 1950 volume The Ants of North America.[1] In his career, Snelling would collaborate many times with Creighton, whose ant collection is now housed at the Los Angeles county museum.

Snelling studied at junior college in Modesto, California, but dropped out to become self-educated. Before going to the Los Angeles County museum, he spent time in the U. S. Army (1959) and as an inspector with the California Department of Agriculture.

Snelling also studied briefly at the University of Kansas but did not complete the graduate program. Perhaps his Cherokee Indian blood that made him such a fine field worker in many countries and regions of the world also made him impatient with the slow ritual of the classroom.

PUBLICATIONS

 * Creighton, W. S.; Snelling, R. R. 1967 [1966]. The rediscovery of Camponotus (Myrmaphaenus) yogi Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 73: 187-195


 * Francoeur, A.; Snelling, R. R. 1979. Notes for a revision of the ant genus Formica. 2. Reidentifications for some specimens from the T. W. Cook collection and new distribution data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 309: 1-7


 * Hunt, J. H.; Snelling, R. R. 1975. A checklist of the ants of Arizona. J. Ariz. Acad. Sci. 10: 20-23


 * Longino, J. T.; Snelling, R. R. 2002. A taxonomic revision of the Procryptocerus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Central America. Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 495: 1-30


 * Snelling, G. C. and R. R. Snelling. 2007. New synonymy, new species, new keys to Neivamyrmex army ants of the United States. Pages 459-550 in Snelling, R. R., B. L. Fisher and P. S. Ward. Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E.O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80,.


 * Snelling, R. R. 1963. The United States species of fire ants of the genus Solenopsis, subgenus Solenopsis Westwood, with synonymy of Solenopsis aurea Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Calif. Dep. Agric. Bur. Entomol. Occ. Pap. 3: 1-15


 * Snelling, R. R. 1965a. Studies on California ants. 1. Leptothorax hirticornis Emery, a new host and descriptions of the female and ergatoid male (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 64: 16-21


 * Snelling, R. R. 1965b. Studies on California ants. 2. Myrmecina californica M. R. Smith (Hymenoptera; Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 64: 101-105


 * Snelling, R. R. 1966. The female of Eucryptocerus placidus (F. Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 65: 37-40


 * Snelling, R. R. 1967. Studies on California ants. 3. The taxonomic status of Proceratium californicum Cook (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 124: 1-10


 * Snelling, R. R. 1968a. Taxonomic notes on some Mexican cephalotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 132: 1-10


 * Snelling, R. R. 1968b. Studies on California ants. 4. Two species of Camponotus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 70: 350-358


 * Snelling, R. R. 1968c. A new species of Eurhopalothrix from El Salvador (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 154: 1-4


 * Snelling, R. R. 1969b. Taxonomic notes on the Myrmecocystus melliger complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 170: 1-9


 * Snelling, R. R. 1969c. Notes on the systematics and dulosis of some western species of Formica, subgenus Raptiformica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 71: 194-197


 * Snelling, R. R. 1970. Studies on California ants, 5. Revisionary notes on some species of Camponotus, subgenus Tanaemyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 72: 390-397


 * Snelling, R. R. 1971a. Studies on California ants. 6. Three new species of Myrmecocystus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 214: 1-16


 * Snelling, R. R. 1971b. A new species of Simopelta from Costa Rica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 70: 16-17


 * Snelling, R. R. 1973a. Two ant genera new to the United States (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 236: 1-8


 * Snelling, R. R. 1973b. The ant genus Conomyrma in the United States (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 238: 1-6


 * Snelling, R. R. 1973c. Studies on California ants. 7. The genus Stenamma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 245: 1-38


 * Snelling, R. R. 1974. Studies on California ants. 8. A new species of Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 82: 76-81


 * Snelling, R. R. 1975. Descriptions of new Chilean ant taxa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 274: 1-19


 * Snelling, R. R. 1976. A revision of the honey ants, genus Myrmecocystus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Nat. Hist. Mus. Los Angel. Cty. Sci. Bull. 24: 1-163


 * Snelling, R. R. 1979a. Three new species of the Palaeotropical arboreal ant genus Cataulacus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 315: 1-8


 * Snelling, R. R. 1979b. Aphomomyrmex and a related new genus of arboreal African ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 316: 1-8


 * Snelling, R. R. 1981. Systematics of social Hymenoptera. Pp. 369-453 in: Hermann, H. R. (ed.) Social insects. Volume 2. New York: Academic Press, xiii + 491 pp.


