Formica aquilonia Yarrow

• Main Author: Collingwood, C. A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1979
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Formicidae; Formica; Formica aquilonia; Norway; Fennoscandia; North Norway; Siberia
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6283916; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6283916

60. Formica aquilonia Yarrow, 1955 Figs. 174,242-248. Formica aquilonia Yarrow, 1955a: 29. Worker. Bicoloured with dark markings on head and promesonotum varying in size and intensity - generally not as brightly coloured or as large as F. rufa. In the typical form distinct outstanding hairs fringe the posterior border of the head but do not occur forward towards the eyes as in F. lugubris. In many samples from South Norway and South Finland these hairs may be hard to find or absent. Erect hairs on gula and dorsum of alitrunk variable, usually short and sparse. Eyes with distinct short hairs but much less prominent than in F. lugubris. Frons rather dull with close dense microsculpture, gaster very closely punctured. Suberect hairs on extensor surfaces of hind femora and tibiae always present but sometimes few. Antennal scapes bare. Head width of largest workers less than 2 mm. Length: 4.0-8.5 mm. Queen. Bicoloured, scutellum rather dull but gaster always shining. In normal samples short hairs project from the posterior border of the head and on the basal face of the gaster but are absent from the upper surface of the scale and propodeum. Gaster always with fine close micropunctures. Size generally smaller than other species. Length: 8.0-10.0 mm. Male. Black, appendages paler. Genae with a few outstanding hairs below eyes. Eyes always with short hairs. Gaster tergites 2 to 4 generally without dorsolateral hairs. Fringe of short hairs always present on upper surface of hind femora. Erect hairs present on whole of head and alitrunk. Size generally smaller than other species. Length: 8.0-10.0 mm. Distribution. Denmark: EJ, Dokkedal (Bisgaard leg.). - Sweden: Dlsl. and Vstm. northward. - Abundant throughout Norway and Finland. - Locally common in Scotland. - Range: Eastern Alps to Siberia, North Italy to North Norway. Biology. This is undoubtedly the commonest wood ant in Fennoscandia. Large tracts of forest in the centre and north are dominated by this species which is usually found in large multicolonial groups with ...