Formicoxenus nitidulus
| Formicoxenus nitidulus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Formicoxenus nitidulus alate queen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Formicoxenus |
| Species: | F. nitidulus |
| Binomial name | |
| Formicoxenus nitidulus (Nylander, 1846) | |
Formicoxenus nitidulus, or the shining guest ant, is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is found in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Habitat
It is known as the shining guest ant because it cohabits with various species of wood ants, including Formica aquilonia and Formica lugubris. The relationships between the Formicoxenus nitidulus and their hosts are poorly known.
Appearance
It is a very small ant, about 2–3 mm long, with a brown-red body, similar in shade to the Formica ants that it nests with, but the body is noticeably shiny. The ants are quickly running on the side of the nest.[1]
References
- Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. Formicoxenus nitidulus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 31 July 2007.
- Highland Biological Recording Group.
External links
Media related to Formicoxenus nitidulus at Wikimedia Commons
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