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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) » Odorous Ants (Dolichoderinae)

Subfamily Dolichoderinae - Odorous Ants

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Habitat · Food · Internet References
Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma sessile Sunflower Ant - Forelius Dorymyrmex bureni (Trager) - Dorymyrmex bureni - female Wasp - Linepithema humile Forelius? - Forelius pruinosus mottled Dolichoderus - Dolichoderus plagiatus - female ant - Tapinoma sessile Dorymyrmex smithi? - Dorymyrmex smithi
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 Dolichoderinae (Odorous Ants)
Explanation of Names
Dolichoderinae Forel 1878
see Dolichoderus
Odorous Ants refers to the strong-smelling lactone-family of chemicals produced in anal glands of many species
Numbers
in our area, 5 genera native (Dolichoderus [4 spp.], Dorymyrmex [14+], Forelius [2], Liometopum [3], Tapinoma [4, incl. 1 introduced]) and 2 adventive (Linepithema, Technomyrmex, with 1 sp. each)
Size
our spp 1.8‒5 mm
Range
Tapinoma sessile virtually ubiquitous, Dolichoderus temperate eastern half of continent, other genera more regional
Habitat
usually warm and/or xeric; some invade houses, especially in cooler months
Food
All have a muscular pharynx, elaborate proventriculus, and highly expansible crop, indicative of reliance on a primarily liquid diet (honeydew, nectar), but many also prey on small arthropods, or scavenge scat, carrion.
Internet References
Taxon page
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 12 September, 2005 - 5:43pm
Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian, Chuck Entz, James C. Trager, v belov
Last updated 29 October, 2023 - 4:51pm

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