Subfamily Myrmicinae

Subfamily Myrmicinae

General Characteristics: Habitat: Largest subfamily - Deserts to tropical forests- Members of this subfamily have stingers or have modified stingers- Petiole and postpetiole are present- Origin of the antennae is covered by lobes and lobes continue into the frontal carinae

Behavior:- Aggressive to docile

Compiled by Hilda Taylor

Genus Acromyrmex(Fungus Growing Ants)

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:- Antennae with 11 segments - Mostly grasslands, also in deserts- Body covered with spines - Common in tropics- Gaster with tubercles (bumps) - Feed on fungus they grow- Polymorphic - Possibly feed on juices of the

plants they cut

Behavior:- Cut grass to grow fungus- Cut leaves of Stinking Gourd (Cucurbita foetidisima), in Chihuahuan Desert- Aggressive, they bite

Note: Bigger than Trachymyrmex, spp.

Spines on Body

Tubercles

Genus Aphaenogaster

Spines Long Legs

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat: - Slender elegant ants - Chihuahuan Desert- Long legs - Mexico – Mountains in Veracruz- Spines on propodeum normally or angled structures- 12 segmented antennae

Behavior:- Active early in the morning and late in the evening- Aggressive

Genus AttaLeaf Cutting Ants

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:- 11 segmented antennae - Found in tropical forests:- Big shinny head = South America in Argentina- Strongly polymorphic: and Brazil = soldiers are very different from = Mexico tiny workers = USA in East Texas (oak forests), = need soldiers for identification Oregon Pipe Cactus in Arizona

Behavior:- Aggressive, specially big workers- Grow fungi

Genus Cardiocondyla

Spines/Angles

Penducle

Rounded Petiole

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:- 12 segmented antennae - New World, South America up- Clypeus sticks up like a point above mandibles to Brazil- Propodeum with spines or angles - Found all over the place:- Penducle – long = tropics- Petiole – rounded smoothly = deserts (Indio in pitfalls)- Tiny ants = California (C. etiopa)- Males look like workers, but have big mandibles - Nest in the ground and have no wings

Behavior:-Not aggressive, too small

Genus Cephalotes

Spines

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:- Head, mesosoma and propodeum with spines - Tropical, mesic habitats- Very large ant, beautiful ant - Mexico- Polymorphic - USA in Arizona, but very rare- Dark brown, dull - Nest in big dead branches (~ 2”- Zacryptocerus spp.also has lateral spines on in diam) and hollow twigs the body - Nest possibly in termite mounds

Behavior:- Not aggressive, do not sting- Move jerky-like

Note: As of 2000 the above were synonymized with genus Cephalotes

Minor Worker Major Worker

Genus CrematogasterAcrobat Ants

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat: - Gaster looks like a heart - USA and Mexico- Petiole is hooked up to top part of the gaster - Found everywhere:- Monomorphic: = under rocks, ground, trees, twigs = males and females look the same = Chih. Desert on Creosote bush = bicolor, brown and yellow (Larrea tridentata)- Raise gaster over the mesosoma when placed in alcohol (same as Azteca, spp)

Behavior:-Aggressive, can sting but does not hurt much- Sting sprays paint as defense mechanism

Genus Cyphomyrmex

Frontal Carina

Lobe

BumpsTubercles

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:- Head: - Ranges from north New Mexico to = Lobes hide the point of origin of the antennae and Argentina join with the frontal carinae. - Common in tropical forests, also = The carinae extend all the way back of the head in arid zones like the Chihuahuan = Rounded structures on top of head resemble horns Desert- Alitrunk – full of bumps, may have tiny spines - Use dung from catepillars as - Gaster – tubercles similar to Acromyrmex, spp., substrate for fungus but not as sharp

Behavior: - Not aggressive - Slow - Play dead

Genus Leptothorax

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:-11 or 12 antennal segments - Found everywhere:-Antennal club has 3 segments = under rocks, dead logs, in the-Mexican species have no spines, all others do ground, in roots-Macromischa, spp – 11 antennal segments, convex - Some are parasitic on other ants alitrunk and have very long peduncle (Mex.) - Common-Nesomyrmex, spp – 11 or 12 antennal segments, - L. whitford lives in branches petiole and postpetiole covered with spines (Mex.)

Behavior: - Not aggressive if left alone - L. whitford is the only aggressive species

Leptothrax

Spines

Spines

Spinesspine

Peduncle

Peduncle

(Most common ant)

Genus Manica

DepressionRounded

Comb-like

Descriptive Characteristics: Habitat:-Same group as Pogonomyrmex (they are Harvester ants) - USA in north New Mexico, = Pogonomyrmex, Myrmica, and Manica have Colorado, California comb-like tibial spurs (pectinate) on mid and hind legs - May not find in Mexico-12 segmented antennae - Nest in the ground in pine and-Depression present between mesonotum and and juniper forests propodeum-Rounded petiole

Behavior: - Docile, do not sting

Genus Megalomyrmex

Descriptive characteristics: Habitat:-12 segmented antennae - Tropical- 3 segmented club - Not in the USA- Oval head - Found under rocks nesting in the soil- Yellowish color, smooth and shinny pretty blond ants - May find in Mexico, not common- Big ants ~ ½” long- Petiole and postpetiole have same shape- Rounded mesosoma

Behavior: - Not very aggressive

Rounded

Same shape

Oval head