Superfamily FORMICOIDEA 1355 



occidentalis (Cresson). Southwest. N. Dak., w. S. Dak., w. Nebr., central and w. Kans., central 

 and w. Okla., n. Tex., s.e. Mont., Wyo., Colo., N. Mex., s.e. Idaho, Utah, e. and n. Ariz., 

 Nev., e. Calif. Ecology: The populous colonies build conical pebble mounds with basal 

 entrances and peripheral clearings. Workers are pugnacious and are active harvesters, 

 feeding on and storing large quantities of seeds. Western harvester ant. 



Myrmica occidentalis Cresson, 1895. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 4:426. 5,9. 



Myrmica seminigra Cresson, 1865. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 4:427. 6. 



Pogonomyrmex opaciceps Mayr, 1870. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. Wien, Verb. 20:971. 9. 



Pogonomyrmex occidentalis ruthveni Gaige, 1914. Biol. Soc. Wash., Proc. 27:93. 5 , 9 , 6. 



Pogonomyrmex occidentalis var. utahensis Olsen, 1934. Harvard Univ., Mus. Comp. Zool., 

 Bui. 77:498,509. 9, 9, <J. 



Taxonomy: Smith, 1953. Brooklyn Ent. See., Bui. 48:131. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1952. 

 Psyche 59:110 (larva). 



Biology: McCook, 1882. The Honey Ants of the Garden of the Gods, and the Occident Ants 

 of the American Plains, pp. 123-160. —Dean, 1905. Kans. Acad. Sci., Trans. 19:164-170. 

 — Headlee and Dean, 1908. Kans. State Col., Bui. 154:165-180. —Wheeler, 1910. Ants, pp. 

 145, 200, 202-205, 222, 283-284, 290, 291, 426. — Herrick, 1914. Insects Injurious to the 

 Household and Annoying to Man, pp. 172-173. —Cole, 1934. Ent. News 45:170. —Cole, 

 1942. Amer. Midland Nat. 28:366. — Knowlton, 1951. Brooklyn Ent. Soc, Bui. 46:75 (loss of 

 surface area on western rangeland). —Weber, 1959. Ent. News 70:85 (stings; note on 

 populations). —Chew, 1960. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Jour. 68:81 (colony size and activity). 

 —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1963. Ants of N. Dak, pp. 118-120. —Gregg, 1963. Ants of Colo., 

 pp. 328-334 (as occidentalis comanche). — Spangler, 1968. Kans. Ent. Soc, Jour. 41:318-323 

 (behavior). — Lavigne, 1969. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 62:1166-1175 (bionomics and nest 

 structure). —Clark and Camanor, 1973. Biol. Soc Nev., Occ Papers 34:1-6 (use of seed 

 stores by Heteromyid rodents). — Lavigne and Rogers, 1974. Wyo. Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. 

 Sci. Monog. 26: 1-14 (annotated bibliography). 

 owyheei Cole. Sask., central and w. Mont., n.w. Wyo., Alta., Idaho, n.w. Utah, B. C, Wash., 



Oreg., n. Nev., n.e. Calif. Ecology: Nest structure and habits are similar to those of P. 



occidentalis. 

 PogonoTnyrmex occidentalis owyheei Cole, 1938. Amer. Midland Nat. 19:240. 5,9. 



Biology: Cole, 1932. Ohio Jour. Sci. 32:17-20, 133-146, 2Ab-2AG, 533-538 (as occidentalis). 

 —Cole, 1933. Ent. News 44:16-19 (as occidentalis). —Cole, 1934. Canad. Ent. 66:193-198 

 (as occidentalis). —Cole, 1934. Ent. News 45:96-101 (as occidentalis). — WiUard and 

 Crowell, 1965. Jour. Econ. Ent. 58:484-489 (biology; e. Oreg.). —Lavigne and Rogers, 1974. 

 Wyo. Univ., Agr. Exp. Sta. Sci. Monog. 26: 14-18 (annotated bibliography). 

 salinus Olsen. Southeast. Oreg., Nev., e. Calif. Ecology: Found mostly in pinyon-juniper areas; 

 nests are a low bed of gravel with a cleared area surmounted by one or more craterlike 

 depressions each with one entrance. A docile ant. 

 Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen, 1934. Harvard Univ., Mus. Comp. Zool., Bui. 77:498, 510. 5 . 



Taxonomy: Wheeler and Wheeler, 1972. Ga Ent. Soc, Jour. 7:237 (larva). 

 subdentatus Mayr. Southwest. Oreg., w. Nev., Calif. Ecology: A timid, inoffensive ant whose 

 nests are low, irregular beds of sand and gravel with more than one entrance. Mayr's 

 citation of this form from Conn, is an error. 

 Pogonomyrmex subdentattis Mayr, 1870. Zool.-Bot. (iesell. Wien, Verb. 20:971. 5. 



Biology: Cole, 1934. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 27:399. — Mallis, 1941. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., Bui. 

 40:65. 



subnitidus Emery. Nev. (?) (Nye Co., Lyon Co.). coastal central and s. Calif.; Mexico. Ecology: 

 Nests are in sand or loose, sandy soil surmounted by semicircular or circular craters or 

 marked by irregular beds of sand. 

 Pogonomyrmex occidentalis var. subnitidus Emery, 1895. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. System. 

 8:310. 5. 



Biology: Cole, 1934. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 27:399. —Mallis, 1941. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., Bui. 

 40:65. —Wheeler and Wheeler, 1973. Ants of Deep Canyon, p. 52. 



