the ants of new mexico

440 Pages·2014·7.01 MB·English

by  Ecology Lab

Mackay, W. P. and E. E. Mackay - The ants of New Mexico 1
Needs:
Add references to literature cited

-finish Tranopelta
work on Forelius dist F. mccooki
Linepithema in NM??
dist camp vafer
Ecol habitat Formica accreta

Figures:

Add Ink

Myrmecocystus
336 Camp semitestaceus base of scape
441 leg and tergite L subumbratus
Camp (Myrmentoma) figs?? (decipiens, sayi)

Spelling and grammar of whole manuscript checked 1/14/01, few
words with red underline could not be found.
checked all illustrations to see that indicated caste 1/29/01
checked all biology sections for complete sentences 2/07/001

THE ANTS OF NEW MEXICO
(HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

William Mackay and Emma Mackay
Laboratory for Environmental Biology,
Centennial Museum and Department of Biological
Sciences, The University of Texas, El Paso, TX 79968
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Mackay, W. P. and E. E. Mackay - The ants of New Mexico 2

Table of Contents
PREFACE ........................................................................................................... 4
KEY TO THE GENERA OF ANTS OF NEW MEXICO ............................ 18
SUBFAMILY PONERINAE ........................................................................... 31
GENUS AMBLYOPONE ...................................................................................... 31
GENUS HYPOPONERA ...................................................................................... 32
GENUS ODONTOMACHUS ................................................................................ 36
GENUS PONERA .............................................................................................. 37
SUBFAMILY CERAPACHYINAE ................................................................ 38
GENUS ACANTHOSTICHUS ............................................................................... 39
GENUS CERAPACHYS ....................................................................................... 41
SUBFAMILY PSEUDOMYRMECINAE ...................................................... 43
GENUS PSEUDOMYRMEX ................................................................................. 44
SUBFAMILY ECITONINAE ......................................................................... 46
GENUS NEIVAMYRMEX ..................................................................................... 46
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE ....................................................................... 67
GENUS ACROMYRMEX ..................................................................................... 67
GENUS APHAENOGASTER................................................................................. 68
GENUS CARDIOCONDYLA ................................................................................ 79
GENUS CEPHALOTES ....................................................................................... 79
GENUS CREMATOGASTER ................................................................................ 80
GENUS CYPHOMYRMEX ................................................................................. 101
GENUS FORMICOXENUS ................................................................................ 103
GENUS LEPTOTHORAX ................................................................................... 105
GENUS MANICA ............................................................................................ 142
GENUS MONOMORIUM .................................................................................. 144
GENUS MYRMECINA ...................................................................................... 149
GENUS MYRMICA .......................................................................................... 150
GENUS PHEIDOLE ......................................................................................... 168
GENUS POGONOMYRMEX .............................................................................. 202
GENUS ROGERIA ........................................................................................... 219
GENUS SOLENOPSIS ...................................................................................... 220
GENUS STENAMMA ........................................................................................ 235
GENUS STRUMIGENYS .................................................................................... 240
GENUS TETRAMORIUM .................................................................................. 241
GENUS TRACHYMYRMEX ................................................................................ 244
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Mackay, W. P. and E. E. Mackay - The ants of New Mexico 3
GENUS TRANOPELTA ..................................................................................... 247
SUBFAMILY DOLICHODERINAE ........................................................... 250
GENUS DORYMYRMEX ................................................................................... 250
GENUS FORELIUS (THIS SECTION NEEDS WORK) ........................................... 256
GENUS LINEPITHEMA .................................................................................... 259
GENUS LIOMETOPUM .................................................................................... 261
GENUS TAPINOMA ......................................................................................... 264
SUBFAMILY FORMICINAE ...................................................................... 266
GENUS ACANTHOMYOPS ................................................................................ 266
GENUS BRACHYMYRMEX ................................................................................ 277
GENUS CAMPONOTUS ................................................................................... 279
GENUS FORMICA........................................................................................... 311
GENUS LASIUS .............................................................................................. 374
GENUS MYRMECOCYSTUS .............................................................................. 390
GENUS PARATRECHINA.................................................................................. 401
GENUS POLYERGUS ....................................................................................... 406
GENUS PRENOLEPIS ...................................................................................... 408
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................... 411
LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................. 411
GLOSSARY .................................................................................................... 421
INDEX ............................................................................................................. 430

