Formica-rufa-group
Guides
Formica fossaceps
Pitted Mound Ant
Formica fossaceps is a species of mound-building ant in the genus Formica, family Formicidae. It was described by Buren in 1942 and is classified within the Formica rufa species group. The common name "Pitted Mound Ant" refers to a distinctive morphological feature of the species. Like other members of the Formicinae subfamily, it is characterized by a single petiole node and the absence of a sting.
Thiasophila
Thiasophila is a genus of myrmecophilous rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) that inhabit ant colonies, primarily those of the Formica rufa species group. Species in this genus have evolved specialized adaptations for living among ants, including defensive secretions and morphological plasticity in immature stages. The genus contains at least three European species: T. angulata, T. lohsei, and T. szujeckii, with T. szujeckii being a recently described cryptic species from Poland.