Proformica is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. The genus is known from the Palearctic realm, from Mongolia through Central Asia to Spain. Colonies are small, generally containing a few hundred individuals, with a single queen (monogyne) or multiple ergatogyne queens. Unique in the tribe Formicini, some species have specialized workers ("honeypot ants") gorged with food; they function as living storage containers.
Parasite host
Four species are host to obligate slave-making ants in the genus Rossomyrmex, with each species forming a coevolving pair:
Species
- Proformica alaica <small>Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1926</small>
- Proformica borowieci <small>Lebas, Galkowski, Lenoir & Perdereau, 2023 </small>
- Proformica buddhaensis <small>Ruzsky, 1915</small>
- Proformica caucasea <small>(Santschi, 1925)</small>
- Proformica coriacea <small>Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927</small>
- Proformica dolichocephala <small>Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927</small>
- Proformica epinotalis <small>Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927</small>
- Proformica ferreri <small>Bondroit, 1918</small>
- Proformica flavosetosa <small>(Viehmeyer, 1922)</small>
- Proformica jacoti <small>(Wheeler, 1923)</small>
- Proformica kaszabi <small>Dlussky, 1969</small>
- Proformica kobachidzei <small>Arnol'di, 1968</small>
- Proformica korbi <small>(Emery, 1909)</small>
- Proformica kosswigi <small>(Donisthorpe, 1950)</small>
- Proformica kusnezowi <small>(Santschi, 1928)</small>
- Proformica lebasi <small>Borowiec & Salata, 2022</small>
- Proformica longiseta <small>Collingwood, 1978</small>
- Proformica mongolica <small>(Emery, 1901)</small>
- Proformica nasuta <small>(Nylander, 1856)</small>
- Proformica nitida <small>Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1923</small>
- Proformica oculatissima <small>(Forel, 1886)</small>
- Proformica ossetica <small>Dubovikoff, 2005</small>
- Proformica pilosiscapa <small>Dlussky, 1969</small>
- Proformica seraphimi <small>Tarbinsky, 1970</small>
- Proformica similis <small>Dlussky, 1969</small>
- Proformica splendida <small>Dlussky, 1965</small>
- Proformica striaticeps <small>(Forel, 1911)</small>
See also
- Rossomyrmex, genus of ant that parasitizes Proformica species
References
External links