Taxonomic history
Wheeler & Wheeler, 1984a PDF: 273 (l.).Combination in Eciton (Labidus): Mayr, 1886d PDF: 441.Combination in Eciton (Acamatus): Emery, 1900e: 187.Combination in Eciton (Neivamyrmex): Smith, 1942c PDF: 572.Combination in Neivamyrmex: Borgmeier, 1955 PDF: 522.Senior synonym of Neivamyrmex wheeleri (and its junior synonym Neivamyrmex dubia): Watkins, 1968 PDF: 275.See also: Forbes & Do-Van-Quy, 1965 PDF: 95.Figures 6, 20, 36, 66, 79
Labidus harrisii Haldemann , 1852: 367 (m). USA: Texas, Fort Gates (no types known to exist).
Eciton (Labidus) harrisi : Mayr, 1886 c: 441.
Eciton harrisi : Forel, 1899: 28 (m).
Eciton (Acamatus) harrisi : Emery, 1900: 515; fig. 18.
Eciton wheeleri Emery , 1901: 55, fig. 8 (w). USA : Texas , Hays Co. ( MCSN ) .
Eciton (Acamatus) wheeleri : Wheeleri, 1908: 412.
Eciton (Acamatus) wheeleri subsp. dubia Creighton , 1932: 75 - 77 (w, q). U. S. A. , Texas , 5 mi W Ft. Worth ( AMNH ?) .
Eciton (Neivamyrmex) wheeleri : M. R. Smith, 1942: 561. Creighton, 1950: 76.
Eciton (Neivamyrmex) harrisii : M. R. Smith, 1942: 572. Creighton, 1950: 72.
Neivamyrmex wheeleri : Borgmeier, 1953: 6. 1955: 511 - 514; (q, w).
Neivamyrmex harrisi : Borgmeier, 1955: 522 - 524. Watkins, 1968: 275.
DISTRIBUTION (Map 13)
UNITED STATES: Oklahoma and Texas, west to Arizona; MEXICO: border states south at least to Colima in the east and Nayarit in the west.
SPECIMENS EXAMINED
We have studied 141 samples of this common species from the United States and Mexico.
DISCUSSION
M. R. Smith (1942) opined that N. wheeleri represented the female castes of N. harrisii . This suspected synonymy was confirmed by Watkins (1968).
Males of this common species are regularly collected at lights. They are superficially similar to those of N. andrei but the mandibular shape and the large ocelli will serve to separate them from that species.