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Preface
Little is known about the natural history of ants, although they are
among the most common terrestrial insects. Much of the work that
remains can be done by amateurs, or by individuals with interests other
than ants. We are providing this book for you, to allow you to identify ants
that you can find in the state of New Mexico (as well as eastern Arizona,
southern Colorado, western Texas and northern Chihuahua). We will try to
keep the terminology as simple as possible, and provide illustrations for
the diagnostic features of most of the species. Hopefully this book will
assist in providing hours of pleasure for those of you with interests in
these fascinating group of animals, pleasures which we have enjoyed for
over 30 years. This book is also designed for ecologists and behaviorists,
as well as other biologists, who would like to use ants as experimental
animals.
We dedicate this book to Walt and Linda Whitford, our dearest
friends, who have stood by us through many trials and tribulations.
Without them, we are not sure we would have survived the death of our
son, Joseph Luis. Walt is the major ant ecologist in the state of New
Mexico, and has published a multitude of papers on our favorite animals.
We would like to thank a number of individuals who have assisted
us in one way or another. Our daughters, Mary and Linda, have
accompanied us on nearly all of our field trips. They have not only
tolerated our frequent stops, and camping in the rain and snow and other
experiences, but also joined in to help us collect our specimens, since they
were about 3 years old. David Richman suggested we publish this book.
James Cokendolpher, Richard Fagerlund, David Richman, Donald Lowrie,
and Elizabeth Milford sent us a multitude of ant specimens. Richard
Fagerlund (University of New Mexico) & Stefan Cover (Museum of
Comparative Zoology, Harvard) critically reviewed the manuscript and
tested the keys. We would like to thank all of these individuals, because
without them, this book would have never been completed.

El Paso, TX
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
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Mackay, W. P. and E. E. Mackay - The ants of New Mexico 5

ABSTRACT
We report a total of 227 species [note there are 236 maps, double
check numbers] and subspecies of ants from New Mexico, USA, with a
listing of another 66 that probably occur in the state. This is about 39% of
the species that occur in the United States. The subfamilies and genera
include: PONERINAE: Amblyopone, Hypoponera, Odontomachus,
CERAPACHYINAE: Acanthostichus, Cerapachys, PSEUDOMYR-
MECINAE: Pseudomyrmex, ECITONINAE: Neivamyrmex, MYRMIC-
INAE: Aphaenogaster, Cephalotes, Crematogaster, Cyphomyrmex,
Formicoxenus, Leptothorax, Manica, Monomorium, Myrmecina, Myrmica,
Pheidole, Pogonomyrmex, Rogeria, Solenopsis, Stenamma, Strumigenys,
Tetramorium, Trachymyrmex, Tranopelta, DORYLINIDAE: Dor-
ymyrmex, Forelius, Linepithema, Liometopum, Tapinoma, FORMIC-
INAE: Acanthomyops, Brachymyrmex, Camponotus, Formica, Lasius,
Myrmecocystus, Paratrechina, Polyergus and Prenolepis. We include
keys to the species, distribution maps, discussions of the habitats and
natural history of each species.

INTRODUCTION

New Mexico is one of the
states in the southwestern part of
the United States, bounded on the
West by Arizona, on the north by
Colorado, on the east and south by
Texas, and on the south by the
state of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Physiographically, New Mexico is
one of the most interesting of the
states (Map 1). The Colorado
plateau extends well into the
western part of the state, the Rocky
Mountains extend from the North
as far south as the region around
Santa Fe. The Piedmont of the Map 1. The the major physiographic
regions of New Mexico.
Rocky Mountains covers about

one-third of the eastern part of the state. Several areas of the state contain
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isolated mountains, which are often located in arid regions, thus creating
“sky islands”, or mesic peaks. Much of the central portion of the state
includes regions of relatively lower elevation, covered primarily with
grassland, or desert shrubs. Much of this area, as well as other areas of the
state are geologically interesting, due to the activity of ancient volcanoes.
The physiographic variation causes patterns in rainfall, and temperature.
These patterns have resulted in a variety of plant communities located
throughout the state (Map 2).
The vegetation of New
Mexico has been well documented
(Dick-Peddie, 1993). The northern
part of the state is covered with
forest, as well as several mountains
located throughout the state (Map
2). More than half of the state is
covered with grasslands or
shrublands. Temperatures and
precipitation closely match the
types of vegetation found
throughout the state, with the
higher elevation forests being
subject to cooler temperatures and
Map 2. The major plant communities
more precipitation, the lower
of New Mexico.
elevational areas subjected to

