Pseudomyrmex Roger

pallidus (Smith, F.) Virginia Beach: False Cape State Park, 36.62342° N, - 75.89078° W, 4 m, 16.v.2016, J Strickland leg., BackBay BioBlitz, on person (STDC). Doubtful literature records

We provisionally exclude the ant taxa listed below from the state’s list and provide justification for our decisions. Most of these records represent distribution anomalies relative to the rest of their known range, while a few are based on erroneous records. We have not examined materials of any of these taxa from Virginia.

Aphaenogaster texana Wheeler, W.M. “ Virginia ” (Guenard et al. 2012, p. 20; Mackay & Mackay 2017, p. 422). Guenard and colleagues cite AntWeb (accessed December 6 2011) as source of Virginia records, however, we were unable to locate any existing records of this species from Virginia. It is possible that these were based on misidentifications and subsequently corrected. The record in Mackay & Mackay (2017) is based on Guenard et al. (2012). According to DeMarco (2015), this is a southwestern species, which does not occur in the east.

Brachymyrmex heeri Forel. “Virginia” (Mayr 1886, p. 431). Brachymyrmex heeri is known from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Record likely refers to B. depilis, a species not described until 1893.

Camponotus vicinus Mayr. “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 422, as Camponotus sylvaticus var. vicinus Mayr). A western species not likely to occur in Virginia. Possible misidentification of C. novaeboracensis, or record based on mislabeled specimens (see Wheeler 1910a).

Crematogaster missouriensis Emery. Fairfax (Morgan & Mackay 2017, p. 252). Morgan and Mackay erroneously cite Kjar (2009) as source of Virginia records. To our knowledge, no Virginia specimens of this species are known, although we expect it to occur in southeastern Virginia.

Dorymyrmex pyramicus (Roger). “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 433; Emery 1895, p. 331). According to Snelling (1995, and references therein) historical records of pyramicus represent a composite species with an extremely broad geographic distribution. “True” pyramicus is known from Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Virginia records likely refer to other eastern Dorymyrmex.

Lasius niger (Linnaeus). “Virginia” (Mayr 1886, p. 429). Based on recent findings true niger is much more restricted in its distribution in the Nearctic where it is currently known from a couple recently introduced populations in Canada (Schär et al. 2018). Native North American “ niger ” populations and not conspecific with their Palearctic counterparts and belong to a yet undescribed species (Schär et al. 2018). According to Wilson (1955), in North America “ niger ” ranges from the Pacific Northwest through most of the Great Basin, the Rocky Mountains, and northern Sierra Nevada, localities well outside the borders of Virginia (see also Antmaps 2018). The single Virginia record likely refers to the common and widespread L. neoniger, a species not described until 1893.

Monomorium monomorium Bolton. “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 455, as M. minutum Mayr). This western Palearctic species has been introduced to number of locations around the world, but no eastern North American records are known (Antmaps 2018). Record likely refers to the widespread and locally common M. minimum.

Myrmecina graminicola (Latreille). “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 455, as M. latreillei Curtis). Although Mayr (1886) noted differences between the North American and European populations of this species, he did not recognize the North American forms as a distinct species. Record likely refers to the widespread M. americana, a species not described until 1895.

Myrmica lobicornis Nylander. “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 451, as M. scabrinodis var. lobicornis Nylander). Identity of this record is unclear. It could pertain to a number of eastern Myrmica with sharply angular antennal scapes.

Myrmica ruginodis Nylander. “ Virginia ” (Mayr 1886, p. 450, as M. laevinodis var. ruginodis Nylander). Identity of this record is unclear. It likely pertains to M. pinetorum or M. punctiventris.

Myrmica sabuleti Meinert. “ Virginia ” (Emery 1895, p. 314, as M. rubra var. sabuleti Meinert). Identity of this record is unclear. It could pertain to a number of eastern Myrmica with sharply angular antennal scapes.

Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius). “ Virginia ” (Forel 1899, p. 80; Commonwealth Institute of Entomology 1958, in map). Many historical records of this species were made when the definition of “ geminata ” included several related species. According to Wetterer (2011a), a number of these records, including Virginia, fall outside the confirmed northern end of its known distribution. We have decided to provisionally exclude this species from Virginia’s list. However, it is possible that we are wrong, as S. geminata has been reported from neighboring North Carolina. Alternatively, Virginia’s record may pertain to S. xyloni. This matter will not be resolved until we have more material from southern Virginia for study.