Strumigenys silvestrii Emery, 1906

Booher, Douglas B., 2021, The ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in western North America North of Mexico, Zootaxa 5061 (2), pp. 201-248 : 242

Strumigenys silvestrii Emery, 1906

Distribution. Argentina to Guyana; introduced in USA, Mexico, most Caribbean Islands and Portugal; in eastern USA from Florida to North Carolina and west to Louisiana; in western USA occurs in California and Texas.

Comments. Strumigenys silvestrii is a native to tropical and subtropical South America and has been introduced to the USA, Mexico, and Portugal (MacGown et al. 2012; Guénard et al. 2017). Although ranging across all southeastern Atlantic Gulf states, it is not commonly collected across its USA range. This species inhabits drier more open habitats than most Nearctic species and is often picked up in pitfall traps or flight traps in areas with little leaf litter accumulation. Fewer collectors have recorded this species occurring in heavily forested habitats. Both males and queens have been collected for this species, with mating flights in Texas between late May and mid-July (estimated from alate collections). The earliest record from Texas is 1969 and from California is 1996 (MacGown et al. 2012).

Material examined: USA, Texas, Brazos Co., TAMU Range Sci. Area , 30.589389, -96.375818, 90 m, 18 Jun 1978, Malaise, 1 queen, coll. S.J. Merritt, (casent0875756)[ TAMUIC] ; USA, Texas, Robertson Co., Mumford , 8 miles from TX-21, 30.761658, -96.581392, 79 m, 29 May 2000, Pitfall, Pecan Orchard, 5 alate queens, 1 worker, coll. A. Calixto, [ TAMUIC] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Riverside Campus , 30.636667, -96.463333, 82 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., College Station, Lick Creek Park, 30.566667, - 96.211667, 75 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Leachman Ranch , 30.29, -96.538333, 90 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Kopper Bridge rd & Brazos rd, 30.520192, -96.316328, 99 m, 19 Oct 1995, coll. J.L. Cook, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Hicks Ranch , 30.633563, -96.45009, 85 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Ellington Farm S of College Station, 30.633604, -96.449816, 87 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Arnold Site , 30.575, -96.29, 91 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., Coulter Airfield , 30.71, -96.328333, 110 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Brazos Co., 4.5 miles S of College Station, at Vinson property, 30.566856, -96.338314, 101 m, 11 Nov 1998, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Harris Co., Baytown, 5800 Baker rd, 29.771306, -95.0166667, 8 m, 12 Jul 2013, Malaise Trap, 1 dealate queen, coll. Danny L. McDonald, ANTC31206, (casent0747056)[ DBBC] ; USA, Texas, Polk Co., Livingston, 18.7 miles east of Livingston on US 190, 30.74708, -94.61835, 91 m, 16 Aug 1975, Berlese Pine litter, Pine, 1 worker, coll. S.J. Merritt, [ TAMUIC] ; USA, Texas, Robertson Co., Mumford , 30.761658, -96.581392, 79 m, 25 Jul 2000, Pitfall, Pecan Orchard, 1 queen, coll. A. Calixto, [ TAMUIC] ; USA, Texas, San Jacinto Co., Big Creek Scenic Area , 30.513102, -95.090501, 83 m, 16 Jul 1998, coll. J.L. Cook, [ DBBC] ; USA, Texas, Walker Co., Ellis Prison Unit , 30.875748, -95.460792, 61 m, 15 Jun 1980, SuctionTrap, 2 males, 1 alate queen, coll. D.A. Dean, [ TAMUIC] ; USA, Texas, Walker Co., Ellis Prison Unit , 30.875748, -95.460792, 61 m, 15 Jun 1980, SuctionTrap, 1 alate queen, coll. D.A. Dean, (casent0751469)[ UGCA] ; USA, Texas, Washington Co., Yegua , 8 miles from TX 21, 30.29595, -96.540439, 84 m, 21 Jun 1999, pitfall, coll. K. Helms, [ SHSU] .