Superfamily FORMICOIDEA 1353 



Biology: Mallis, 1941. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., Bui. 40:66. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1968. 

 Pan-Pacific Ent. 44:71-72 (rediscovery). 



Genus POGONOMYRMEX Mayr 



Members of this genus are collectively known as harvester ants and some species are among 

 the most conspicuous ants in the arid regions of the western United States and Mexico because 

 of their mound building habits. The workers collect seeds for food, harvesting plants in their 

 nesting areas by snipping off seeds with their mandibles. The seeds are stored and are the main 

 food source though the ants are also scavengers. Nests are in the soil in areas fully exposed to 

 the sun; some are under stones and others are surmounted by soil craters or by small to huge 

 mounds with or without coverings of gravel. Some species alter the area surrounding their nest 

 by clearing away the vegetation. Some species have a painful sting, procure seeds from cul- 

 tivated crops and damage rangelands. 



Revision: Wheeler, 1902. Amer. Nat. 36:85-100. —Wheeler, 1902. Psyche 9:387-393. 



—Wheeler, 1914. Psyche 21:151-157. — Olsen, 1934. Harvard Univ., Mus. Comp. Zool., Bui. 

 77:493-514. —Cole. 1968. Pogonomyrmex Harvester Ants, 222 pp. 



Taxonomy: Wheeler and Wheeler, 1952. Psyche 59:106-111 (larvae). —Cole, 1954. Tenn. Acad. 

 Sci., Jour. 29:117-119. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1960. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 62:2 (larva). 

 —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1972. Ga. Ent. Soc., Jour. 7:236-237 (larvae). 



Morphology: Eisner, 1957. Harvard Univ., Mus. Comp. Zool., Bui. 116:477-478 



(proventriculus). — McGurk, et al., 1966. Jour. Ins. Physiol. 12:1435-1441 (identification of 

 4-methyl-3-heptanone). 



Genus POGONOMYRMEX Subgenus POGONOMYRMEX Mayr 



Pogonomyrmex Mayr, 1868. Soc. Nat. Modena, Ann. 3:169. 



Type-species: Formica badia Latreille. Desig. by Wheeler, 1911. 



Species Group Barbatus 



anergismus Cole. N. Mex. (15 mi. e. Silver City, 6900 ft.). Ecology: Possibly a social parasite; 

 found in nest of P. rugosus. Host: Pogonomyrmex ntgosus Emery. 

 Pogonomyrmex {Pogonomyrmex) anergismus Cole, 1954. Tenn. Acad. Sci., Jour. 

 29:115-116. 9, S. 

 apache Wheeler. Southwest. Kans. (?), w. Tex., s. Colo., N. Mex., s. Ariz., s. Nev.; Mexico. 

 Ecology: Colonies are small and the usually obscure nests are in stony soils with no 

 superstructure though sometimes in sandy soil with small circular craters. 

 Pogonomyrmex apache Wheeler, 1902. Psyche 9:392. 5 . 

 Pogonomyrmex sancti-hyacinthi Wheeler, 1902. Psyche 9:388. 9 . 



Biology: Wheeler, 1910. Ants, p. 283. —Cole, 1954. Tenn. Acad. Sci., Jour. 29:266-267. 

 —Gregg, 1963. Ants of Colo., pp. 318-319. 

 barbatus (Smith). E. Ark., e. La., s. and w. Kans., Okla., Tex., e. Colo., s. and central N. Mex., 

 s.e. and central Ariz., Nev. (Clark Co.); Mexico. Ecology: The usual nest is a low to high 

 gravel mound, frequently with a scooped-out center, though the nest structure varies. 

 The most conspicuous ant of this genus in its range. Red harvester ant. 

 Myrmica harbata Smith, 1858. Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus. 6:130. 9. 



Myrmica {Atta) molefaciens Buckley, 1860. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Proc. 12:445. 5,9. 

 Pogonomyrmex barbatiis var. nigrescens Wheeler, 1902. Psyche 9:389, 391. 5. 



Taxonomy: Emery, 1895. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. System. 8:308 (each caste). —Wheeler, 1914. N. 

 Y. Ent. Soc., Jour. 22:51-52 (each caste). — Creighton, 1950. Harvard Univ., Mus. Comp. 

 Zool., Bui. 104:116-119. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1952. Psyche 59:107 (larva). —Wheeler 

 and Wheeler, 1960. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 62:2 Oarva). 



Biology: McCook, 1879. The Natural History of the Agricultural Ant of Texas, 311 pp. 

 —Wheeler, 1901. Soc. Ent. de Belg., Ann. 45:202. —Wheeler, 1901. Amer. Nat. 35:723-724. 

 —Wheeler, 1910. Ants, pp. 11, 85, 179, 197, 202-203, 222, 264, 284, 286-288, 290-293. 

 —Hunter, 1921. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Ent. Cir. 148:4-7. —Gordon, 1943. Jour. Econ. Ent. 



