Ants of Arkansas (species list)
Joe MacGown

Much of the information known about the ants of Arkansas is from the work of L.O.Warren and E.P. Rouse (1969). More recent work has been done by Dave General and Lynne Thompson in the Arkansas Post National Memorial historical park in Arkansas County, and their results have added additional species to the Arkansas list (General and Thompson, 2007). The list below includes 114 species of Formicidae from 7 subfamilies and 34 genera. Species on the following list are from the Warren and Rouse paper, the General and Thompson paper, from other literature records, and from collections made by the MEM during the last 15 years. Specimens from Warren and Rouse's publication were not examined, however, the scientific names have been updated. In some cases, it was impossible to know exactly what species was reported, and only a genus name followed by sp. is given.

Clicking on a species name will lead to a page with further information and photographs of that species. Although species pages are at various levels of progress, most pages now have representative photographs of at least workers of the species. In addition to the photographs of ants taken by Joe MacGown at the Mississippi Entomological Museum (MEM), many photos are used, with permission, from AntWeb, a web site about ants of the world with amazing photos. Another site with photographs of ants is "Discover Life." The Discover Life site provides a list of North American ants with photos at "Kinds of Ants , Ants of North America Page". On each individual MEM species page, a link is provided (at the bottom of the page) for that species on both the AntWeb site and the Discover Life ant site.

The list presented is arranged by subfamily, tribe, and genus according to Bolton (2003). Names follow Fisher and Cover (2007). For species that are introduced or considered to be pest species, that designation is given following the species name. For species whose origin is uncertain, the word "introduced" is followed by the "?" symbol. Similarly, for questionable pest species, the word "pest" is followed by the "?" symbol. Pest species include species that are considered to be serious pests, in that they may cause significant damage or health problems, to mild, nuisance pests. Species that are in the Mississippi Entomological Museum (MEM), literature records, web based records, and/or other citations of records are noted in brackets following the species name (note that not all published records are given).

Family Formicidae

Family Formicidae
    Subfamily Dolichoderinae
        Tribe Dolichoderini
             Dolichoderus mariae Forel [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Dolichoderus taschenbergi (Mayr) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Dorymyrmex sp. [possibly Dorymyrmex bureni (Trager)] [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Forelius mccooki (McCook) [MEM]
             Forelius pruinosus (Roger) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Linepithema humile (Mayr) (introduced, pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Tapinoma sessile (Say) (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]

    Subfamily Formicinae
        Tribe Lasiini
             Lasius alienus (Foerster) (introduced, pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Lasius claviger (Roger) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Lasius interjectus (Mayr) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Lasius neoniger Emery [Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Plagiolepidini
             Brachymyrmex depilis Emery [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr (introduced, pest) [MEM; MacGown et al., 2007]
             Brachymyrmex sp.-04 [pers. comm., Lloyd Davis-Gainesville, FL]
             Paratrechina arenivaga (Wheeler) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; Trager, 1984]
             Paratrechina faisonensis (Forel) [MEM; Trager, 1984]
             Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) (introduced, pest) [Global Invasive Species Database, 2008]
             Paratrechina parvula (Mayr) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; Trager, 1984]
             Paratrechina terricola (Buckley) (pest) [Trager, 1984;General & Thompson, 2007]
             Prenolepis imparis (Say) (pest?) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]

        Tribe Camponotini
             Camponotus americanus Mayr (pest) [MEM;Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Camponotus caryae (Fitch) (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Camponotus castaneus (Latreille) (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Camponotus chromaiodes Bolton (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Camponotus decipiens Emery (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Camponotus discolor (Buckley) (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Camponotus impressus (Roger) [listed as C. pylartes fraxinicola, but likely impressus-Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Camponotus nearcticus Emery (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Camponotus pennsylvanicus (DeGeer) (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Camponotus sansabeanus (Buckley) (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Camponotus snellingi Bolton (occasional pest) [MEM]
             Camponotus subbarbatus Emery (pest) [MEM;Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Formicini
             Formica biophilica Trager [MEM; Trager et al., 2007]
             Formica dolosa Buren [MEM; Trager et al., 2007; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Formica fusca Linnaeus [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Formica pallidefulva Latreille [MEM; Trager et al., 2007; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Formica rubicunda Emery [MEM]
             Formica subsericea Say [MEM]
             Polyergus breviceps Emery [MEM]
             Polyergus lucidus Mayr [Warren & Rouse, 1969]

    Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae
        Tribe Pseudomyrmecini
             Pseudomyrmex pallidus (Smith) (pest?) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; Thompson, 2007]

    Subfamily Ecitoninae
        Tribe Ecitonini
             Labidus coecus (Latreille) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Neivamyrmex nigrescens (Cresson) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Neivamyrmex opacithorax (Emery) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Neivamyrmex pilosus (F. Smith) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]

    Subfamily Amblyoponinae
        Tribe Amblyoponini
             Amblyopone pallipes (Haldeman) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Ponerini
             Cryptopone gilva (Roger) [MEM; Smith, 1979]
             Hypoponera opacior (Forel) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Ponera exotica Smith [MEM]
             Ponera pennsylvanica Buckley [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]

    Subfamily Proceratiinae
        Tribe Proceratiini
             Discothyrea testacea Roger [MEM; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Proceratium creek de Andrade [Baroni Urbani & de Andrade, 2003]
             Proceratium croceum (Roger) [Baroni Urbani & de Andrade, 2003]
             Proceratium pergandei (Emery) [MEM; [Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003; Smith, 1979; General & Thompson, 2007;]
             Proceratium silaceum Roger [MEM; Baroni Urbani & de Andrade, 2003]

    Subfamily Myrmicinae
        Tribe Dacetini
             Pyramica angulata (Smith) [MEM; Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica clypeata (Roger) [Warren & Rouse, 1969; Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica dietrichi (Smith) [Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica filitalpa (Brown) [Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica laevinasis (Smith) [Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica metazytes Bolton [MEM]
             Pyramica ohioensis (Kennedy & Schramm) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica ornata (Mayr) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica pilinasis (Forel) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pyramica reflexa (Wesson & Wesson) [MEM; Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica rostrata (Emery) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969;Bolton, 2000]
             Pyramica talpa (Weber) [MEM]
             Strumigenys louisianae Roger [MEM;Bolton, 2000]

        Tribe Attini
             Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (McCook) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Stenammini
             Stenamma meridionale Smith [Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Solenopsidini
             Monomorium minimum (Buckley) (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus) (introduced, pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Monomorium viride Brown [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Solenopsis carolinensis Forel [Pacheco, 2007]
             Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Solenopsis invicta Buren (introduced, pest) [MEM]
             Solenopsis molesta (Say) (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Solenopsis texana Emery [MEM;Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Solenopsis xyloni McCook (pest) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Myrmicini
             Myrmica americana Weber [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Myrmica pinetorum Wheeler [MEM]
             Myrmica punctiventris Roger [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pogonomyrmex badius (Latreille) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pogonomyrmex barbatus (Smith) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pogonomyrmex comanche Wheeler [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Tetramoriini
             Tetramorium caespitum (Linnaeus) [listed as T. guineense-Warren & Rouse, 1969]

        Tribe Pheidolini
             Aphaenogaster carolinensis Wheeler [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Aphaenogaster fulva Roger [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007
             Aphaenogaster lamellidens Mayr [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (Mayr) [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Aphaenogaster texana Wheeler [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Aphaenogaster treatae Forel [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pheidole bicarinata Mayr (pest?) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pheidole dentata Mayr (pest?) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pheidole dentigula Smith [General & Thompson, 2007]
             Pheidole morrisii Forel [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pheidole pilifera (Roger) [General & Thompson, 2007]
             Pheidole soritis Wheeler [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Pheidole tetra Creighton [MEM; Wilson, 2003]
             Pheidole tysoni Forel [MEM; General & Thompson, 2007]

        Tribe Crematogastrini
             Crematogaster ashmeadi Mayr (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Crematogaster atkinsoni Wheeler [General & Thompson, 2007]
             Crematogaster cerasi (Fitch) [Smith, 1979]
             Crematogaster lineolata (Say) (pest) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Crematogaster minutissima Mayr [Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Crematogaster missuriensis Emery [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]
             Crematogaster pilosa Emery [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Crematogaster vermiculata Emery [Smith, 1979]

        Tribe Formicoxenini
             Protomognathus americanus (Emery) [General & Thompson, 2007]
             Temnothorax curvispinosus (Mayr) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969;General & Thompson, 2007]
             Temnothorax pergandei (Emery) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Temnothorax schaumii (Roger) [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969; General & Thompson, 2007]
             Temnothorax texanus (Wheeler) [MEM]

        Tribe Myrmecinini
             Myrmecina americana Emery [MEM; Warren & Rouse, 1969]

Literature Cited

Baroni Urbani, C. and M. L. de Andrade. 2003.  The ant genus Proceratium in the extant and fossil record (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae). Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Monografie 36:  1-480. 

Bolton, B. 2000.  The Ant Tribe Dacetini.  Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute.  Vol. 65, part 1-2. 

Fisher, B. L. and S. P. Cover. 2007. Ants of North America: A guide to the Genera. University of California Press. Berkeley, CA. 194 pp.

Global Invasive Species Database: Paratrechina longicornis (insect). http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?fr=1&si=958&sts= accessed 2 June 2008.

General, D. M. and L. C. Thompson. 2007. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Arkansas Post National Memorial. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 61: 59-64.

MacGown, J. A., J.G. Hill, and M. A. Deyrup. 2007. Brachymyrmex patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an emerging pest species in the southeastern United States. Florida Entomologist 90: 457-464.

Pacheco, J. A. 2007. The New World ants of the genus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PhD dissertation, The University of Texas at El Paso. i-xxi +543 pp.

Smith, D. R. 1979.  In Catalog of Hymenoptera in America north of Mexico. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D. C.  Vol. 2, pp. 1323-1427. 

Trager, J. C. 1984.  A revision of the genus Paratrechina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the continental United States. Sociobiology 9:  49-162. 

Trager, J. C. 1988. A revision of the Conomyrma (Hymenoptera: Fomicidae) from the southeastern United States, especially Florida, with keys to the species. Florida Entomologist 71: 11-29.

Trager, J. C., J. A. MacGown and M. D. Trager. 2007. Revision of the Nearctic endemic Formica pallidefulva group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). In: Snelling, R. R., P. S. Ward, and B. L. Fisher (editors), Advances in ant systematics. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 610-636.

Warren, L.O., and E.P. Rouse. 1969. "The ants of Arkansas." Univ. Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. No. 742, 68 pp.

Wilson, E. O.  2003.  Pheidole in the New World, a Dominant, Hyperdiverse Ant Genus.  Harvard University Press.  Cambridge, MA, London, England.  794 pp.