Myrmica

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Myrmica
File:Myrmica puceron.jpg
Scientific classification
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Myrmica

Latreille, 1804
Type species
Formica rubra[1]
Linnaeus, 1758
Diversity
c. 200 species
Synonyms

Dodecamyrmica Arnol'di, 1968
Nothomyrmica Wheeler, W.M., 1915
Paramyrmica Cole, 1957
Sifolinia Emery, 1907
Sommimyrma Menozzi, 1925
Symbiomyrma Arnol'di, 1930

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Myrmica is a genus of ants within the subfamily Myrmicinae.[2] It is widespread throughout the temperate regions of the Holarctic and high mountains in Southeast Asia. The genus consists of around 200 known species, and additional subspecies, although this figure is likely only to rise as soon as Chinese and Neartic fauna lists are revised.[citation needed]

Inquilines

The genus contains a number of inquiline species (commensal symbionts), other Myrmica species that manage to invade the nest of their host. Subsequently, they use hormones to manipulate the host colony in such a way that eggs of the host queen develop into workers, and parasite brood into sexuals. Hence, the parasite is not able to sustain a colony of its own, but uses host resources instead.[citation needed]

Similarly, larvae of the butterfly genus Maculinea (Lepidoptera, family Lycaenidae) live inside Myrmica nests where they are either directly fed by ants or prey upon ant brood.[citation needed] This parasitism is employed primarily by Phengaris butterflies with specific species such as Phengaris arion forming predatory relationships.[3]

Species

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File:Myrmica.sp.1.jpg
Myrmica sp. from Germany

References

  1. Template:AntCat
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External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons