Xenomyrmex floridanus

Wheeler (1931) noted the types were collected from cavities of a small branch of a tree. He also noted "The behavior of this ant was so much like that of certain species of Leptothorax that I at first assigned it to that genus. It has all the essential characters of Antillaemyrmex, however, though it differs from all the described forms in its much coarser and reticulate-rugose sculpture."

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Bahamas, Cuba, Greater Antilles, Guatemala, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  floridanus. Xenomyrmex stolli subsp. floridanus Emery, 1895c: 275 (w.m.) U.S.A. Wheeler, W.M. 1931a: 136 (q.). Raised to species: Creighton, 1957c: 6. Senior synonym of rufescens: Creighton, 1950a: 226; of cubanus, lucayanus: Creighton, 1957c: 6. Current subspecies: nominal plus skwarrae.
 * cubanus. Xenomyrmex stolli subsp. cubanus Wheeler, W.M. 1931a: 134 (w.) CUBA. Junior synonym of floridanus: Creighton, 1957c: 6.
 * lucayanus. Xenomyrmex stolli subsp. lucayanus Wheeler, W.M. 1931a: 137 (w.) BAHAMAS. [First available use of Xenomyrmex stolli subsp. floridanus var. lucayanus Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 87; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of floridanus: Creighton, 1957c: 6.
 * rufescens. Xenomyrmex stolli subsp. rufescens Wheeler, W.M. 1931a: 137 (q.) U.S.A. Junior synonym of floridanus: Creighton, 1950a: 226.

Worker
Length 2.3-2.6 mm.

Head subrectangular, scarcely longer than broad and somewhat narrower in front than behind, with the moderately large and convex eyes at the middle of the sides; posterior border nearly straight, posterior corners broadly rounded. Mandibles rather small, 5-toothed, with feebly convex external borders. Clypeus sharply carinate in the middle, with straight, entire anterior border, sinuate on each side. Frontal area triangular, impressed, rather large but indistinct. Frontal carinae short, diverging posteriorly. Antennae short; scapes stout, curved at the base, reaching to less than half the distance between the eyes and the posterior corners of the head; first funicular joint as long as joints 2-5; joints 2-8 subequal, much broader than long; club 3-jointed, very distinct, as long as the remainder of the funiculus, the large terminal joint longer than the two subequal basal joints together. Thorax short, somewhat more than twice as long as broad, broadest through the pronotum, the sides gradually converging posteriorly, the dorsal outline evenly convex and rounded; declivity of epinotum perpendicular, concave, somewhat longer than the base; spines as long as the declivity, stout basally, with tapering, acute tips, as long as their distance apart at the base, straight or slightly deflected, directed backward, outward and somewhat upward. Petiolar peduncle short and stout, only half as long as the node, with a strong, downwardly directed anteroventral tooth; node large and thick, subcuboidal in profile, its anterior slope forming an obtuse angle with the peduncle, its dorsal surface somewhat flattened, its posterior surface abrupt and nearly perpendicular. Seen from above the node is as broad as long, rounded anteriorly and laterally, and truncated posteriorly. Postpetiole large and convex, broader than the petiole, fully twice as broad as long, with rounded sides. Gaster large, formed very largely of the first segment which is subrectangular, as broad as long, with straight anterior border. Legs short, femora distinctly but not greatly incrassated in the middle; tibiae clavate.

Shining; gaster and legs more so than the remainder of the body; mandibles striate; clypeus longitudinally rugose on the sides; head, thorax, petiole and postpetiole reticulate-rugose, the two latter less sharply than the two former; gaster and legs very smooth, with small, sparse, piligerous punctures. Epinotal spines longitudinally, epinotal declivity transversely rugose.

Hairs whitish, rather numerous on the body, short, erect, bristlelike and blunt but not coarse; antennal scapes, femora and tibiae with sparse, suberect, blunt but more delicate hairs.

Brownish yellow or pale ferruginous; gaster paler; scapes, mandibles and legs still paler, ivory yellow or white, with the knees, apices of tibiae, tarsal joints and articulations of funicular joints reddish. Mandibular teeth black.

Type Material
Described from numerous specimens taken from the cavities of a small branch of a tree at Paradise Key, Dade County, Florida.