Temnothorax americanus

(Emery, 1895)

Slave-raiding Acorn Ant

Temnothorax americanus is an obligatory slave-making to the northeastern United States and adjacent Canadian regions. measure 2–3 mm in length. The species does not forage for food; instead, scout locate nearby colonies, raid them for and , and integrate these into their own colony as slave workers. A typical colony consists of a , two to five workers, and thirty or more slaves. The species is a member of the tribe Crematogastrini within the .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Temnothorax americanus: //ˌtɛm.noʊˈθɔː.ræks əˌmɛr.ɪˈkeɪ.nəs//

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Identification

Temnothorax americanus can be distinguished from non-slave-making Temnothorax by its obligatory slave-making and reduced . At 2–3 mm, it is small even for the . Identification to species level requires examination of morphological characters typical of the genus Temnothorax, combined with behavioral observation of slave-raiding activity. It may be confused with the congeneric slave-maker Temnothorax pilagens, which is smaller (2.5 mm), raids hollow nuts and acorns specifically, and employs chemical during raids.

Distribution

to the northeastern United States and adjacent Canadian regions.

Behavior

Scout seek out nearby colonies of other . Raiders steal and from these host colonies and transport them back to their own nest, where the captured develops into slave workers that perform colony maintenance, foraging, and brood care. The species does not conduct independent foraging. Raiding parties are small in compared to the mass raids of Amazon ants (Polyergus).

Ecological Role

Obligatory slave-maker that exploits the labor of captured , reducing of raided host colonies. The functions as a within .

Similar Taxa

Temnothorax pilagensAlso an obligatory slave-maker in the same , but smaller (2.5 mm vs. 2–3 mm), raids specific nest (hollow nuts and acorns), and employs sophisticated chemical and targeted stinging . T. americanus lacks these specific .
Temnothorax longispinosusA facultative slave-maker and frequent of Protomognathus americanus; can be distinguished by its non-obligatory slave-making and larger colony size with independent foraging .