American-clade-i
Guides
Nylanderia austroccidua
Nylanderia austroccidua is a species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae, originally described from a widespread distribution ranging from Utah to Costa Rica. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs) revealed that specimens matching the original description are paraphyletic with respect to Nearctic Nylanderia species, indicating the original concept encompassed multiple cryptic lineages. The species belongs to American Clade I (AC1), a group that includes a Neotropical subclade extending into Mesoamerica. An updated taxonomic description was published in 2024 as part of a revision that described eight new Nylanderia species from the region.