Myrmica incompleta

This ant inhabits deciduous forests where it forms large colonies with many queens (polygynous) and consisting of numerous nests (polydomous) in moist soil and in mounds of moss. It is host for the xenobiotic ant Formicoxenus provancheri.

Identification
The temperate M. incompleta is similar in appearance to the boreal Myrmica alaskensis; they are most easily separated geographically. Useful morphological characters to distinguish these two species are the clypeus, which bulges outward and has a concave margin in M. incompleta but is flattened and has a convex margin in M. alaskensis, and the rugae on the head, which are reticulate (net-like) in M. incompleta but parallel in M. alaskensis. (Ellison et.al. 2012)

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



Biology
Ant of deciduous forests. This species feeds on honeydew from root-feeding aphids and coccids. It is a host to larvae of the the myrmecophilous syrphid fly Microdon albicomatus.

Nomenclature

 *  incompleta. Myrmica incompleta Provancher, 1881b: 359 (w.q.m.) CANADA.
 * [Also described as new by Provancher, 1883: 602.]
 * Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953a: 116 (l.).
 * Junior synonym of laevinodis: Provancher, 1887: 247; Dalla Torre, 1893: 111; Donisthorpe, 1915d: 110; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 789.
 * Status as species: Francoeur & Béique, 1966: 141; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1349; Allred, 1982: 491; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 23; Bolton, 1995b: 279; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 161; Coovert, 2005: 36; Ellison, et al. 2012: 285.
 * Senior synonym of brevinodis (and its junior synonyms canadensis, subalpina): Francoeur & Béique, 1966: 141.
 * Senior synonym of frigida, sulcinodoides, whymperi: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 18.
 * brevinodis. Myrmica rubra subsp. brevinodis Emery, 1895c: 312 (w.m.) U.S.A.
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 74 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953a: 116 (l.).
 * Subspecies of rubra: Forel, 1904a: 154; Wheeler, W.M. 1904e: 303; Wheeler, W.M. 1906b: 6; Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 73 (redescription); Dennis, 1938: 288.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1914b: 53 (in text); Wheeler, W.M. 1916m: 587; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502; Wheeler, W.M. 1917e: 16; Weber, 1939b: 150; Cole, 1942: 368; Weber, 1950b: 189 (redescription); Creighton, 1950a: 95; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 789; Cole, 1953d: 243.
 * Senior synonym of canadensis, subalpina: Weber, 1950b: 189.
 * Junior synonym of incompleta: Francoeur & Béique, 1966: 141.
 * canadensis. Myrmica brevinodis var. canadensis Wheeler, W.M. 1916m: 587 (w.q.m.) CANADA.
 * [First available use of Myrmica rubra subsp. brevinodis var. canadensis Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 76 (w.q.m.) CANADA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Subspecies of brevinodis: Wheeler, W.M. 1916m: 587; Emery, 1921f: 37; Menozzi, 1932b: 310.
 * Junior synonym of brevinodis: Weber, 1950b: 189.
 * frigida. Myrmica brevinodis var. frigida Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502 (w.) CANADA.
 * [First available use of Myrmica rubra subsp. brevinodis var. frigida Forel, 1902i: 699 (w.) CANADA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Subspecies of brevinodis: Emery, 1921f: 37.
 * Junior synonym of sulcinodoides: Wheeler, W.M. 1917e: 16; Weber, 1950b: 195; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 789.
 * Junior synonym of incompleta: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 18.
 * subalpina. Myrmica brevinodis var. subalpina Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 503 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.
 * [First available use of Myrmica rubra subsp. brevinodis var. subalpina Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 77 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Myrmica kozlovi subsp. subalpina Ruzsky, 1915a: 438 (Bolton, 1995b: 283).]
 * Subspecies of brevinodis: Emery, 1921f: 37.
 * Junior synonym of brevinodis: Weber, 1950b: 189.
 * sulcinodoides. Myrmica brevinodis var. sulcinodoides Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502 (w.) U.S.A.
 * [First available use of Myrmica rubra subsp. brevinodis var. sulcinodoides Emery, 1895c: 313 (w.) U.S.A.; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1907b: 76 (q.m.).
 * Subspecies of brevinodis: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502; Wheeler, W.M. 1917e: 16; Emery, 1921f: 37; Cole, 1942: 368; Weber, 1950b: 195 (redescription); Smith, M.R. 1951a: 789.
 * Subspecies of incompleta: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1349.
 * Junior synonym of brevinodis: Creighton, 1950a: 96.
 * Status as species: Hunt & Snelling, 1975: 21; Mackay, Lowrie, et al. 1988: 92 (in key).
 * Senior synonym of frigida: Wheeler, W.M. 1917e: 16; Weber, 1950b: 195.
 * Junior synonym of whymperi: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502.
 * [Note: Wheeler gives sulcinodoides as senior synonym, but whymperi has priority (Bolton, 1995b: 284).]
 * Junior synonym of incompleta: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 18.
 * whymperi. Myrmica brevinodis var. whymperi Forel, 1913l: 215 (w.) U.S.A.
 * [First available use of Myrmica rubra r. brevinodis var. whymperi Forel, 1904a: 154 (w.) U.S.A.; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Synonym of sulcinodoides: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 502; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 789.
 * [Note: Wheeler, and Smith, M.R., give sulcinodoides as senior synonym, but whymperi has priority (Bolton, 1995b: 284).]
 * Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 284; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 168.
 * Junior synonym of incompleta: Shattuck & Cover, 2016: 18.