Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Fabricius 1804)

Befitting its wide distribution and variable phenotype, P. gracilis can be found in a variety of habitats from mangroves and thorn scrub to rainforest. It is often particularly common in disturbed situations such as old fields, roadsides, and secondary forest. Nests are usually located in dead twigs or small branches, belonging to a great variety of woody plants. In Central America (Mexico to Panama) there are a substantial number of records of colonies occupying swollen-thorn acacias. In a few localities P. gracilis is a common acacia inhabitant and under these circumstances it may exhibit local adaptation and phenotypic differentiation (Ward, 1993).

Pseudomyrmex gracilis is a widespread New World species, ranging from southern United States to Argentina and Uruguay. It is present as an introduced species in Hawaii and Florida.

Worker:masticatory margin of mandible with 7-10 teethmedian clypeal lobe laterally roundedeyes large and elongate (REL2 0.54-0.60)pronotum dorsolaterally submarginatepetiole long and slender (PLI 0.46-0.57) with a well developed anterior pedunclehead and mesosoma densely and finely punctulate-coriarious to coriarious-imbricate, subopaque to sublucid (not matte) in appearancestanding pilosity abundant, fine, predominantly pale silvery-white (not black), common on mesosoma dorsum and on external faces of tibiaesize and color extremely variable (HW 1.39-2.07), varying from unicolorous black (appendages lighter) to unicolorous orange-brown, with many intermediate and bicoloured combinations

Extant: 1 valid subspecies

Formica gracilis Fabricius, 1804 PDF: 405 (w.) [Note: type-locality Guyana, after Ward, 1989a PDF: 439.] GUYANA. Neotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

Wheeler & Bailey, 1920 PDF: 256 (l.); Wheeler & Wheeler, 1956 PDF: 385 (l.).Combination in Leptalea: Erichson, 1839 PDF: 309.Combination in Pseudomyrma: Roger, 1862c PDF: 289.Combination in Pseudomyrma (Clavanoda): Enzmann, 1944 PDF: 61.Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kusnezov, 1953f PDF: 214.Status as species: Erichson, 1839 PDF: 309; Roger, 1862c PDF: 289; Roger, 1863b PDF: 25; Mayr, 1863a PDF: 452; Mayr, 1870a PDF: 408; Smith, 1877b PDF: 60; Emery, 1878a PDF: ix (in list); Emery, 1890b PDF: 65; Cameron, 1891: 95; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 57; Forel, 1895b PDF: 122; Emery, 1896h PDF: 625; Pergande, 1896 PDF: 874; Forel, 1899b PDF: 90; Forel, 1899j: 274; Forel, 1907d PDF: 26; Forel, 1907h PDF: 7; Forel, 1908c PDF: 60; Forel, 1908 PDF: 382; Wheeler, 1908h PDF: 421; Forel, 1909a PDF: 250, 260; Wheeler, 1911a PDF: 22; Forel, 1912h PDF: 19; Bruch, 1914 PDF: 224; Donisthorpe, 1915f: 336; Mann, 1916 PDF: 426; Crawley, 1916b PDF: 369; Wheeler, 1916c PDF: 3; Luederwaldt, 1918 PDF: 46; Wheeler, 1918b PDF: 24; Emery, 1921c PDF: 29; Wheeler, 1922e PDF: 4; Mann, 1922 PDF: 20; Wheeler, 1923a PDF: 3; Wheeler, 1925a: 10; Borgmeier, 1927c PDF: 72; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 387; Menozzi, 1927c PDF: 267; Gallardo, 1932a PDF: 47 (redescription); Menozzi, 1935b PDF: 191; Eidmann, 1936a PDF: 37; Wheeler, 1942 PDF: 166; Enzmann, 1944 PDF: 61; Weber, 1948b PDF: 81; Brown, 1949a PDF: 43; Creighton, 1950a PDF: 80; Kusnezov, 1953c PDF: 337; Kusnezov, 1953f PDF: 214; Kempf, 1961a PDF: 370; Kempf, 1961b PDF: 498; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 219; Kempf & Lenko, 1976 PDF: 63; Zolessi et al., 1988: 5; Ward, 1989a PDF: 439; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 375; Ward, 1992 PDF: 80 (in table); Ward, 1993 PDF: 155 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 373; Ward, 1999b PDF: 521 (redescription); Deyrup et al., 2000: 295; Deyrup, 2003 PDF: 46; Ward, 2007b PDF: 40, 55; Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012 PDF: 264; Bezděčková et al., 2015 PDF: 125; Wetterer et al., 2016 PDF: 23; Deyrup, 2017: 41; Ward, 2019 PDF: 1102.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex gracilis atrinoda: Wild, 2007b PDF: 55.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex gracilis bicolor: Roger, 1862c PDF: 289; Roger, 1863b PDF: 25; Mayr, 1863a PDF: 452; Mayr, 1870a PDF: 408; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 57; Forel, 1895b PDF: 122; Pergande, 1896 PDF: 874; Forel, 1899b PDF: 90; Emery, 1921c PDF: 29; Borgmeier, 1927c PDF: 72; Gallardo, 1932a PDF: 48; Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex canescens: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex dimidiata: Mayr, 1870a PDF: 408; Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex gracilis glabriventris: Ward, 1993 PDF: 156; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex gracilis longinoda: Brown, 1949a PDF: 43; Kempf, 1961a PDF: 370; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 219; Ward, 1993 PDF: 156; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex mexicana: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex pilosula: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex sericata: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex variabilis: Ward, 1989a PDF: 439; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 376; Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex gracilis velifera: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex volatilis: Ward, 1993 PDF: 155; Bolton, 1995b: 373.Material of the unavailable name Pseudomyrmex gracilis mexicana guayaquilensis referred here by Ward, 1993 PDF: 156; Bolton, 1995b: 373.

