Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins

Snelling, G. C. & Snelling, R. R., 2007, New synonymy, new species, new keys to Neivamyrmex army ants of the United States., Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E. O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. (Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80), pp. 459-550 : 482-483

publication ID

21290

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6246857

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F56FFED8-0C0A-901F-866C-C85BD57C9824

treatment provided by

Christiana

scientific name

Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins
status

 

Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins View in CoL   HNS

Figures 9, 22, 40, 55, 82

Neivamyrmex moseri Watkins   HNS , 1969: 529 (w). U. S. A., Louisiana, Rapides Parish , Kisatchue National Forest ( USNM) examined .

Neivamyrmex   HNS isodentatus MacKay, 1998: 333 - 335 (w). U. S. A., Texas, Kleberg Co., Kleberg Airport (MCZC) examined. NEW SYNONYMY.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 4)

UNITED STATES: Louisiana and Texas.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED

In addition to the type material cited above, we have studied a small series from Texas, Bell Co., Bowmer Ranch 18 June 1970 (J. F. Watkins II; W 164; LACM, WPMC).

DISCUSSION

Neivamyrmex moseri   HNS is easily separated from all other described United States species by its unique mandibular structure: there are three large teeth that are usually approximately equal in size; much smaller intercalary denticles may be present. MacKay (1995) described N. isodentatus as a similar species that differed in details of mesosomal and petiolar sculpture, presence of a subantennal lamella, fewer short bristly hairs on the funiculus, and a subtle difference in the direction of the opening of the propodeal spiracle. None of these features is sufficiently distinctive to suggest a new species, since all are features that are typically variable in any species of Neivamyrmex   HNS . The types of N. isodentatus were compared with a few specimens from Bell County, Texas, identified by Watkins as N. moseri   HNS , but not with the types of that species. Had the N. isodentatus material been compared with N. moseri   HNS types, the conformity of the two would have been obvious. Both type series differ from the Bell County specimens in the same manner and we conclude that N. isodentatus is a synonym of N. moseri   HNS .

With the limited material available we are forced to agree with Watkins that the Bell County specimens are also N. moseri   HNS , even though differing in a few subtle features that are variable and somewhat illusory, depending upon the angle of view. We should note further that the statement by Watkins (1969) that N. moseri   HNS workers lack a subantennal lamella is only partly correct; the lateral extension of the frontal carina that runs below the socket is present, but is not elevated to form a distinct lamella in most specimens examined. A low lamella is present in a few specimens, but not to quite the same degree as seen in the types of N. isodentatus.

USNM

USA, Washington D.C., National Museum of Natural History, [formerly, United States National Museum]

USNM

USA, Washington D.C., National Museum of Natural History, [formerly, United States National Museum]

LACM

USA, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

LACM

USA, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Neivamyrmex

GBIF Dataset (for parent article) Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF