Superfamily FORMICOIDEA 1445 



imparis califomica Wheeler. Oreg., Nev., Calif. Ecology: Reported to feed on succulent tissue 

 of fruit and on fruit buds, damaging these by eating out the centers and leaving only 

 the scales. 

 Prenolepis imparis var. califomica Wheeler, 1930. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 23: 23. 5, 9, 6. 



Taxonomy: Eckert and Mallis, 1937. Calif. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bui. 342: 27. 



Biology: Essig, 1926. Ins. West. No. Amer., p. 866. —Mallis, 1941. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., 

 Bui. 40: 77-78. 

 imparls coloradensis Wheeler. Colo., N. Mex. 



Prenolepis imparis var. coloradensis Wheeler, 1930. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 23: 22. 5 . 



Biology: Gregg, 1963. Ants of Colo., pp. 496-498. 

 imparis imparis (Say). Conn., Ont. s. to Fla. w. to Wis., Iowa, Mo., Okla., Tex., N. Mex., Ariz. 



An annoying house infesting ant with habits similar to those given for the genus. 

 Formica imparis Say, 1836. Boston Jour. Nat. Hist. 1: 287. 9,6. 



Tapinoma polita Smith, 1855. Ent. Soc. London, Trans. 3: 112. 9. Synonymy questionable. 

 Formica {Tapinoma) Wichita Buckley, 1866. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 6: 169. 5. Synonymy 



questionable. 

 Prenolepis nitens var. americana Forel, 1891. In Grandidier, Hist. Madagascar, v. 20, p. 



94. S. 

 Prenolepis imparis var. minuta Emery, 1893. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. System. 7: 636. 5, cJ. 

 Prenolepis imparis var. testacea Emery, 1893. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. System. 7: 636. 9, S. 

 Prenolepis imparis var. pumila Wheeler, 1930. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 23: 21. 5, cJ. 



Taxonomy: Wesson and Wesson, 1940. Amer. Midland Nat. 24: 100. —Cole, 1940. Amer. 

 Midland Nat. 24: 66, 67. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1953. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 46: 142-143 

 (larva). 



Biology: Smith, 1924. Ent. News 35: 122. —Smith, 1928. Ent. News 39: 278. —Dennis, 1941. 

 Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 34: 82-86. —Talbot, 1943. Ecology 24: 31-44 (population studies). 

 —Talbot, 1943. Ecology 24: 345-352. (response to temperature and humidity changes). 

 — Tarpley, 1965. N. Y. Ent. Soc., Jour. 73: 6 (nuptial flight). —Smith, 1965. U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Tech. Bui. 1326, pp. 78-79 (economic importance). 



Genus MYRMECOCYSTUS Wesmael 



Myrmecocystiis Wesmael, 1838. Brussels Acad. Roy. de Belg., Bui. de CL des Sci. 5: 769. 

 Type-sjjecies: Myrmecocystzis mexicanus Wesmael. Monotypic. 



This genus is native to Mexico and western United States and is especially typical of the arid 

 plains and deserts. The ants nest in soil, the nest being surmoimted by a small crater, usually in 

 medium-sized colonies of 1,000 to 3,000 workers. Some forms are apparently entirely predaceous 

 or carnivorous; others live on honeydew and nectar obtained from plants or the secretion of 

 galls. They may be diurnal or nocturnal in their activity. Repletes are known to occur in many 

 forms. Ants of this genus are commonly called "honey ants" because of the honeylike substance 

 stored in the gasters of the repletes. Fluid stored in repletes is largely for use by adults of the 

 colony with little or none for the larvae. Larval food consists of dead insects brought in by 

 foraging workers. Owing to the high degree of polymorphism in many forms, these ants are not 

 easily determined specifically without large series of workers, especially major ones. 



Since this section was completed, Snelling (1976) published a revision of Myrrmcocystus, the 

 results of which cannot be entirely incorporated into this catalog at this date. Snelling recognizes 

 27 species in three subgenera, the typical subgenus, subgenus Endiodioctes Snelling 

 (type-species: Myrmecocystus melliger Forel), and subgenus Eremnocystus Snelling 

 (type-species: Myrmecocystus creightoni Snelling). Except for their arrangement by subgenus, 

 all species treated by Snelling that fall within the scope of this catalog are given. 



Revision: Emery, 1893. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. SystenrL 7: 666-667. —Wheeler, 1908. Amer. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist., Bui. 24: 345-397. —Wheeler, 1912. Psyche 19: 172-181. —Snelling, 1976. Nat. 

 Hist. Mus. of Los Angeles Co., Sci. Bui. 24: 1-163 (also biology). 



Taxonomy: Snelling, 1969. Los Angeles Co. Mus., Contrib. Sci. 170: 1-9 (melliger complex). 

 —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1970. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 63: 651 (larvae). 