higher temperatures and less precipitation. This variety of climates and
plant communities allows New Mexico to be one of the richest areas in
America, in terms of numbers of species of ants. More than 1/ of the ant
3
species found in the United States occurs in New Mexico.
The ants of New Mexico are poorly known. Cole published a series
of papers on ants, which will be cited in the text. Whitford and his
colleagues (See Kay and Whitford, 1978; Schaffer and Whitford, 1981;
Schumacher and Whitford, 1976; Whitford, 1976, 1978a, 1978b; Whitford
and Bryant, 1979; Whitford and Ettershank, 1975; Whitford et al., 1975,
1976, 1981; Wisdom and Whitford, 1981) have published extensively on
the biology of the ants of New Mexico. Gregg’s keys (1963) would be
useful for identification of ants at least for the northern part of the state.
Males can be identified to genus using Smith (1943). Smith (1979) and
Bolton (1995) would be helpful in understanding nomenclatural changes
made since the keys were written, as well as providing references to
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articles on ants. Other recent works on ants would be indispensable for
the serious myrmecologist, including Bolton (1994) and Hölldobler and
Wilson (1990).
We have attempted to construct keys using current names, and
which will be relatively easy to use by a non-specialist, but it must be kept
in mind that ants are difficult to identify to species. We have also cited the
most recent keys so identifications may be checked in more complete
keys. Certainly we have not collected all of the species present in New
Mexico. Therefore we also include additional genera and species
collected in nearby states (especially Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and
Chihuahua) and mark them with an asterisk to indicate that we did not
actually collect them in New Mexico. References to complete keys to most
genera can be found in Mackay and Vinson (1989) and Hölldobler and
Wilson (1990, Table 2-2). Many works on ants of other states can be
found in Hölldobler and Wilson (1990, Table 2-3).
Ants can be found almost anywhere in New Mexico. To collect
legally, you will need a permit. Check with the New Mexico Game and
Fish Office, PO Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504 or [phone]. If
you collect on private property, be sure to ask for permission. The vast
majority of landowners are very cooperative, encouraging you to “take all
of them”. You may even be invited for a glass of lemonade, or even
supper!
The general procedure is to
locate an interesting area, and spend
one or more hours turning over
stones, searching logs and stumps or
capturing ants foraging on the soil
Fig. 1. A small hand saw and a surface, and on vegetation. Tree
collabsible saw for use in the field. limbs and logs can be opened using
handsaws, axes or portable electric
saws. We have found the Wyoming© brand of collapsible handsaws to be
very practical. The battery-operated DeWalt© reciprocating saw and
circular saw, with the 12V charger are especially useful. It is important not
to use standard inverters to convert 12 VDC to 120 VAC to charge the
batteries using the standard rechargers. It is best to collect the ants using a
pair of forceps, as several of our species can sting. Ants from a single
colony should be placed in a single vial of 70 - 95 percent ethanol
(isopropyl alcohol can be used, but tends to harden specimens). Each vial
should be carefully labeled with either a field notebook number, or a
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complete label that lists the location,
date, name of collector, and brief
field notes. We usually mix ants
collected on the soil surface from a
single locality in a single vial, and
ants collected on vegetation in a
second vial. Most ants can be
identified to at least genus with a
hand lens and practice. We use the
Victorinox© Swiss Army knife,
which contains the hand lens, the
Fig. 2. Examples of forceps and knife
wood saw (capable of sawing large
used for field work. The forceps fit in
limbs) and the fishhook remover
the leather carrier, as indicated by
that is great for excavating nests
the arrow.
with high precision and care.
Additionally it has a variety of other
tools that are very useful. Cheaper
brands of the same knife work
reasonably well.
Collecting ants in this way is
a very pleasurable pastime, and can
lead to many interesting discoveries.
There are two methods that will
Fig. 4. Field tools for collecting ants.
maximize the numbers of species

