Superfamily FORMICOIDEA 1347 



Biology: Mitchell and Pierce, 1912. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 14: 69. —Wheeler, 1932. N. Y. Ent. 

 Soc, Jour. 40: 4. 



Morphology: Blum and Callahan, 1963. Psyche 70: 69-74 (morphology and physiology of 

 poison glands and venom). 



Unplaced Taxon of Pseudomyrmecinae 

 Ponera (EctatomaU)) Lincecumii Buckley, 1866. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 6: 172. 5 . Cent. Tex. 



Subfamily MYRMICINAE 



This is the largest subfamily of ants and is found throughout the world. In North America, the 

 Myrmicinae are better represented in the central and southern United States with their in- 

 cidence rapidly decreasing northwards where the Formicinae become the dominant subfamily. 

 Members of this subfamily are recognized by the two-segmented petiole and the frontal carinae 

 which are distant from each other and each of which usually bears a lobe concealing the antennal 

 insertions. 



Taxonomy: Wheeler and Wheeler, 1960. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 53:98-110 (larvae). —Wheeler 

 and Wheeler, 1960. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 62:1-32 (larvae). — Ettershank, 1966. Austral. 

 Jour. Zool. 14:73-171 (generic revision of world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and 

 Pheidologeton). —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1973. Psyche 80: 204-211 (supp. studies on 

 larvae). —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1973. Psyche 80: 70-82 (larvae of four tribes, 2nd supp.; 

 Leptothoracini, Ocymyrmecini, Tetramoriini, Cryptocerini). — Wheeler and Wheeler, 1973. 

 Ga. Ent. Soc., Jour. 8: 27-39 (larvae of six tribes, 2nd supp.). 



Morphology: Blum, 1974. N. Y. Ent. Soc., Jour. 82: 141-147 (Myrmicine trail pheromones: 

 specificity, source, and significance). — McCluskey, 1974. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Jour. 82: 93-102 

 (generic diversity in phase of rhythm in Myrmicine ants). 



Tribe MYRMICINI 



Genus MYRMICA Latreille 



Myrmica Latreille, 1804. Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. 24:179. 



Type-species: Formica rubra Linnaeus. Desig. by Latreille, 1810. 



This holarctic genus is found as far north as Labrador and Alaska in North America and is 

 restricted to higher elevations in the southern parts of its range. There are apparently no sub- 

 tropical or xerophilous representatives. The moderate sized colonies nest in soil, rotten wood, or 

 under cover of various objects. Workers are carnivorous but also feed on honeydew of Homop- 

 tera and exudates of plants. Workers of some species differ from each other very slightly and 

 males are sometimes needed for determination. Some species are closely related to Palearctic 

 forms and have been regarded as subspecies of them by some authors. 



Revision: Weber, 1947. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 40:437-474. —Weber, 1948. Ent. Soc. Amer., 

 Ann. 41:267-308. —Weber, 1950. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 43:189-226. 



Taxonomy: Wheeler, 1907. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc., Bui. 5:73-83 (varieties of M. brevinodis). 

 —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1952. Psyche 59:112-123 (larvae). —Yarrow, 1955. Roy. Ent. Soc. 

 London, Proc., Ser. B: Taxonomy 24:113-115 (type-species). — Collingwood, 1958. Roy Ent. 

 Soc. London, Proc., Ser. A 33:65-75 (Britain). —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1963. Ants of N. 

 Dak., pp. 94-108. —Collingwood, 1974. Soc. Brit. Ent., Trans. 16:96-101 (Britain). 



Biology: Brian, 1957. Insectes Sociaux 4:177-190 (growth and development of colonies). 

 —Weir, 1958. Insectes Sociaux 5:97-128, 316-339 (polyethism in workers). —Weir, 1958. 

 Jour. Ins. Physiol. 1:352-360 (effect of temperature variation on queen oviposition and 

 colony formation). — Kannowski, 1959. Insectes Sociaux 6:143-144 (flight activities and 

 colony founding). — Weir, 1959. Insectes Sociaux 6:271-290 (influence of worker age on 

 trophogenic larval dormancy). — Weir, 1959. Insectes Sociaux 6:167-201 (egg masses and 

 early larval growth). — Weir, 1959. Physiol. Zool. 32:63-77 (interrelation of queen and 

 worker oviposition). — Carr, 1962. Insectes Sociaux 9:177-211 (influence of queen). — Brian 

 and Hibble, 1963. Insectes Sociaux 10:71-82 (larval size and influence of queen on growth). 



