Aphaenogaster huachucana

Identification
Aphaenogaster huachucana is similar in appearance to Aphaenogaster texana, but is larger and found nesting in rocky ledges as opposed to A. texana that can be found under logs and rocks. The antennal scapes pass the occipital margin by one-third the length of the scape. (DeMarco, 2015)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Biology
This ant forages at dusk and into the night. Nests are often found in steep rocky areas. "It may be added that all the nests of huachucana, including the type nest, were situated on steep slopes. They were placed in shady aspen groves, in the lighter shade of pine groves or in full sun. Some were built in the soil under a covering stone, others in the soil which had accumulated between the stones in a rock slide. In view of the fact that texana is quite fussy about its nest sites, the greater tolerance of huachucana in this respect is surprising" (Creighton, 1952).

Nomenclature

 * . Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma) huachucana Creighton, 1934: 189 (w.) U.S.A. (Arizona).
 * Creighton, 1952a: 94 (q.m.).
 * Status as species: Creighton, 1950a: 144; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 796; Creighton, 1952a: 94; Smith, M.R. 1958c: 117; Smith, M.R. 1967: 352; Hunt & Snelling, 1975: 21; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1361; Allred, 1982: 453; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 36 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 70; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 75; Mackay & Mackay, 2017: 268 (redescription).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Alatorre-Bracamontes, C.E. and M Vasquez-Bolanos. 2010. Lista comentada de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del norte de México. Dugesiana 17(1):9-36
 * 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.
 * Bestelmeyer B. T., and J. A. Wiens. 2001. Local and regional-scale responses of ant diversity to a semiarid biome transition. Ecography 24: 381-392.
 * Cover S. P., and R. A. Johnson. 20011. Checklist of Arizona Ants. Downloaded on January 7th at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/AZants-2011%20updatev2.pdf
 * Creighton W. S. 1934. Descriptions of three new North American ants with certain ecological observations on previously described forms. Psyche (Cambridge) 41: 185-200.
 * Creighton W. S. 1952. Studies on Arizona ants. 2. New data on the ecology of Aphaenogaster huachucana and a description of the sexual forms. Psyche (Cambridge) 58: 89-99.
 * Gans M. J., J. R. Arnold, A. Cohuo, L. Castro, D. Lam, and C. Wiley. 2016. Survey of ant species in Rockwall County, Texas. Southwestern Entomologist 41(2): 373-378.
 * Gregg, R.T. 1963. The Ants of Colorado.
 * Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
 * Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133