Genus Formica

Genus: Formica

not in ND	F. pallidefulva group <> Neoformica		1/2c, slender, shiny
w205: 2b 1a	F. neogagates <> Proformica		1/2c, slender, shiny, 2:brybr
3a 1b	F. sanguinea <> Raptiformica		2 colors: yybr or brbrbk
3b 1b Formica	F. exsecta group	w228:1a	1 color
3b 1b Formica	F. microgyna group	w 1b 2a	1 color
3b 1b Formica	F. rufa group	1b 2b 3a	2 colors:yybk
3b 1b Formica	F. fusca group	1b 2b 3b	1 color(dark br/bk) or 2:bkybk

Genus Formica Linnaeus VDƒ›
candida formosae Emery, 1925: Bolton, 1995: 192. O¥µ‹§sVD
japonica Motschulsky, 1866: Chou & Terayama, 1991: 81; - Bolton, 1995: 197. §È•ª§sVD
obsidiana Emery, 1923: Chou & Terayama, 1991: 81; - Bolton, 1995: 200. ªODW§sVD
yessensis Wheeler, 1913: Chou & Terayama, 1991: 81; - Bolton, 1995: 206.P#<±§sVD

w205

1a. Slender, surface ususally smooth and shining, frontal carinae subparallel, not diverging, epinotum rounded without clear difference between base and declivity. (w205: 1a 2a 2b) ...... 2

2a. large ants=4-7mm long, scapes slender and long=1.25-1.33 x head length...... Neoformica*=F. pallidefulva group

F. pallidefulva group

mc	F. incerta Buren = F. pallidefulva incerta = F. pallide-fulva schaufussi incerta
mn tc mc	F. nitidiventris Emery	intro, +++,3-5,brybk(br)
cd	F. pallidefulva Latreille	+,3-5,yyy(bk)
	F. schaufussi Mayr	++,3-6,y(br)y(br)bk
	F. schaufussi dolosa Buren

F. nitidiventris Emery

2b. Small ants=2.5-5.5mm long, scapes shorter<1.25 x head length...... Proformica = Formica neogagates group

F. neogagates group <> Proformica: e.g.Formica vinculans

	w206 1a	F. bradleyi Wheeler, W.M. = F. neogagates morbida; Taylor (IL)	+,3-4,yyy(bk)
mn tc w ce	w 1b 2a	F. lasioides Emery	+++,4-5,brbr(y)bk
mn mc	w 1b 2b 3b	F. limata Wheeler, W.M.
mn tc w ce	w 1b 2b 3a	F. neogagates Viereck	++,4-5,y(bk)y(br)bk
		F. perpilosa Wheeler, W.M.	+,5-6,yybk

w206

F. lasioides Emery

1b. Robust, surface ususally dull, frontal carinae varied, epinotum squared with clear difference between base and declivity (w205)...... 3

3a. Ventral border of clypeus notched in the middle..... Raptiformica = Formica sanguinea group (slave maker)

F. sanguinea group <> Raptiformica

mn tc	w216 3b 2b 1a	F. aserva Forel = F. (sanguinea) subnuda	+++,4-7,brybk
		F. creightoni Buren
mn		F. emeryi Wheeler, W.M.
		F. gynocrates Snelling & Buren
mn	w 4a 1b	F. obtusopilosa Emery	+,6-7,brbrbk
mn tc ce	w 2a 1a	F. pergandei Emery = F. sublucida	intro, ++,6-7,yybr(bk)
	w 5a 4b 1b	F. puberula Emery	+(x1),6-7,yybr
ce mc	w 7a 6b 5b 4b 1b	F. rubicunda Emery	+,6-7,yybr
	w 3a 2b 1a	F. (sanguinea) subintergra Wheeler, W.M.	++,5-6,yybr
	w 7b 6b 5b 4b 1b	F. wheeleri Creighton

w216

F. aserva Forel = F. subnuda

F. pergandei Emery = F. sublucida

3b. Ventral border of clypeus convex or subangulate in the middle (w205)..... Formica fomica group

w228

w228

1a. Occipital border of large workers very distinctly concave, pronotum squared with basal and declivous faces meeting at an angle...... Formica exsecta group

F. exsecta group:

mn	w254 1a	F. exsectoides Forel	+++,6-8,brbrbk
	w 1b	F. opaciventris Emery
mn tc	w 1b	F. uleki Emery	++,5-7,bkbrbk

w254

1b. Occipital border of large workers flat or slightly concave, pronotum rounded with evenly convex basal and declivous faces, not meeting at an angle...... 2

2a. Workers: feebly shining or opaque, erect hairs (if have) on the pronotum often clavate or spatulate...... Formica microgyna group

F. microgyna group

mn	F. adamsi whymperi Wheeler, W.M.=F. whymperi adamsi
	F. difficilis Emery	+,3-4,yyy
mn,w	F. impexa Wheeler, W.M.
	F. indianensis Cole
	F. knighti Buren
	F. nepticula Wheeler, W.M.
	F. postoculata Kennedy & Dennis
	F. querquetulana Kennedy & Dennis
mn,w	F. spatulata Buren
	F. talbotae Wilson

(no pics in w252: also cover microgyna and whymperi species)

2b. Workers: very shining and smooth, erect hairs (if have) on the pronotum simple (w205)..... 3

3a. rufa (w229): bicolor (gaster darker > head + thorax)- shining frontal area, strongly divergent frontal carinae...... Formica rufa group