 * Snelling, R. R. 1982a [1981]. The taxonomy and distribution of some North American Pogonomyrmex and descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 80: 97-112


 * Snelling, R. R. 1982b. A revision of the honey ants, genus Myrmecocystus, first supplement (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 81: 69-86


 * Snelling, R. R. 1985. [Untitled. Camponotus bakeri Wheeler 1904 (elevated from subspecies of C. hyatti).] P. 24 in: Miller, S. E. The California Channel Islands - past, present and future: an entomological perspective. Pp. 3-28 in: Menke, A. S., Miller, D. R. (eds.) Entomology of the California Channel Islands. Proceedings of the first symposium.


 * Snelling, R. R. 1986. New synonymy in Caribbean ants of the genus Leptothorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 88: 154-156


 * Snelling, R. R. 1988. Taxonomic notes on Nearctic species of Camponotus, subgenus Myrmentoma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pp. 55-78 in: Trager, J. C. (ed.) Advances in myrmecology. Leiden: E. J. Brill, xxvii + 551 pp.


 * Snelling, R. R. 1992a. Two unusual new myrmicine ants from Cameroon (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 99: 95-101


 * Snelling, R. R. 1995a. Systematics of Nearctic ants of the genus Dorymyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 454: 1-14


 * Snelling, R. R. 1999a. [Untitled. Cephalotes kukulcan Snelling new species.] Pp. 402-410 in: De Andrade, M. L., Baroni Urbani, C. Diversity and adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. Ser. B (Geol. Paläontol.) 271:1-889.


 * Snelling, R. R. 1999b. [Untitled. Cephalotes chacmul Snelling new species.] Pp. 611-615 in: De Andrade, M. L., Baroni Urbani, C. Diversity and adaptation in the ant genus Cephalotes, past and present. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. Ser. B (Geol. Paläontol.) 271:1-889.


 * Snelling, R. R. 2000. A review of the Camponotus montivagus complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 36: 599-611


 * Snelling, R. R. 2001. Two new species of thief ants (Solenopsis) from Puerto Rico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 3B: 511-525.


 * Snelling, R. R. 2006. Taxonomy of the Camponotus festinatus complex in the United States of America (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 83-97.


 * Snelling, R. R. 2007. A review of the arboreal Afrotropical ant genus Axinidris. Pages 551-579 in Snelling, R. R., B. L. Fisher and P. S. Ward. Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E.O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80,


 * Snelling, Roy R. 2008. A new name for Myopias punctigera (Emery 1901), not M. maligna var. punctigera (Emery 1900) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington Volume: 110 Issue: 1 Page(s): 261


 * Snelling, R. R.; Buren, W. F. 1985. Description of a new species of slave-making ant in the Formica sanguinea group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Great Lakes Entomol. 18: 69-78


 * Snelling, R. R.; Cover, S. P. 1992. Description of a new Proceratium from Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 99: 49-53


 * Snelling, R. R.; Hunt, J. H. 1975. The ants of Chile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Chil. Entomol. 9: 63-129


 * Snelling, R. R.; Longino, J. T. 1992. Revisionary notes on the fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). Pp. 479-494 in: Quintero, D., Aiello, A. (eds.) Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, xxii + 692 pp.


 * Snelling, R. R.; Torres, J. A. 1998. Camponotus ustus Forel and two similar new species from Puerto Rico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 469: 1-10


 * Torres, J. A.; Snelling, R. R.; Jones, T.H. 2000. Distribution, ecology and behavior of Anochetus kempfi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and description of the sexual forms. Sociobiology 36: 505-516