Harpagoxenus

Harpagoxenus
Harpagoxenus canadensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Harpagoxenus Forel, 1893
Type species
Myrmica sublaevis, now Harpagoxenus sublaevis
Diversity
4 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Harpagoxenus canadensis Specimen Label
Synonyms
Tomognathus Mayr, 1861

Evolutionary Relationships

Cardiocondyla Ocymyrmex Nesomyrmex Xenomyrmex Terataner Atopomyrmex Cataulacus Carebara Diplomorium Melissotarsus Rhopalomastix Calyptomyrmex Tetramorium Cyphoidris Dicroaspis Aretidris Vollenhovia Dacetinops Indomyrma Crematogaster Meranoplus Lophomyrmex Adlerzia Recurvidris Stereomyrmex Trichomyrmex Eutetramorium Royidris Malagidris Vitsika Huberia Podomyrma Liomyrmex Metapone Kartidris Mayriella Tetheamyrma Dacatria Proatta Dilobocondyla Secostruma Acanthomyrmex Myrmecina Perissomyrmex Pristomyrmex some Lordomyrma Propodilobus Lasiomyrma [some Lordomyrma Ancyridris some Lordomyrma Paratopula Poecilomyrma Romblonella Rotastruma Gauromyrmex Vombisidris Temnothorax Harpagoxenus Formicoxenus Leptothorax

Based on Ward et al. (2014) and Blaimer et al. (2018).

This slave-making ant frequently parasitizes two host species in the genus Leptothorax.

Identification

See images of species within this genus

Keys including this Genus

• Key to North American Genera of Myrmicinae

 

Biology

Association with Other Organisms

All Associate Records for Genus

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Taxon	Relationship	Associate Type	Associate Taxon	Associate Relationship	Locality	Source	Notes
Harpagoxenus canadensis	slave maker	ant	Leptothorax canadensis	host		Beibl et al., 2005; de la Mora et al., 2021
Harpagoxenus canadensis	slave maker	ant	Leptothorax muscorum	host	Québec, Canada	Smith, 1939
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	host	cestode	Type 2 (Choanotaenia unicoronata?)	parasite	South Tyrol, Italy	Buschinger, 1973; Laciny, 2021
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	host	gregarine	Mattesia geminata	parasite	Germany	Buschinger & Kleespies, 1999
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	slave maker	ant	Leptothorax acervorum	host		Beibl et al., 2005; de la Mora et al., 2021 (and included references)
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	slave maker	ant	Leptothorax gredleri	host		Foitzik et al., 2003; Guillem et al., 2014; de la Mora et al., 2021
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	slave maker	ant	Leptothorax muscorum	host		Lenoir et al., 2001; Bauer et al., 2009; Brandt et al., 2007; Fischer-Blass et al., 2006; Foitzik et al., 2003; de la Mora et al., 2021

Flight Period

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Taxon	Month	Source	Notes
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	Jul • Aug	antkeeping.info

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: 10 (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: dulosis (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging behaviour: cooperative (Greer et al., 2021)

Morphology

Worker Morphology

• Antennal segment count: 11 • Antennal club: 3-4 • Palp formula: 5,3 • Spur formula: 0,0 • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: dentiform; present • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: present • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent

Male Morphology

 • Antennal segment count 12 • Antennal club 0 • Palp formula 5,3 • Total dental count 0-2 • Spur formula 0, 0

Karyotype

All Karyotype Records for Genus

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Taxon	Haploid	Diploid	Karyotype	Locality	Source	Notes
Harpagoxenus canadensis	18			Canada	Buschinger et al., 1980; Fischer, 1987
Harpagoxenus sublaevis	20	40		Switzerland	Buschinger et al., 1980; Hauschteck-Jungen & Jungen, 1983; Fischer, 1987

Nomenclature

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

• HARPAGOXENUS [Myrmicinae: Formicoxenini]
  • Harpagoxenus Forel, 1893a: 167. Replacement name for Tomognathus Mayr, 1861: 56. [Junior homonym of Tomognathus Agassiz, 1850: 376 (Pisces).]
• TOMOGNATHUS [junior homonym, see Harpagoxenus]
  • Tomognathus Mayr, 1861: 56. Type-species: Myrmica sublaevis, by monotypy. [Junior homonym of Tomognathus Agassiz, 1850: 376 (Pisces).]
  • Harpagoxenus Forel, 1893a: 167, replacement name for Tomognathus Mayr.

References

• Ashmead, W. H. 1905c. A skeleton of a new arrangement of the families, subfamilies, tribes and genera of the ants, or the superfamily Formicoidea. Can. Entomol. 37: 381-384 (page 383, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Stenammini)
• Bolton, B. 1994. Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 222 pp. (page 105, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini)
• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 247, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini)
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Emery, C. 1914e. Intorno alla classificazione dei Myrmicinae. Rend. Sess. R. Accad. Sci. Ist. Bologna Cl. Sci. Fis. (n.s.) 18: 29-42 (page 42, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Leptothoracini)
• Emery, C. 1924f [1922]. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [concl.]. Genera Insectorum 174C: 207-397 (page 265, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Leptothoracini)
• Forel, A. 1893b. Sur la classification de la famille des Formicides, avec remarques synonymiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 37: 161-167 (page 167, Harpagoxenus replacement name for Tomognathus Mayr, 1861:56; Tomognathus Mayr, 1861 Junior homonym of Tomognathus Agassiz, 1850:376 (Pisces).)
• Forel, A. 1917. Cadre synoptique actuel de la faune universelle des fourmis. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 51: 229-253 (page 245, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Leptothoracini)
• Heinze, J.; Stuart, R. J.; Alloway, T. M.; Buschinger, A. 1992. Host specificity in the slave-making ant Harpagoxenus canadensis M. R. Smith. Canadian Journal of Zoology 70:167-170.
• Rabeling, C. 2020. Social Parasitism. In: Starr, C. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Social Insects. Springer, Cham. (doi:10.1007/978-3-319-90306-4_175-1).
• Visicchio, R., Mori, A., Grasso, D.A., Castracani, C., Le Moli, F. 2010. Glandular sources of recruitment, trail, and propaganda semiochemicals in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens. Ethology Ecology, Evolution 13, 361–372 (doi:10.1080/08927014.2001.9522767).
• Wheeler, W. M. 1910b. Ants: their structure, development and behavior. New York: Columbia University Press, xxv + 663 pp. (page 139, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Myrmicini)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922i. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VII. Keys to the genera and subgenera of ants. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 631-710 (page 664, Harpagoxenus in Myrmicinae, Leptothoracini)