Intraspesific-variation

Guides

• Myrmecocystus mendax

  honey ant, honeypot ant

  Myrmecocystus mendax is a species of honeypot ant native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States. The species exhibits notable intraspecific variation in social organization: populations in the Sierra Ancha Mountains of central Arizona display primary polygyny with cooperative colony founding by multiple unrelated queens, while Chiricahua Mountains populations are predominantly monogynous with single-queen founding. Mature colonies in polygynous populations contain an average of 6.27 queens. The species produces specialized replete workers that serve as living food storage vessels.

  hymenopteraformicidaemyrmecocystushoneypot-antsocial-insectspolygynypleometrosisintraspesific-variationarizonamexicosouthwestern-united-states