Neivamyrmex californicus (Mayr, 1870)

Plate 32

Eciton californicum Mayr, 1870:969; o.
Eciton (Labidus) californicum: Mayr, 1886a:121; o.
Eciton (Acamatus) californicum: Emery, 1894:184; o.1900:523; o.
Eciton (Acamatus) californicum var. obscura Forel, 1914a:265;o.
Eciton (Neivamyrmex) californicum: M. Smith, 1942:560; o. Creighton, 1950:70; o.
Neivamyrmex californicus: Borgmeier, 1953:11; o. Borgmeier,1955:517?519; o. Watkins, 1976:15; map 32; o. Allred, 1982:492. Wheeler and Wheeler, 1986:20.

TYPES:

Type locality: USA California San Francisco Co.: San Francisco

Range: UNITED STATES; California, MEXICO Baja California Map 17

Habitat: Chaparral, Grassland, Oak woodland, Pinyon Juniper,

United States Records:18 records,


CHAPARRAL

CALIFORNIA: (A. Andresfalvy; LACM), Los Angeles Co.: Arcadia (USNM), La Verne 26 Aug. 1931 (A. C. Oberle #1745; USNM, MCZ), Los Angeles 18 April 1939 (A. Mallis & J Swartz; USNM), Orange Co.: Laguna Hills 20 June 1981 (LACM), Tonner Cyn. 20 June 1969 (W. P. Mackay; Mackay), Riverside Co.: Riverside "in house" 16 July 1996 (K. W. Cooper: GCSC,KWC, LACM), Lake Skinner 2 June 1996, Santa Barbara Co. T5N, R28W s.17, 500m, (Longino,#002), San Diego Co.: National City 17 June 1959 (K. Ross; USNM), Vista 24 April 1909 (USNM), Camp Pendleton 16 July 1971 (J. H. Hunt; LACM), 5mi NE Poway 600m (P. S. Ward; UCDC), Mira Mar Elliot Reserve 32.84° N 117.11° W 28 Feb. 1996 (J. Richmond; J. King) Yolo Co.: Davis July 1936 (A. Mallis; PENN),

GRASSLAND

CALIFORNIA: Contra Costa Co.: 9km ENE Danville 490m 37° 51 N 121° 54' W (P. S. Ward; UCDC),

OAK WOODLAND

El Dorado Co. 14km NW Shingle Springs 340m 38° 45' N 121° 02' W various dates & collectors (UCDC, GCSC, LACM)

PINE FOREST

San Diego Co.: Mt. Laguna MSP Site 6050 ft. 9 July 1972 (J. H. Hunt; LACM),

MEXICO BC: 28 km E Ensenada 750m 31° 53' N 116° 18 'W #13576-2 & 13577-3 (P. S. Ward; UCDC), San Carlos Canyon at 9.0 mi E Hwy 1, mesic canyon bottom sifted from litter 31°47.88'N, 116° 30.05 'W 21.iii.2001, 300' (RA Johnson #2253, ASUC)

DISCUSSION.

       The male form of this ant is unknown. This species appears to be primarily an ant of mountain and foothill areas. Previously believed to occur only in California, recent extensive collection in Baja California has located this species there. All previous out of state records believed to apply to this species have proven to refer to the recently recognized shiny headed form of N. nigrescens (Ward 1999). Watkins (1972) described what he believed was the queen of N. californicus, however recent reexamination of the specimen in question, (Ward, 1999) has lead to the conclusion that it to is a representative of the shiny form of N. nigrescens.
       The wingless phorid fly, Xanionotum hystrix Brues (Diptera: Phoridae), has been associated with a colony of N. californicus collected in San Diego County, California (J. H. Hunt, pers.Obs).