Ants of Tennessee (species list)
Joe MacGown
The following list of ant species includes 122 species plus the hybrid fire ant, Solenopsis invicta x richteri. This species is based on literature records, personal communication with various ant researchers, preliminary results of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI), and from specimens in the the Mississippi Entomological Museum (MEM). Although A. C. Cole (1940) studied the ants of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, a comprehensive list documenting the species of ants for the entire state of Tennessee is unavailable. Cole reported finding 86 species of ants in the Smokies, however, several of his names were lost due to synonymy. Other species have been reported in various other studies or taxonomic treatments of specific groups.
Specimens from Cole's publication were not examined, although 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 Bolton (1995), except Dorymyrmex, which follows Snelling (1995); Pyramica, which follows Bolton (2000); Aphaenogaster, which follows Umphrey (1996); Pheidole, which follows Wilson (2003); and Crematogaster, which follows Johnson (1988) and Deyrup (2003). 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.
Family Formicidae
Subfamily Dolichoderinae
Tribe Dolichoderini
Dolichoderus mariae Forel [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Dolichoderus plagiatus (Mayr) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Dolichoderus taschenbergi (Mayr) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Dorymyrmex sp. (probably Dorymyrmex bureni (Trager)) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Forelius sp. (Forelius mccooki (McCook)) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Linepithema humile (Mayr) (introduced, pest)
Tapinoma sessile (Say) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Subfamily Formicinae
Tribe Lasiini
Lasius alienus (Foerster) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Lasius claviger (Roger) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Lasius flavus (Fabricius) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Lasius interjectus (Mayr) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Lasius latipes (Walsh) [Smith, 1979]
Lasius nearcticus Wheeler [ATBI; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Lasius neoniger Emery [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Lasius speculiventris Emery [ATBI; Pfitzer, 1950]
Lasius subglaber (Emery) [Smith, 1979]
Lasius umbratus (Nylander) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Tribe Plagiolepidini
Brachymyrmex depilis Emery [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Paratrechina faisonensis (Forel) [Trager, 1984]
Paratrechina parvula (Mayr) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Paratrechina terricola (Buckley) (pest) [Trager, 1984]
Prenolepis imparis (Say) (pest?) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Tribe Camponotini
Camponotus americanus Mayr (pest) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus caryae (Fitch) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus castaneus (Latreille) (pest) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus chromaiodes Bolton (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus decipiens Emery (pest) [Dennis, 1938]
Camponotus mississippiensis Smith [ATBIDennis, 1938]
Camponotus nearcticus Emery (pest) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus pennsylvanicus (DeGeer) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Camponotus snellingi Bolton (pest) [Dennis, 1938]
Camponotus subbarbatus Emery (pest) [Snelling, 1988]
Tribe Formicini
Formica aserva Forel [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Formica biophilica Trager [Trager et al., 2007]
Formica difficilis Emery [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Formica dolosa Buren [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Formica exsectoides Forel [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Formica fusca Linnaeus [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Formica neogagates Emery [ATBI]
Formica pallidefulva Latreille [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Formica rubicunda Emery [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Formica subaenescens Emery [Dennis, 1938]
Formica subintegra Wheeler [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Formica subsericea Say [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Subfamily Ecitoninae
Tribe Ecitonini
Neivamyrmex carolinensis (Emery) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Neivamyrmex nigrescens (Cresson) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Neivamyrmex opacithorax (Emery) [Smith, 1979]
Subfamily Amblyoponinae
Tribe Amblyoponini
Amblyopone pallipes (Haldeman) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Subfamily Ponerinae
Tribe Ponerini
Cryptopone gilva (Roger) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Hypoponera opacior (Forel) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Pachycondyla chinensis Emery (introduced, pest) [Nelder et al., 2006]
Ponera pennsylvanica Buckley [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Subfamily Proceratiinae
Tribe Proceratiini
Proceratium chickasaw de Andrade [Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003]
Proceratium crassicorne Emery [Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003]
Proceratium croceum (Roger) [ATBI; Cole, 1940; Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003]
