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: Rossomyrmex proformicarum–Proformica epinotalis Rossomyrmex quandratinodum–Proformica sp. Rossomyrmex anatolicus–Proformica korbi Rossomyrmex minuchae–Proformica longiseta
Species
Proformica alaica Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1926 Proformica borowieci Lebas, Galkowski, Lenoir & Perdereau, 2023 Proformica buddhaensis Ruzsky, 1915 Proformica caucasea (Santschi, 1925) Proformica coriacea Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927 Proformica dolichocephala Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927 Proformica epinotalis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927 Proformica ferreri Bondroit, 1918 Proformica flavosetosa (Viehmeyer, 1922) Proformica jacoti (Wheeler, 1923) Proformica kaszabi Dlussky, 1969 Proformica kobachidzei Arnol'di, 1968 Proformica korbi (Emery, 1909) Proformica kosswigi (Donisthorpe, 1950) Proformica kusnezowi (Santschi, 1928) Proformica lebasi Borowiec & Salata, 2022 Proformica longiseta Collingwood, 1978 Proformica mongolica (Emery, 1901) Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) Proformica nitida Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1923 Proformica oculatissima (Forel, 1886) Proformica ossetica Dubovikoff, 2005 Proformica pilosiscapa Dlussky, 1969 Proformica seraphimi Tarbinsky, 1970 Proformica similis Dlussky, 1969 Proformica splendida Dlussky, 1965 Proformica striaticeps (Forel, 1911)
See also Rossomyrmex, genus of ant that parasitizes Proformica species
References
External links