Formica neorufibarbis

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Formica neorufibarbis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species: F. neorufibarbis
Binomial name
Formica neorufibarbis
Emery, 1893

Formica neorufibarbis casent0005371 profile 1.jpg

Formica neorufibarbis casent0005371 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

This insignificant-appearing ant is a record-holder. It occupies a territory much greater than that of any other Nearctic species of the fusca group. It also holds the elevational record for the Nearctic ant fauna: 14,269 ft. on Mt. Evans in Colorado (Gregg, 1963). Similarly it holds the altitudinal record in Nevada: 12,160 ft. on Boundary Peak. Formica neorufibarbis is a common, widely distributed species. Nests may be found under stones or logs and in rotten logs and stumps in areas of rocky sand or loam.

Identification

This species has few erect hairs, the gaster is polished and strongly shining, the surface is little hidden by sparse pubescence. The metasternal process is poorly developed, but is usually surrounded by erect hairs. The area between the anterior edge of the eye and the mandible has elongate punctures, which are often difficult to see unless the surface is held obliquely and the light is directed from the side. The shiny gaster usually suggests the neorufibarbis species complex, the other characters, especially the lack of hairs on the ventral surface of the head and dorsum of the petiole, together with the elongate punctures on the gena, confirm the identification. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

An enormous triangle from western Alaska on the Bering Strait and the Mackenzie Delta (on the border of the Arctic Ocean) to an apex on Newfoundland; thence southwestward to New Mexico, Arizona, California and into northern Mexico; its base extends northward along the Pacific Coast to southern and central Alaska.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 69.333333° to 29.23848°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: Canada, United States (type locality).
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
pChart

Habitat

In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Sagebrush, grasslands, pinyon-juniper, up to spruce and aspen, fir, riparian cottonwood forests and ponderosa pine forests.

Biology

"This ant represents a characteristic element of the boreal coniferous forest .... It is the Formica which endures the most severe climate in North America and one of the few ants that can breach the boundary of the tundra .... This ant which is very timid feeds on honeydew and dead arthropods. It seems to gather little from flowers" (translation from Francoeur, 1973).

Bernstein (1976) reported that 85% of the food collected is liquid from plants, mostly flowers. Regardless of abundance of food, all foraging ceases as soon as the brood is mature. The brood is reared quickly, an adaptation to a short summer. The smaller workers are nearly black; therefore they warm up earlier in the day. A larger body tends to heat up more slowly and a redder color probably reflects more solar radiation than would a blacker color. "Color and size differences ... enable each colony to utilize a greater range of environmental conditions for foraging than if they were of a single size and color."

For New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Brood was found in nests in July and August, reproductives were in nests in August. The diurnal foragers are found in chollas (Opuntia sp.). This species is enslaved by other species of Formica (Formica adamsi alpina) and by Polyergus mexicanus.

Nevada, Wheeler and Wheeler (1986) - Our 104 records represent 51 localities scattered statewide. The elevational range is 5,000-12,160 ft.; 79% were above 8,000 ft. and 51% were above 10,000 ft. One record was from the Pinyon-Juniper Biome, 22 were in the Coniferous Forest Biome, 9 in the ecotone above it, and 42 from the Alpine Biome. Thirty-three colonies nested under stones; 27 were in and/or under rotten wood lying on the ground or partially buried and 1 was in the root system of a phlox-like plant. The workers were fast and aggressive and the bite was annoying. We found 1 colony enslaved by Formica aserva.

Host for Slave-makers

This species is enslaved by the following slave-makers:

  • This species is a host for the ant Formica adamsi (a temporary parasite) (Mackay and Mackay 2002).

Association with Other Organisms

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  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis asclepiadis (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019) (as Formica neorufibarbis gelida).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis salicariae (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019) (as Formica neorufibarbis gelida).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Aphis varians (a trophobiont) (Addicott, 1979a; Saddiqui et al., 2019) (as Formica neorufibarbis gelida).
  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (a trophobiont) (Jones, 1927; Saddiqui et al., 2019).
  • This species is a host for the cricket Myrmecophilus nebrascensis (a myrmecophile) in United States.
  • This species is a host for the eucharitid wasp Eucharis sp. (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
  • This species is a prey for the Microdon fly Microdon albicomatus (a predator) (Quevillon, 2018).
  • This species is a prey for the Microdon fly Microdon piperi (a predator) (Quevillon, 2018).

Castes

Worker

Mcz-ent00668803 Formica neorufibarbis hef.jpgMcz-ent00668803 Formica neorufibarbis hal.jpgMcz-ent00668803 Formica neorufibarbis had.jpgMcz-ent00668803 Formica neorufibarbis lbs.JPG
Worker. . Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.
MCZ-ENT00669364 Formica neorufibarbis hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00669364 Formica neorufibarbis hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00669364 Formica neorufibarbis had.jpgMCZ-ENT00669364 Formica neorufibarbis lbs.jpg
Worker. . Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Formica neorufibarbis casent0102152 head 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0102152 profile 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0102152 dorsal 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0102152 label 1.jpg
Lectotype of Formica neorufibarbisWorker. Specimen code casent0102152. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.
Formica neorufibarbis casent0103329 head 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103329 profile 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103329 dorsal 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103329 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0103329. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Formica neorufibarbis casent0103330 head 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103330 profile 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103330 dorsal 1.jpgFormica neorufibarbis casent0103330 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0103330. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Queen

Mcz-ent00668808 Formica neorufibarbis queen hef.jpgMcz-ent00668808 Formica neorufibarbis queen hal.jpgMcz-ent00668808 Formica neorufibarbis queen had.jpgMcz-ent00668808 Formica neorufibarbis queen lbs.JPG
Queen. . Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • neorufibarbis. Formica fusca var. neorufibarbis Emery, 1893i: 660 (w.) U.S.A. Forel, 1902i: 699 (q.); Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 547 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953c: 165 (l.). Combination in F. (Serviformica): Emery, 1925b: 248. Subspecies of fusca: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, E.W. 1944: 261. Raised to species: Creighton, 1950a: 537. Senior synonym of algida, gelida: Francoeur, 1973: 215.
  • gelida. Formica fusca var. gelida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 399 (in key) (w.q.m.) U.S.A. [Formica fusca subsp. fusca var. gelida Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 505; unavailable name.] Subspecies of fusca: Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 546; of neorufibarbis: Creighton, 1950a: 537. Junior synonym of neorufibarbis: Francoeur, 1973: 215.
  • algida. Formica fusca var. algida Wheeler, W.M. 1915f: 205 (w.q.) U.S.A. Combination in F. (Serviformica): Emery, 1925b: 248. Subspecies of neorufibarbis: Creighton, 1950a: 537. Junior synonym of neorufibarbis: Francoeur, 1973: 215.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Francoeur 1973. Figures 380-395.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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