Taxonomic history
[Misspelled as minus by Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 4, Emery, 1895d PDF: 261, Creighton, 1950a PDF: 73, and others.].Combination in Eciton (Labidus): Mayr, 1886d PDF: 441.Combination in Eciton (Acamatus): Emery, 1900e: 187.Combination in Eciton (Neivamyrmex): Smith, 1942c PDF: 574.Combination in Neivamyrmex: Borgmeier, 1953 PDF: 8.Status as species: Mayr, 1886d PDF: 441 (redescription); Cresson, 1887 PDF: 259; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 4; Emery, 1895d PDF: 261; Forel, 1899b PDF: 29; Emery, 1900e: 178 (in key); Wheeler, 1908h PDF: 418; Emery, 1910b PDF: 27; Wheeler, 1910a PDF: 562; Borgmeier, 1936b PDF: 63; Smith, 1938b PDF: 158; Smith, 1942c PDF: 574 (redescription); Creighton, 1950a PDF: 73; Smith, 1951c PDF: 780; Borgmeier, 1955 PDF: 630 (redescription); Smith, 1958c PDF: 109; Cole, 1966b PDF: 26; Watkins, 1972 PDF: 352 (in key); Hunt & Snelling, 1975 PDF: 21; Watkins, 1976 PDF: 25 (in key); Smith, 1979: 1331; Snelling & George, 1979: 29; Watkins, 1982 PDF: 214 (in key); Watkins, 1985 PDF: 484 (in key); Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986g PDF: 20; Bolton, 1995b: 290; Mackay & Mackay, 2002 PDF: 60; Ward, 2005 PDF: 62; Snelling & Snelling, 2007 PDF: 481.Species is known from males only.
Figures 104, 105, 116, 130, 141
Labidus minor Cresson , 1872: 195 (m). U. S. A. , Texas ( ANSP ) .
Eciton (Labidus) minor : Mayr, 1886: 441 (m). Emery, 1895: 261 (m).
Eciton (Acamatus) minus : Wheeler, 1908: 418 (m).
Eciton (Neivamyrmex) minus : M. R. Smith, 1942: 544 (m). Creighton, 1950: 73 (m). Neivamyrmex minor : Borgmeier, 1955: 630 - 632 (m). Watkins, 1976: 25 (m). Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986: 20. Cokendolpher & Francke, 1990: 11.
DISTRIBUTION (Map 8)
UNITED STATES: Texas to Kansas, west to southern Nevada and California; MEXICO: Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila (Watkins, 1982).
SPECIMENS EXAMINED
We have 64 records from the United States.
DISCUSSION
Neivamyrmex minor is certainly one of the more widespread species. Occurring in a wide variety of habitats it is one of the most frequently encountered Neivamyrmex species, and is commonly collected at light. The female castes are currently unknown but, based on ranges, we posit that N. leonardi will prove to be the worker.
Although this species has been collected in variety of habitats, it has only rarely been collected in the desert areas of the west. Elevational amplitude ranges from near sea level to about 7000 feet. Automontage images of this ant are available at antweb. org.