3b. fusca (w258): bicolor (head + gaster darker > thorax) or monocolor- dull frontal area, moderately divergent frontal carinae (often parallel)...... Formica fusca group

F. rufa group

mn	w231:10a 9a 7b 4b 3b 2b 1b	F. ciliata Mayr	+,3-4,yyy
	w 11a 9a 7b 4b 3b 2b 1b	F. criniventris Wheeler, W.M.
mn	w 3a 2b 1b	F. dakotensis Emery (IA) = F. dakotensis montigena	+,3-4,y(br)brbr(bk)
		F. ferocula Wheeler, W.M.
mn	w 6a 5a 4a 3b 2b 1b	F. fossaceps Buren
		F. integra Nylander	++,4-6,yy_dull_br
	w 6b 5a 4a 3b 2b 1b	F. laeviceps Creighton
mn tc w ce mc		F. obscuripes Forel	intro, +++,5-7,brbrbk
mn ce	w 8a 7a 4b 3b 2b 1b	F. obscuriventris Mayr
	w 5b 4a 3b 2b 1b	F. obscuriventris clivia Creighton
		F. oreas Wheeler, W.M.
mn	w 1b 2a	F. oreas comptula Wheeler, W.M.
	w 8b 7a 4b 3b 2b 1b	F. planipilis Creighton
	12a 11b 9b 7b 4b 3b 2b 1b	F. prociliata Kennedy and Dennis
		F. ravida Creighton =F. haemorrhoidalis
	w 1a	F. reflexa Buren	+,5-6,brbrbk
mn	w 13a 12b 11b	F. subnitens Creighton

w231

F. obscuripes Forel

F. fusca group

intro mn tc w mc	w	F. argentea Wheeler, W.M.	++,4-6,bkbkbk
	w	F. canadensis Santschi	+,4-6,bkbkbk
mn tc w ce	w	F. fusca Linnaeus	+++,3-6,bkbkbk, red legs, shining gaster
mn tc w	w	F. glacialis Wheeler, W.M.	+++,3-5,bkbkbk, dull
mn	w	F. hewitti Wheeler, W.M.	+,4-6,bkbkbk(brbrbr)
mn tc w mc	w	F. montana Wheeler, W.M. = F. cinerea	+++,3-5,br(bk)brbk(br-y), dull
	w	F. neoclara Emery	++,2-4,ybrbk, dull, red legs
mn ce	w	F. neorufibarbis Emery	++,3-5,bkbkbk, red legs
mn tc w ce mc	w	F. podzolica Francoeur	+++,4-5,bkbkbk, red legs
		F. subaenescens Emery
intro,mn tc w ce mc		F. subsericea (not in ND)	+++,5-6,bkbkbk, red legs, shining gaster

Key to Formica fusca group species in Minnesota (modified from Francoeur, A. 1973) 1. Metasternum with two distinct pilose process, mesometasternum has an inverted triangle (33) ...3. Body pilosity more abundant ......6. Head sides less pilose, limited erect hairs (+++,3-5,br(bk)brbk(br-y), dull).....F. montana Wheeler, W.M. = F. cinerea ......6. Head sides more pilose, erect hairs present below ventral boundary of eyes + 7. Body brownish to brown, feeble to normal pubescence (+,4-6,bkbkbk).....F. canadensis Santschi ...3. Body pilosity less abundant (++,2-4,ybrbk, dull, red legs).....F. neoclara Emery 1. Metasternum without two distinct pilose process, mesometasternum with a straight or convex line (34-5) ...11. The gena portion between eye and the insertion of the mandible covered with coarse, elongate punctures (37), with elongate punctures beneath and behind the eyes (37) ......12. Body pilosity abundant (+,4-6,bkbkbk(brbrbr)).....F. hewitti Wheeler, W.M. ......12. Body pilosity reduced (++,3-5,bkbkbk, red legs).....F. neorufibarbis Emery ...11. The gena portion between eye and the insertion of the mandible covered without coarse, elongate punctures (36), no elongate punctures beneath and behind the eyes (36) ......20. Upper surface of body opaque and granulose, depressed propodeum w/o distinct angle, even convex btw base and declivity (+++,3-6,bkbkbk, red legs, shining gaster, smaller than subsericea).....F. fusca Linnaeus ......20. Upper surface of body semi-transparent, shining at least on parts of head, higher propodeum with distinctly marked angle btw base and declivity .........22. Pubescence dense to very dense on gena + 1st 4 gastric tergites, pronotum usually with some short erect hairs, gastric dorsum with many short swollen erect hairs (16c), blackish brown to brown (++,4-6,bkbkbk).....F. argentea Wheeler, W.M. .........22. Pubescence diluted to normal on gena + 1st 4 gastric tergites, black to piceous black ............23. Scapes longer than head length, rounded head, no erect hairs on pronotum (or 1-3 very short), larger mean alitrunk=1.8-3.0mm, east US (+++,5-6,bkbkbk, red legs, shining gaster, larger than fusca).....F. subsericea ............23. Scapes often shorter than head length, horizontal head, pubescence and pilosity differently combined, smaller alitrunk=1.6-2.6mm ..................24. Promesonotum normally without erect hairs, except 1-6 on pronotum, NE US (+++,3-5,bkbkbk, dull).....F. glacialis Wheeler, W.M. ..................24. Promesonotum normally with erect hairs, sometimes reduced in number (mean=6) (+++,4-5,bkbkbk, red legs).....F. podzolica Francoeur

Formica argentea Wheeler, W.M.

Formica fusca

Formica subsericea Say