Formica propinqua

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Formica propinqua
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species group: rufa
Species: F. propinqua
Binomial name
Formica propinqua
Creighton, 1940

Formica propinqua casent0005391 profile 1.jpg

Formica propinqua casent0005391 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

This species nests next to logs and stumps, in thatched nests.

Identification

Workers can be recognized by the distribution of erect hairs. The posterior lateral corners and scapes have none (except at apex of scape), the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head have several (at least 12 on ventral surface of head), the dorsum of the mesosoma has several short, fine erect hairs (most < 0.1 mm in length), the petiole has several similar hairs, and the dorsum of the gaster has several erect hairs which are slightly longer and slightly coarser than those on the pronotum. Most surfaces, including the clypeus, underside of the head and the gena, are dull or only weakly shining. The mid and hind tibiae have a few erect bristles (about 5 on each of the 2 parallel rows), but they extend the entire length of the tibiae. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 47.33556° to 31.539538°.

   
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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Habitat

In New Mexico (Mackay and Mackay 2002) - Forests.

Biology

Nevada, Wheeler and Wheeler (1986) - Our 21 records are mostly concentrated near Lake Tahoe, but 5 are widely scattered elsewhere. The records represent 19 localities 3,900-7,800 ft. Three records were in the Cool Desert (I in a disturbed area), 2 in Pinyon-Juniper Biome, and 9 in the Coniferous Forest Biome. The nest (Figs. 49, 50) of this species was typically a messy pile of thatch on, in, under or against a dead stump or prostrate trunk, the latter on or several feet above the ground. Polycaly was common. The workers were numerous, active, and aggressive. Their bite was annoying and they were quick to becloud the atmosphere with formic acid. We found Myrmecophila (probably oregonensis) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae; det. A.B. Gurney) in a nest at Hobart Creek Reservoir (Washoe Co.), 7,200 ft.

Nest site selected in areas of moderate to heavy cover. Nest begun in or under a log or stump. Extensive use made of thatching. The finished nest considerably influenced by the size of the object in which it was started but, when this is small, a dome shaped nest results (Creighton, 1940)

Association with Other Organisms

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  • This species is a mutualist for the aphid Chaitophorus populicola (a trophobiont) (Wimp and Whitham, 2001; Saddiqui et al., 2019).

Castes

MCZ-ENT00671499 Formica propinqua hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00671499 Formica propinqua hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00671499 Formica propinqua had.jpgMCZ-ENT00671499 Formica propinqua lbs.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Nomenclature

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

  • propinqua. Formica rufa subsp. propinqua Creighton, 1940a: 1, fig. 1 (w.) U.S.A. [First available use of Formica truncicola subsp. integroides var. propinqua Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 538; unavailable name.] Cole, 1956f: 257 (q.m.). Subspecies of integroides: Creighton, 1950a: 490. Raised to species: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 85; Mackay, Lowrie, et al. 1988: 112 (in key).

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
  • La Rivers I. 1968. A first listing of the ants of Nevada. Biological Society of Nevada, Occasional Papers 17: 1-12.
  • Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database
  • Mackay W. P. and Mackay, E. E. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
  • Mallis A. 1941. A list of the ants of California with notes on their habits and distribution. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 40: 61-100. 
  • Michigan State University, The Albert J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection. Accessed on January 7th 2014 at http://www.arc.ent.msu.edu:8080/collection/index.jsp
  • Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1986. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp.
  • Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1978. Mountain ants of Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 35(4):379-396