Western Amazon ant
Polyergus mexicanus
This record describes Polyergus mexicanus (species). Recorded family: Formicidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Future study may provide the wherewithal to recognize several species within the current concept of P. mexicanus . In particular, the West Coast populations formerly named 'umbratus' and 'laeviceps' seem somewhat distinctive, and another interior western morphotype could be an unnamed additional species. The latter also has some features that could indicate it is the northern part of the variation of P. topoffi . Trager's (i.e., my) morphometric and ecology-based classification failed to provide clear distinction of these three, but more material and the addition of genetic and other biochemical characters might.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Formicoidea
- Family
- Formicidae (Ants)
- Subfamily
- Formicinae
- Tribe
- Formicini
- Genus
- Polyergus (Amazon Ants)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open conifer and broadleaf woodlands of many types, pinyon juniper and cold desert shrublands, fields, parks, gardens, prairies. This species has the widest range of host species of all Polyergus , including F. accreta, F. marcida, F. micropthalma, F. subaenescens, F. argentea, F. podzolica, F. subsericea, F. hewitti, F. neorufibarbis, F. occulta, F. subpolita, F. lasioides, F. manni, F. neogagates, F. oregonensis & F. vinculans .
Geographic Range
Widely distributed, from the upper altitudes of central Mexican mountains, north to British Columbia, east across southern Canada to the Great Lakes Region and south to the Ozarks of Arkansas.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Types were collected in Mexico.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Polyergus mexicanus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Western Amazon ant (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by James C. Trager