Aphaenogaster texana

Wheeler, 1906

Texas Collared Ant

Aphaenogaster texana is a of in the Formicidae, commonly known as the Texas Collared Ant. It belongs to the Aphaenogaster, a diverse group of ants often referred to as spine-waisted ants due to their distinctive petiole structure. The species was described by Wheeler in 1906 and includes two recognized : A. t. texana and A. t. carolinensis.

Aphaenogaster texana var. carolinensis by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Aphaenogaster texana flemingi by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphaenogaster texana: /æfˌiːnoʊˈɡæstər tɛkˈsænə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

The occurs in the United States. The nominate A. t. texana and A. t. carolinensis suggest a range spanning from Texas eastward to the Carolinas, though specific locality records are sparse in the provided sources.

More Details

Subspecies

Two are recognized: Aphaenogaster texana texana Wheeler, 1915 (the nominate form) and Aphaenogaster texana carolinensis Wheeler, 1915. The latter's epithet suggests a connection to the Carolinas, potentially indicating geographic variation in the eastern portion of the ' range.

Taxonomic Note

There is a discrepancy in authorship dates between sources: Catalogue of Life lists Wheeler, 1906, while NCBI and GBIF list Wheeler, 1915. This may reflect different publication dates for original description versus subsequent validation.