collected: collecting very intensely
in a single location for several hours,
or visiting several sites and
collecting briefly at each site. Many
Fig. 3. Two sizes of hand-made field ant species are localized in their
bags. distributions, and it is possible to
find a rare species that is common in a certain area. We use trowels, picks
and pruners, which we carry on a belt (Fig. 2). A leather pack with vials is
carried on the same belt. All of our collecting equipment can be placed in
a large, denim collecting bag (Fig. 4), An insect net can be useful for
collecting flying sexuals during the day. A single swing of a net can result
in abundant males and females from a single mating swarm. A pair that is
mating should be preserved together in a single vial, and later pinned
together on a single pin, with a biological note.
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How many specimens should you collect? Generally 10 workers
(various sizes if present) are sufficient for identification. You should
always attempt to find winged females and males, although they are not
always present in a nest. Avoid collecting the nest queen, as this will
usually destroy the entire nest. Some species have several queens, and it
will do little damage to collect a few. Collection of brood is not necessary,
but you should note their presence in the nest. If you suspect you are
collecting something unusual, collect as many specimens as you can find.
Try to avoid killing an excessive number of animals, and repair the nest as
well as possible after you have taken what you need.
Labels should be permanent, in the sense that they will not be
affected by alcohol. Several pens are available with indelible ink, but it is
important to test the pens, as some of the inks are not permanent. We use
Ceramicron (Pentel©) pens. Several small labeling machines are available
on the market, which make permanent labels. Again, check the label to be
sure that it is permanent when placed in alcohol. Many computer printers
will make decent, permanent labels, especially old dot matrix printers.
Avoid LaserJet printers (the print tends to “flake off”) and most inkjet
printers, as the ink slowly (or rapidly!) dissolves in alcohol. We have done
a number of experiments with different printers, and have found the
Lexmark© printers print permanent labels, when the Super Sharp
Waterproof (#1361400) cartridge is used. In an emergency, a pencil will
produce a decent, temporary label. The labels should be printed on high-
quality heavy stock card, as regular paper may disintegrate in the alcohol.
There are several,
specialized techniques which can
be used to collect ants, and often
result in species of ants that are not
collected using other techniques.
For example, pitfall traps are very
effective in collecting the rarer,
soil inhabiting species. We use 2
sizes of plastic cups (Solo®), a 16-
ounce and a 12-ounce. The 12-
ounce cup is placed inside the 16-
ounce cup, so that the lips of the
cups match. The pair of cups is

Fig. 5. Pitfall trap made of two plastic carefully buried in the ground up to
cups. the level of the cup. The inner cup
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is then removed and the soil is dumped, this cup is then replaced in the
larger cup and a small amount of alcohol, containing about 10% ethylene
glycol (or regular anti-freeze) is placed in the cup. Often the alcohol will
completely evaporate, but the ethylene glycol will keep the specimens in
good shape. The amount of liquid to be used depends on the weather
conditions: normally the cup is filled to about 1/8 of its capacity, in hot
climates it may be necessary to fill
the cup half full. The cups are then
left in-place for a certain period of
time, at least 24 hours. At the end of
the time, the inner cup is carefully
removed, and rinsed into a vial with
the contents. Again the vial must be
labeled as to the location and the
placement of the cup on a transect.
Fig. 6. Examples of plastic bottles
We have found that a transect of 10
which can be reused for field work.
The bottles used for refilling printer cups, spaced 10 meters apart, is very
cartridges are excellent for injecting effective. We usually place three
alcohol into twigs containing ants. transects in any one area.
There are a number of
problems involved with pitfall traps. Some of the traps are often removed
by mammals and destroyed. It is possible that these animals consume the
contents of the cup, especially the ethylene glycol, which has a sweet taste
(it is also poisonous to the animals). This disturbance can be avoided by
reducing the quantity of ethylene glycol used in the cup. Humans will also
occasionally destroy pitfall traps. The second major problem is that the
ants in the bottom of the cup are contaminated by soil. Soil clouds the
contents of the cup, and makes it difficult to sort the ants later. This
contamination is greatly reduced by using the second cup as described
above. The third problem is that the cup may fill and overflow during a
rainstorm. This can be reduced by placing small blocks of wood supported
by nails above the trap. Even with this precaution, surface water will enter
the cup, diluting the alcohol, and contaminating the contents with soil. It is
important to rinse the specimens and place them in fresh alcohol as soon
as possible to remove the ethylene glycol, as well as to reestablish the
original concentration of alcohol, if the samples were diluted by rain.
We usually place baits at the same stations with the pitfall traps.
Our baits are made using 2 ml cryogenic vials (Corning© #25702), with
10 holes drilled in them (three sets of three along the sides, and a single
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