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Subfamily FORMICINAE
Tribe PLAGIOLEPIDINI

Brachymyrmex sp.-01
Brachymyrmex sp.-01, full face view of a worker (click image to enlarge).
Photo courtesy of http://www.antweb.org/.
Brachymyrmex sp.-01, side view of a worker (click image to enlarge).
Photo courtesy of http://www.antweb.org/.
Brachymyrmex sp.-01, side view of a male (click image to enlarge).
Photo courtesy of http://www.antweb.org/.

Introduction
Brachymyrmex is a New World genus whose members are minute, soft-bodied, have a small petiolar scale, and a nine segmented antenna without a club. Workers have well developed eyes. Color ranges from pale light-yellow to dark brown. Species is this genus usually nest in soil or rotting wood. This group is in drastic need of revision.

Identification

Previously, Brachymyrmex sp.-01 has been identified as B. brevicornis (Deyrup 2003, Deyrup et al 2000), but is currently thought to be a new species (Deyrup, pers. comm.). Workers of this particular species or form, are shiny dark brown, with pale yellowish-brown appendages. They lack erect hairs on the promesonotum, the occipital region of the head, and the femora. The head has moderate pubescence (in full face view); the dorsum of the alitrunk has sparse pubescence, but the sides lack pubescence and are very shiny; and the gaster has somewhat sparse pubescense. The eyes have about 6 facets in greatest diameter.

This species differs from other brown Brachymyrmex species (B. heeri-possible in the U.S., B. obscurior, and B. patagonicus) known or likely to occur in the U.S. in that it lacks erect hairs on the head, promesonotum and femora. An undescribed brown species known only from two queens collected from Arkansas (Lloyd Davis, pers. comm.) is unusual in that the queens are tiny, about the size of typical workers. All other known species present in this region are yellowish in color.

Biology and Economic Importance

Distribution

Literature Cited

Links

Literature Cited

Deyrup, M.  2003.  An updated list of Florida ants (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae).  Florida Entomologist 86:  43-48.

Deyrup, M., L. Davis, and S. Cover. 2000.  Exotic ants in Florida.  Transactions of the American Entomological Society 126:  293-326.