Proceratium pergandei (Emery) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003]
Proceratium silaceum Roger [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Baroni Urbani and de Andrade, 2003]
Tribe Attini
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (McCook) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Tribe Stenammini
Stenamma diecki Emery [ATBI; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1957]
Stenamma impar Forel [ATBI; Sanders, 2004]
Stenamma meridionale Smith [ATBI]
Stenamma schmittii Wheeler [ATBI; Smith, 1979]
Tribe Solenopsidini
Monomorium destructor (Jerdon) (introduced, pest-probably only in heated buildings) [Creighton, 1950]
Monomorium minimum (Buckley) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus) (introduced, pest) [Dennis, 1938]
Solenopsis carolinensis Forel [ATBI; Pacheco, 2007]
Solenopsis invicta Buren (introduced, pest) [ATBI]
Solenopsis invicta x richteri (introduced, pest) [MEM]
Solenopsis molesta (Say) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Pacheco, 2007]
Solenopsis richteri Forel (introduced, pest) [MEM]
Solenopsis tennesseensis Smith [Pacheco, 2007]
Solenopsis texana Emery [Pacheco, 2007]
Tribe Myrmicini
Myrmica americana Weber [Smith, 1979]
Myrmica fracticornis Forel [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Smith, 1979]
Myrmica incompleta Provancher [Dennis, 1938-reported as M. rubra brvinodis Emery]
Myrmica latifrons Starcke [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Myrmica pinetorum Wheeler [Dennis, 1938]
Myrmica punctiventris Roger [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Myrmica spatulata Smith [ATBI; Smith, 1979]
Tribe Tetramoriini
Tetramorium caespitum (Linnaeus) (introduced, pest) [MEM]
Tribe Pheidolini
Aphaenogaster ashmeadi Emery [ATBI; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Aphaenogaster carolinensis Wheeler [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster fulva Roger [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster lamellidens Mayr [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster picea (Wheeler) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster rudis Enzmann [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (Mayr) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster texana Wheeler ?? [Cole, 1940]
Aphaenogaster treatae Forel ) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Pheidole bicarinata Mayr (pest?) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Pheidole crassicornis Emery [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Pheidole dentata Mayr (pest?) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Pheidole dentigula Smith [ATBI; Cole, 1940; Smith, 1979]
Pheidole morrisii Forel [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Pheidole tysoni Forel [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Tribe Crematogastrini
Crematogaster ashmeadi Mayr (pest) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Crematogaster cerasi (Fitch) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938]
Crematogaster lineolata (Say) (pest) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Crematogaster minutissima Mayr [ATBI]
Crematogaster missuriensis Emery [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Crematogaster pilosa Emery (pest) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Tribe Formicoxenini
Temnothorax curvispinosus (Mayr) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Temnothorax longispinosus (Roger) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Temnothorax pergandei (Emery) [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
Temnothorax schaumii (Roger) [ATBI; Cole, 1940]
Temnothorax smithi (Baroni Urbani) [ATBI; Pfitzer, 1950]
Tribe Myrmecinini
Myrmecina americana Emery [ATBI; Dennis, 1938; Cole, 1940]
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.
Cole, A. C. 1940. A guide to the ants of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tennessee. The American Midland Naturalist 24: 1-88.
Creighton, W.S. 1950: The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104: 1-585.
Dennis, C. A. 1938. The distribution of ant species in Tennessee with reference to ecological factors. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 38: 267-308.
Gibbs, M. M. 2003. Ground-inhabiting ants collected in a mixed hardwood southern Appalachian forest in eastern Tennessee. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science.
Martelli, G. M., M. M. Ward, and A. M. Fraser. 2004. Ant diversity sampling on the southern Cumberland Plateau: A comparison of litter sifting and pitfall trapping. Southeastern Naturalist 3: 113-126.
Nelder, M. P., E. S. Paysen, P. A. Zungoli, and E. P. Benson. 2006. Emergence of the introduced ant Pachycondyla chinensis (Formicidae: Ponerinae) as a public health threat in the southeastern United States.
Pfitzer, D.W. 1950. Checklist of the ants of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. *#1145
Smith, M. R. 1957. Revision of the genus Stenamma Westwood in America north of Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The American Midland Naturalist 57: 133-174.
Snelling, R. R. 1988. Taxonomic notes on Nearctic species of Camponotus, Subgenus Myrmentoma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). pp. 55-78 in J.C. Trager (ed). Advances in Myrmecology. E.J. Brill: New York, New York, USA.
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.
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For questions or comments about this page or about ants, contact Joe MacGown: jmacgown@entomology.msstate.edu