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Brachymyrmex

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Kingdom
  
Subfamily
  
Scientific name
  
Brachymyrmex

Phylum
  
Order
  
Hymenopterans

Family
  
Tribe
  
Plagiolepidini

Higher classification
  
Plagiolepidini

Rank
  
Brachymyrmex Brachymyrmex Alex Wild Photography

Similar
  
Ant, Insect, Paratrechina, Formicinae, Dorymyrmex

Brachymyrmex is a genus in the ants subfamily Formicinae. The genus can be recognized by the combination of having nine antennal segments (fewer than most ants) and the petiole concealed by the gaster in dorsal view. They are sometimes called "rover ants".

Contents

Brachymyrmex Brachymyrmex Alex Wild Photography

Brachymyrmex sp update 4 2 15 large voume of pupae


Distribution

Brachymyrmex Brachymyrmex Alex Wild Photography

The genus has a mainly Neotropical distribution, ranging from the United States to Argentina and Chile, including the Caribbean islands, but some species have been introduced to Japan, and Madagascar.

Description

Brachymyrmex Help with Locating ColoniesQueens of 3 NJ ant species Where

Brachymyrmex is a genus of minute ants that at first glance exhibit little morphological variation. Currently only the 9-segmented antennae and lack of antennal club have been proposed to diagnose workers of the genus. The combination of small size, soft metasoma, and the simple morphology makes observations and interpretation of morphological characters difficult. These difficulties impede taxonomic revisions and even led Creighton (1950) to call Brachymyrmex a "miserable little genus". Nevertheless, 44 species and 17 subspecies are currently assigned to Brachymyrmex.

Taxonomy

Brachymyrmex Ant Contortionist Brachymyrmex depilis BugGuideNet

The first complete taxonomic revision of Brachymyrmex was published by Santschi (1923) and included 27 species and 15 subspecies and varieties. In this revision, Santschi (1923) recognized two subgenera: 1) Brachymyrmex sensu stricto (including most of the species) and 2) Bryscha (four species).

Brachymyrmex httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Brachymyrmex sensu stricto contains species that have hairy legs, antennae without erect hairs and the second segment of the antennal funiculus much shorter that the first (= third antennal segment much shorter than the second). Bryscha species have legs and antennae with erect hairs and the second segment of the antennal funiculus is as long as or longer than the first. Unlike other species in the genus, two of the species of the subgenus Bryscha, Brachymyrmex pilipes and Brachymyrmex micromegas, have dimorphic workers. Ambiguity remains regarding the status of Bryscha. Brown (1973) provisionally synonymized it under Brachymyrmex and Bolton (1995, 2014) accepted this synonymy in his catalogues without substantiating the decision.

Brachymyrmex dark rover ant Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr

References

Brachymyrmex Wikipedia


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