Neivamyrmex nyensis Watkins

Snelling, G. C. & Snelling, R. R., 2007, New synonymy, new species, new keys to Neivamyrmex army ants of the United States., Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E. O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. (Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80), pp. 459-550 : 486

Neivamyrmex nyensis Watkins

Figures 11, 23, 42, 57, 70, 84

Neivamyrmex nyensis Watkins , 1977: 421 - 423 (w). U. S. A., Nevada, Nye Co., 5 1 / 2 mi S, 3 mi E Beatty ( USNM) examined. Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986: 20.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 4)

UNITED STATES: Southern Nevada, Arizona, California; MEXICO: Baja California.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED

UNITED STATES, ARIZONA, Coconino Co.: Havasu Canyon ( UCDC, LACM) . CALIFORNIA, Imperial Co.: 2.9 mi N Glamis ( LACM). Riverside Co.: Chuckwalla Mts. , Red Cloud Cyn. ( LACM) . San Bernardino Co.: Lucerne Valley ( GCSC) . NEVADA, Nye Co.: 5 1 / 2 mi S, 3 mi. E Beatty 3500 ft ( LACM, USNM) .

MEXICO, BAJA CALIFORNIA: 28 km E Ensenada ( LACM, UCDC) .

DISCUSSION

This small subterranean species is poorly known. Not surprisingly most of these collections were from under partially buried stones; the Glamis sample consists of a single specimen taken from a foraging worker of Forelius maccooki (Forel) and the Lucerne Valley record is based on a head capsule recovered from a refuse midden of Solenopsis xyloni McCook . The Red Cloud Canyon site is in a rocky streambed on the west side of the range, in Creosote / Cactus Scrub desert. The specimens were collected in late afternoon beneath a partially buried stone. There had been rain several days prior to the collection and the soil under the stone was slightly damp. The Havasu Canyon collection was made under similar circumstances.

Neivamyrmex nyensis may eventually prove to be the worker form of N. mojave .

Automontage images are available at antweb. org.