Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Posts relating to ant science

Moderator: ooper01

Post Reply
User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 39688Post Batspiderfish
Tue Jul 03, 2018 11:28 am

Recent genetic work has distinguished a number of species first considered to be holarctic (present across the northern parts of the world) to be endemic to North America, and these new species have been named:

Lasius americanus, formerly Lasius alienus
Lasius brevicornis, formerly Lasius flavus (still extremely easy to confuse from our other endemic species, Lasius nearcticus)
Lasius aphidicolus, formerly Lasius umbratus

formica subaenescens, formerly Formica fusca (on the west coast, likely throughout the continent. F. subaenescens is not a new name, but the distinction is important.)

Leptothorax canadensis, formerly Leptothorax muscorum (this may be split again into two more species)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jbi.13380
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

User avatar
antnest8
Posts: 1438
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:11 pm
Location: Detroit, MI

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40686Post antnest8
Wed Jul 11, 2018 10:32 am

ok so basically what i get from this is species that we used to think lived in Europe and america like lasius umbratus are now separated? so now the american lasius umbratus in now called lasius aphidicous? am i right or wrong
Some of My Informative Sheets
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19099
Includes :
  • Ant Care Sheets
    Queen Hunting
    How To Identify Ants
Goal is to become #2 poster on the forum

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40713Post Batspiderfish
Wed Jul 11, 2018 3:08 pm

antnest8 wrote:
Wed Jul 11, 2018 10:32 am
ok so basically what i get from this is species that we used to think lived in Europe and america like lasius umbratus are now separated? so now the american lasius umbratus in now called lasius aphidicous? am i right or wrong
Correct! The taxa in Eurasia are unchanged.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

User avatar
antnest8
Posts: 1438
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:11 pm
Location: Detroit, MI

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40812Post antnest8
Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:48 am

it makes sense because the species here have probably been here long enough for subtle changes to happen.

also Why Lasius aphidicolus? it's so much harder to say than Lasius umbratus
Some of My Informative Sheets
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19099
Includes :
  • Ant Care Sheets
    Queen Hunting
    How To Identify Ants
Goal is to become #2 poster on the forum

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40835Post TheRealAntMan
Thu Jul 12, 2018 12:54 pm

antnest8 wrote:
Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:48 am
also Why Lasius aphidicolus? it's so much harder to say than Lasius umbratus
I’m assuming it’s called aphidicolus because the root word is aphid and the species farms aphids. But correct me if I’m wrong.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

User avatar
antnest8
Posts: 1438
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:11 pm
Location: Detroit, MI

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40841Post antnest8
Thu Jul 12, 2018 1:11 pm

i know that it probably serves a purpose i don't know what but that is a good guess. it's just so hard to remember and say.
Some of My Informative Sheets
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19099
Includes :
  • Ant Care Sheets
    Queen Hunting
    How To Identify Ants
Goal is to become #2 poster on the forum

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Recent taxonomic revision of several North American species

Post: # 40860Post Batspiderfish
Thu Jul 12, 2018 2:43 pm

Aphidicolus translates to "cultivates aphids".

It's common to recycle a taxon that has previously fallen out of use, especially when it is so blandly descriptive.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests