Myrmica specioides
Bondroit, 1918
Myrmica specioides is an native to the West Palearctic region that has established in North America. It was first recorded in the eastern United States in 2013 from Wake County, North Carolina. The species was identified through morphometric comparison to and . Its potential and ecological impacts in North America remain subjects of discussion.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Myrmica specioides: /mɪrˈmiːkə spɛʃiˈoʊɪdiːz/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Identification requires morphometric comparison to or . The belongs to the Myrmica, which contains numerous similar species that are difficult to distinguish without specialized examination.
Images
Habitat
Residential lawns in urban and suburban environments; native range in the West Palearctic not specified in available sources.
Distribution
Native to the West Palearctic region (Belgium confirmed). to Northwestern North America and the eastern United States (first recorded 2013 in Wake County, North Carolina; also reported from the Boston metropolitan area).
Human Relevance
Documented as an with established in North America; potential has been discussed but not fully characterized.
Similar Taxa
- Myrmica sabuletiBoth are Myrmica , but M. sabuleti is specifically associated with the large blue (Maculinea arion) as a for its parasitic , whereas no such association has been documented for M. specioides.
More Details
Detection History
The 2013 record from North Carolina represents the first documentation of this in the eastern United States, expanding its known range beyond previously established in northwestern North America.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- UC Davis Alumnus Marek Borowiec: Remembering E. O. Wilson | Bug Squad
- Myrmica sabuleti Archives - Entomology Today
- The Curious Case of the Large Blue Butterfly -- a Conservation Success Story
- Peculiar parasitoid wasp found on rare sawfly developing in ferns | Blog
- First Record of the Introduced Ant Myrmica specioides In the Eastern United States