Xenobiosis
Guides
Formicoxenus
Guest Ants
Formicoxenus is a genus of myrmicine ants comprising seven described species. All members are obligate xenobionts (guest ants) that live within nests of host ant species, primarily in the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. The genus is notable for repeated evolution of social parasitism and is closely related to Leptothorax and Harpagoxenus within the Formicoxenus genus-group. Species exhibit specialized behavioral and chemical adaptations for integration into host colonies.