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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Elongated Ants (Pseudomyrmecinae) » Twig Ants (Pseudomyrmex) » Graceful Twig Ant (Pseudomyrmex gracilis)

Species Pseudomyrmex gracilis - Graceful Twig Ant

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

what ant is this? - Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Pseudomyrmex gracilis - Elongate Twig Ant - Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

Superfamily Formicoidea (Ants)

Family Formicidae (Ants)

Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae (Elongated Ants)

Genus Pseudomyrmex (Twig Ants)

Species gracilis (Graceful Twig Ant)

Other Common Names

Mexican Twig Ant

Slender Twig Ant (not recommended as a species-specific name as this can apply to all members of the genus)

Explanation of Names

Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Fabricius 1804)

from the Latin gracilis = 'slender, lean, simple'

Size

8-10 mm(1)

Identification

A long, solitary, wasp-like ant. Large eyes, two segmented petiole, well developed sting. Color varies with geographic distribution, and can range from dark brown-black, to orange-brown, or a mixture of orange and brown [bicolored]. The variation found in Florida is mostly described as bicolored with a black head, black abdomen, and an orange middle region.(1)

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Range

se US (SC-FL-TX) to S. Amer. - Map (1)(2)

Habitat

Arboreal(1)

Food

live insects (especially lepidopteran larvae), fungal spores; tends aphids for honeydew(1)

Life Cycle

Small nests. Leave pheromone trails. Unlike other congeners, not associated with Acacia trees.

Remarks

possesses a somewhat painful sting, perhaps approximate in intensity to the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, but rarely uses it. (Graham Montgomery, pers. obs.)

Print References

Wetterer J.K. (2010) Worldwide spread of the graceful twig ant, Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Fla. Entomol. 93: 535-540.

Internet References

AntWeb(2)

Species page(3)

Fact sheet (Toth 2007-2013)(4)

Works Cited

1.	University of Florida: Featured Creatures Series

2.	Ward P.S. (2002-) AntWeb

3.	Ants of the Southeastern United States by Joe A. MacGown

4.	University of Florida: Featured Creatures

Contributed by Brad Barnd on 15 January, 2008 - 11:41am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, Graham M, Ron M., Robert Lord Zimlich, v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 4 November, 2021 - 3:17pm

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