Argentina to Mexico, into many southern states of the US, recently discovered in South Carolina (personal experience)

Formica gracilis Fabricius 1804: 405.

Leptalea gracilis (Fabricius) . Erichson 1839: 309.

Pseudomyrma gracilis (Fabricius) . Roger 1862b: 289.

Pseudomyrma (Clavanoda) gracilis (Fabricius) . Enzmann 1944: 61.

Pseudomyrma gracilis var. atrinoda Santschi 1934: 26. NEW SYNONYMY . [ holotype w examined, NHMB ; Rio Negro , Paraná , Brazil ( Reichensperger )] .

Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Fabricius) . Kusnezov 1953: 214.

Pseudomyrmex gracilis var. atrinoda (Santschi) . Kempf 1958: 434.

Pseudomyrmex gracilis var. atrinodus (Santschi) . Kempf 1972: 219.

Ants in the Pseudomyrmex gracilis species complex are ubiquitous in the neotropics, and the species P. gracilis itself presents a confusing array of variation (Ward 1989). Santschi distinguished his variety P. atrinodus on the basis of small size and light coloration on parts of the mesosoma, but I have examined the type material and in both these characters P. atrinodus is well within the normal range of variation of the species. Phil Ward, who is revising Pseudomyrmex , concurs with this synonymy (Ward, pers comm.)

Alto Paraguay/ Boquerón , Alto Paraná , Amambay, Caaguazú , Canindeyú , Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guairá , Itapúa , Misiones, Ñeembucú , Paraguarí , San Pedro, “Paraguay” (s. loc.) (ALWC, BMNH, IFML, INBP, MCSN, MCZC, MZSP, NHMB, PSWC). Literature records: Caaguazú , Central, Cordillera, “Paraguay”(s. loc.) (Emery 1890b, Emery 1896b, Forel 1907d, Forel 1908b, Forel 1909, Fowler 1981, Santschi 1916, Santschi 1934 [as “ atrinodis ”]).

Pseudomyrmex gracilis, also known as the graceful twig ant, Mexican twig ant, slender twig ant, or elongated twig ant, is a large, slender species native to Mexico and arid parts of the US. The workers are about 8–10 millimeters (0.31–0.39 in) in length and generally wasp-like in appearance and style of movement. Worker ants are bi-colored; the head and gaster are dark, while the antennae, mouthparts, thorax and legs are dull orange with dark shading. They often may be seen on vegetation, foraging for live insects or collecting honeydew from sap-sucking insects.

If the colony ever finds themselves without a queen, the worker ants form dominance hierarchies by boxing with their antennae. This leads to a couple high ranking individuals to lay eggs until a new queen returns.

Pseudomyrmex gracilis es una especie de hormiga del género Pseudomyrmex, subfamilia Pseudomyrmecinae. Fue descrita científicamente por Fabricius en 1804.​

Es una especie grande y delgada nativa de México y las zonas áridas de los Estados Unidos. Las obreras miden entre 8 y 10 milímetros (0,31 a 0,39 pulgadas) de largo y, por lo general, tienen una apariencia y un estilo de movimiento similares a las de una avispa. Las hormigas obreras son bicolores; la cabeza y el gáster son oscuros, mientras que las antenas, las piezas bucales, el tórax y las patas son de color naranja mate con sombras oscuras. A menudo se les puede ver en la vegetación, buscando insectos vivos o recolectando mielada de insectos chupadores de savia.​

Si la colonia alguna vez se encuentra sin una reina, las hormigas obreras forman jerarquías de dominio al pelear con sus antenas. Esto lleva a que un par de individuos de alto rango pongan huevos hasta que regrese una nueva reina.

Pseudomyrmex gracilis é uma espécie de formiga do género Pseudomyrmex, subfamilia Pseudomyrmecinae. Foi descrita cientificamente por Fabricius em 1804.

É uma espécie grande e delgada nativa do México e as zonas áridas dos Estados Unidos. As operárias medem entre 8 e 10 milímetros (0,31 a 0,39 polegadas) de longo e, pelo geral, têm uma aparência e um estilo de movimento similares às de uma vespa. As formigas operárias são bicolores; a cabeça e o gaster são escuros, enquanto as antenas, as peças bucais, o tórax e as patas são de cor laranja mate com sombras escuras. Com frequência pode-se-lhes ver na vegetação, procurando insetos vivos ou colectando mielada de insetos chupadores de savia.

Se a colónia alguma vez encontra-se sem uma rainha, as formigas operárias formam hierarquias de domínio ao brigar com seus antenas. Isto leva a que um par de indivíduos de alta faixa ponham ovos até que regresse uma nova rainha.

Pseudomyrmex gracilisg là một loài kiến lớn có chiều dài 8–10 mm. Nó thường thấy trên cây cối. Nó có bề ngoài và di chuyển giống ong bắp cày. Kiến này có hai mày, đầu và da dày màu đen còn phần còn lại cơ thể màu cam với bóng đậm. Mỗi tổ có một kiến chúa. Tổ nhỏ và có chứa ít kiến thường treo tren cây cao. Loài kiến này chích rất đau. Chúng ăn côn trùng và dịch ngọt từ các loài côn trùng ăn nhựa cây. Loài kiến này xuất phát từ México.

Pseudomyrmex gracilis (лат.) — вид древесных муравьёв рода Pseudomyrmex из подсемейства Pseudomyrmecinae (Formicidae). Новый Свет.