Species Cephalotes texanus - Texas Turtle Ant

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Range · Habitat · Food · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Cephalotes texanus (Santschi) - Cephalotes texanus

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 Myrmicinae

Tribe Attini

Genus Cephalotes (Turtle Ants)

Species texanus (Texas Turtle Ant)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cephalotes texanus (Santschi)

Orig. Comb: Cryptocerus texanus Santschi, 1915

Range

San Antonio, TX to San Luis Potosi, Mex. - Map (1)(2)

Habitat

Nests inside hollow twigs, galls or in old beetle larva burrows in various trees and shrubs. The ants clean out prexisting cavities for their own use.

Food

These ants feed off the surface of the plants they inhabit. Their crops often contain pollen grains, and they drink liquid from bird, lizard and mammal droppings, and probably also prey opportunistically on eggs and small, soft-bodied insects. Like most ants, these also drink honeydew and extrafloral nectar.

Remarks

This is a northern member of a moderately large Neotropical genus.

Print References

O’Keefe, S.T., J.L. Cook, T. Dudek, D.F. Wunneburger, M.D. Guzman, R.N. Coulson, and S.B. Vinson. 2000. The distribution of ants in Texas. Southwestern Entomologist, Supplemental Issue No. 22. 92 pp. (2)

Internet References

AntWeb (1)

Works Cited

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

2.	The distribution of ants in Texas. O’Keefe, S.T., J.L. Cook, T. Dudek, D.F. Wunneburger, M.D. Guzman, R.N. Coulson, and S.B. Vinson. 2000. Southwestern Entomologist, Supplemental Issue No. 22. 92 pp.

Contributed by Mike Quinn on 28 April, 2010 - 10:03pm
Additional contributions by James C. Trager, PaleoJon
Last updated 11 November, 2020 - 10:01pm

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