Formica Linnaeus, 1758

Ivanov, Kaloyan, Hightower, Liberty, Dash, Shawn T. & Keiper, Joe B., 2019, 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA, Zootaxa 4554 (2), pp. 532-560 : 540-541

Formica Linnaeus

argentea Wheeler. Shenandoah (MMPC). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Francoeur 1973, 1974, Peck et al. 1998, Guenard et al. 2012).

The only reliable Virginia record of F. argentea is that of Francoeur (1974; p. 261) which is based on examination of materials in Forel’s collection (1 worker and 1 male, “ 4-VII-1880, T. Pergande”). Records in Peck et al. (1998) and MMPC are likely based on misidentifications of the locally common Formica subsericea . More interesting is the record in Francoeur (1973; p. 150) which is based on examination of specimens (no county and locality data) at the Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul. It is possible that the specimen label “ Virginia ” refers to the town of Virginia in northern Minnesota where argentea is not uncommon. Virginia records reported in Guenard et al. (2012) are based on Francoeur (1974) and Peck et al. (1998).

aserva Forel. Literature records: Giles ( Cole 1949), “ Virginia ” ( Gregg 1963).

biophilica Trager. Fairfax (USNM). Literature records: Virginia Beach ( Guenard & Drew 2011), “ Virginia ” ( Guenard et al. 2012).

difficilis Emery. Albemarle, Arlington, Fairfax, Franklin, Henry, Montgomery (FMNH, USNM, VMNH, VPISU). Literature records: Arlington ( Cole 1939, Cole 1943), “ Virginia ” ( Emery 1893, Wheeler 1913).

dolosa Buren. Albemarle, Alleghany, Appomattox, Franklin, Giles, Halifax, Hanover, Montgomery, Rockingham, Suffolk (RUIC, VMNH, VPISU). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Creighton 1950, Gregg 1963, Young & Howell 1964, Smith, D.R. 1979, Forster 2003, Coovert 2005).

exsectoides Forel. Fairfax, Page (FMNH, MCZ, USNM), “ Shenandoah National Park, Big Meadows ” (FMNH), “ Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Dr.” (MCZ). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Creighton 1950, Guenard et al. 2012).

incerta Buren. Albemarle, Alleghany, Bath, Dickenson, Fairfax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Highland, Gloucester, Loudon, Madison, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Prince Edward, Rockingham, Scott, Tazewell, Virginia Beach, Washington (JTLC, RUIC, STDC, USNM, VMNH, VPISU). Literature records: Fairfax, Rappahannock, Washington ( Trager et al. 2007), “ Virginia ” ( Emery 1893, Wheeler 1913, Guenard et al. 2012).

integra Nylander. Albemarle, Amelia, Arlington, Augusta, Fairfax, Frederick, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King William, Montgomery , New Kent, Newport News, Page, Prince William, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Tazewell, York (RUIC, STDC, USNM, VMNH, VPISU), “ Virginia ” (INHS, USNM). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Mayr 1886, Wilkinson et al. 1980).

neogagates Viereck. Augusta, Floyd, Rappahannock, Rockingham, Shenandoah (MCZ, MMPC, USNPS, VMNH). Literature records: Augusta ( Wang et al. 2000), “ Virginia ” ( Guenard et al. 2012).

* neorufibarbis Emery. Shenandoah: George Washington National Forest, Signal Knob Trail, 38.95744° N, - 78.33246° W, 660 m, 24.v.2015, MM Prebus leg., MMP0 1921, nest in soil under rocks, mixed hardwood forest with intermittent patches of open pine woodland, canopy ~30-50' tall, open area w/pines, MM Prebus det. June 2015 ( MMPC: CASENT0755111 , CASENT0755112 , CASENT0755196 ) .

obscuriventris Mayr. Augusta, Hanover, Madison, Montgomery, Rockbridge, Rockingham (JTLC, MCZ, VMNH, VPISU), “ Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Dr.” (MCZ). Literature records: Augusta ( Wang et al. 2000), “ Virginia ” ( Mayr 1886, Wheeler 1913, Creighton 1950, Gregg 1963, Smith D.R. 1979, Wheeler & Wheeler 1986, Coovert 2005, Ellison et al. 2012, Guenard et al. 2012).

pallidefulva Latreille. Albemarle, Augusta, Craig, Fairfax, Franklin, Halifax, Henrico , Isle of Wight, James City, Louisa, Newport News, Page, Patrick, Roanoke, Scott, Shenandoah, Tazewell, Virginia Beach, York (FMNH, MCZ, MMPC, OSUC, RUIC, UCM, USNM, VMNH), “ Virginia ” (NMSU). Literature records: Augusta, Giles, Montgomery ( Cole 1949, Wang et al. 2000, Trager et al. 2007), “ Virginia ” ( Mayr 1886, Emery 1893, Wheeler 1913, Gregg 1963, Young & Howell 1964, Peck et al. 1998, Guenard et al. 2012).

pergandei Emery. Augusta, Craig, Hanover, Montgomery, Scott (RUIC, VMNH). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Buren 1968, Guenard et al. 2012).

rubicunda Emery. Augusta, Giles, Page (FMNH, MCZ). Literature records: Augusta ( Wang et al. 2000), “ Virginia ” ( Buren 1968, Guenard et al. 2012).

subaenescens Emery. James City (FMNH). Literature records: “ Whitetop Mtn.” ( Van Pelt 1963), “ Virginia ” ( Francoeur 1974, Guenard et al. 2012).

All Virginia records of this species appear under the name Formica fusca Linnaeus. As currently understood true fusca is restricted to the Palearctic region and does not occur in North America. The Virginia record of F. subaenescens in Francoeur (1974; p. 262) is based on examination of materials in Forel’s collection (2 workers, “T. Pergande”). Van Pelt’s record from Whitetop Mtn. may also refer to F. subaenescens but we have not had a chance to examine his specimens. The record reported in Guenard et al. (2012) is based on Francoeur (1974). James City Co. is located in Virginia’s Coastal Plain and as such, the FMNH record from this locality is most likely a misidentification of F. subsericea . Formica subaenescens is a northern species, which should occur in high altitude sites in the western part of the state.

subintegra Wheeler, W.M. Campbell, Fairfax, Montgomery (FMNH, RUIC, VMNH). Literature records: “ Virginia ” ( Buren 1968, Guenard et al. 2012).

subsericea Say. Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta , Bedford, Bland, Campbell, Carroll, Craig, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Greene, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Isle of Wight, Montgomery, Newport News, Norfolk, Northampton, Patrick, Prince Edward, Prince William, Roanoke, Rockingham, Scott, Spotsylvania, Suffolk, Sussex, Westmoreland, York (JTLC, MCZ, RUIC, STDC, UCM, USNM, USNPS, VMNH, VPISU). Literature records: Augusta, Carroll, Fairfax, Giles, Grayson, Hanover, Henrico, James City, Northampton, Page, Prince George, Rockbridge ( Wheeler 1913, Francoeur 1973, Wang et al. 2000), “ Virginia ” ( Emery 1893, Francoeur 1974, Guenard et al. 2012).