Formica postoculata

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Formica postoculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species group: microgyna
Species: F. postoculata
Binomial name
Formica postoculata
Kennedy & Dennis, 1937

Formica postoculata casent0103380 profile 1.jpg

Formica postoculata casent0103380 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

At a Glance • Temporary parasite  

Identification

The scape of this species is without erect hairs (except at the apex). The tibiae are without erect hairs, except for a row of bristles on the flexor surface. The dorsum of the head has a number of erect hairs, and the ventral surface has a few scattered hairs. The pronotum has several erect hairs, and the metanotum has a few hairs. The propodeum normally is without erect hairs, although 1 may be present. The petiole lacks erect hairs; the firs tergum has several, scattered, erect hairs.

The queen and male are unknown.

The convex occipital margin and lack of hairs on the tibiae (other than the row of bristles) separate this species from most others, except for Formica indianensis, Formica difficilis and Formica querquetulana. It can be separated from two of these species (F. difficilis and F. querquetulana) by the lack of erect hairs on the propodeum and petiole. Separating this species from F. indianensis is more problematic. Often the dorsum of the head of F. indianensis is without erect hairs, and when they are present, they are usually few in number (fewer than 10). Formica postoculata usually has a number of hairs on the dorsal surface of the head (more than 10).

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 42.410558° to 38.072914°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).

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.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

This species is likely to be a temporary parasite of another species of Formica, but its host is unknown.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Formica postoculata casent0105757 head 1.jpgFormica postoculata casent0105757 profile 1.jpgFormica postoculata casent0105757 profile 2.jpgFormica postoculata casent0105757 dorsal 1.jpgFormica postoculata casent0105757 label 1.jpg
Paratype of Formica postoculataWorker. Specimen code casent0105757. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by USNM, Washington, DC, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • postoculata. Formica postoculata Kennedy & Dennis, 1937: 540, figs. 16-18 (w.) U.S.A.

Taxonomic Notes

It is possible that Formica indianensis will be found to be a synonym of Formica postoculata, when more material of both species becomes available.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Carroll T. M. 2011. The ants of Indiana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Master's Thesis Purdue university, 385 pages.
  • Coovert G. A. 2005. The Ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ohio Biological Survey, Inc. 15(2): 1-207.
  • Coovert, G.A. 2005. The Ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Ohio Biological Survey Bulletin New Series Volume 15(2):1-196
  • Francoeur A. 2010. Liste des especes de fourmis (Formicides, Hymenopteres). Entomofaune du Quebec. Document Faunique no. 1, Version 5, 0. 1-10 pp.
  • Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87.
  • Ivanov K., L. Hightower, S. T. Dash, and J. B. Keiper. 2019. 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA. Zootaxa 4554 (2): 532–560.
  • Kennedy C. H., and C. A. Dennis. 1937. New ants from Ohio and Indiana, Formica prociliata, F. querquetulana, F. postoculata and F. lecontei, (Formicidae: Hymenoptera). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 30: 531-544.