[Scientific Papers] http://www.scipapers.com    2007-11-16  

 Natural history of the slave making ant, Polyergus lucidus, sensu lato in northern Florida and its three Formica pallidefulva group hosts

Joshua R. King^1,a and James C. Trager^2,b

¹ Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4370
² Shaw Nature Reserve, PO Box 38, Interstate 44 and Hwy 100, Gray Summit, MO, 63039


Abstract

Slave making ants of the Polyergus lucidus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) complex enslave 3 different Formica species, Formica archboldi, F. dolosa, and F. pallidefulva, in northern Florida. This is the first record of presumed P. lucidus subspecies co-occurring with and enslaving multiple Formica hosts in the southern end of their range. The behavior, colony sizes, body sizes, nest architecture, and other natural history observations of Polyergus colonies and their Formica hosts are reported. The taxonomic and conservation implications of these observations are discussed.

Keywords: body size, colony size, conservation, sociometry, taxonomy, Formica archboldi, Formica dolosa


Correspondence: ^a jking@bio.fsu.edu, ^bjames.trager@mobot.org

Received: 8 August 2006 | Accepted: 12 January 2007 | Published: 17 July 2007


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