United States

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
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United States
LocationUnitedStates.png
Location
Region Americas
Subregion Northern America
BioRegion Nearctic Region
Diversity
Subfamilies 9
Genera 81
Endemic Genera 1
% Endemic Genera 1.2%
Species/Subspecies 824
Endemic Species 306
% Endemic Species 37.1%
Introduced Species 75

The following 78 genera and 792 species and 18 subspecies of ants are known to occur in the United States. Ants from Hawaii (introduced) are on a separate list. Unidentified and undescribed species will be added to this list as identifications are verified and taxonomic revisions are published. This species list is based upon the effort of many ant collectors as well as myrmecologists who have published on the taxonomy of United States ants.

Those who have specimen records that expand this list are encouraged to submit this information in the discussion section of the United States Ants web page. Please advise if any corrections are warranted.

Acanthostichus

Key to species

Acromyrmex

Acropyga

Anochetus

Aphaenogaster

Key to species

Atta

Key to species

Brachymyrmex

Key to species

Brachyponera

Camponotus

Cardiocondyla

Key to species

Carebara

Cephalotes

Key to species

Colobopsis

Crematogaster

Key to eastern US Crematogaster
Key to western US Crematogaster

Cryptopone

Cyphomyrmex

Key to species

Discothyrea

Dolichoderus

Key to species

Dolopomyrmex

Dorymyrmex

Eurhopalothrix

Forelius

Key to species

Formica

Key to US Formica pallidefulva group species
Key to Nearctic Formica rufa group species

Formicoxenus

Key to species

Fulakora

Gnamptogenys

Key to species

Harpagoxenus

Hypoponera

Key to species

Labidus

Lasius

Key to species

Leptanilloides

Leptogenys

Key to species

Leptothorax

Linepithema

Liometopum

Key to species

Manica

Key to species

Monomorium

Key to species

Mycetomoellerius

Mycetosoritis

Myrmecina

Key to species

Myrmecocystus

Key to species

Myrmica

Key to species

Neivamyrmex

Key to species

Neoponera

Nesomyrmex

Nomamyrmex

Novomessor

Key to species

Nylanderia

Key to species

Ochetellus

Odontomachus

Key to species

Pachycondyla

Paratrechina

Pheidole

Platythyrea

Pogonomyrmex

Key to species

Polyergus

Key to species

Ponera

Key to species

Poneracantha

Prenolepis

Prionopelta

Proceratium

Key to species

Pseudomyrmex

Key to species

Pseudoponera

Rogeria

Key to species

Solenopsis

Stenamma

Stigmatomma

Key to species

Strumigenys

Key to species

Syllophopsis

Syscia

Tapinoma

Key to species

Technomyrmex

Key to species

Temnothorax

Key to Temnothorax species of California

Tetramorium

Key to species

Trachymyrmex

Key to species

Trichomyrmex

Typhlomyrmex

Veromessor

Key to species

Vollenhovia

Wasmannia

Xenomyrmex

Fossils known from United States

Epoch Formation Locality Species
Eocene Arkansas Amber Arkansas Eocenidris crassa
Eocene Arkansas Amber Arkansas Iridomyrmex mapesi
Eocene Arkansas Amber Arkansas Protrechina carpenteri
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Archimyrmex rostratus
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Camponotus vetus
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Dolichoderus kohlsi
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Eoformica globularis
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Eoformica magna
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Eoformica pinguis
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Kohlsimyrma gracilis
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Kohlsimyrma laticeps
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Kohlsimyrma longiceps
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Mianeuretus eocenicus
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Myrmecites rotundiceps
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Pachycondyla labandeirai
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Ponerites coloradensis
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Ponerites eocenicus
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Ponerites hypoponeroides
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Proiridomyrmex vetulus
Eocene Green River Formation Fossil Colorado Solenopsites minutus
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Crematogaster aurora
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Dolichoderus dlusskyi
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Eoformica brevipetiola
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Eoformica latimedia
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Formica annosa
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Ktunaxia jucunda
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Lasius glom
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Ponerites kishenehne
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Proiridomyrmex rotundatus
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Protazteca eocenica
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Pseudomyrmex saxulum
Eocene Kishenehn Formation Shale Fossil Montana Solenopsites abdita
Eocene Klondike Formation Fossil Republic, Washington Klondikia whiteae
Eocene Klondike Formation Fossil Republic, Washington Oecophylla kraussei
Eocene Klondike Formation Fossil Republic, Washington Propalosoma gutierrezae
Eocene Puryear, Tennessee Fossil Puryear, Tennessee Formicium berryi
Eocene Sweetwater, Wyoming Fossil Sweetwater County, Wyoming Titanomyrma lubei
Eocene Wellborn, Texas Fossil Mossy Creek, near Wellborn, Texas Formica eoptera
Late Cretaceous Raritan (New Jersey) Amber New Jersey Baikuris casei
Late Cretaceous Raritan (New Jersey) Amber New Jersey Brownimecia clavata
Late Cretaceous Raritan (New Jersey) Amber New Jersey Kyromyrma neffi
Late Cretaceous Raritan (New Jersey) Amber New Jersey Sphecomyrma freyi
Late Cretaceous Raritan (New Jersey) Amber New Jersey Sphecomyrma mesaki
Miocene Barstow Formation Fossil California Camponotus juliae Pierce & Gibron, 1962
Miocene Elko, Nevada Fossil Elko, Nevada Pseudocamponotus elkoanus
Oligocene Canyon Ferry Reservoir Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Liometopum greenwalti
Oligocene Canyon Ferry Reservoir Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Manica iviei

Uncertain species

The following species were described from the United States but their true identities are currently unknown.

Previous Records

  • Myrmelachista ramulorum Wheeler, W.M., 1908: Found in Polk City, Polk County, Florida (Smith 1979) but apparently no longer present (Deyrup, Davis & Cover, 2000).
  • Myrmica ruginodis Nylander, 1846: Several quarantine interceptions in New York and Washington, D.C. in the early 1900's, but no known recent records.
  • Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery, 1894: Single record from Catalina Island, California but no evidence it is currently present.

References