Pseudomyrmex simplex (Smith 1877)

P. simplex shows a preference for nesting in dead twigs of woody shrubs or trees, rather than in dead stalks of herbaceous plants. In Florida, nests have been collected in dead twigs or stalks of Baccharis halimifolia, Cladium jamaicense, Laguncularia racemosa, Metopium toxiferum. and Nectandra coriacea; there are also museum records from Carya floridana and Swietenia mahagoni. Ward (1985) recorded Costa Rican nests of P. simplex in dead twigs of Anacardium, Ardisia revoluta, Avicennia germinans, Conocarpus erectus, Gliricidia sepium, Hibiscus tiliaceus, and Terminalia catappa.Most P. simplex nests dissected by Ward (1985) were queenless (indicating a high level of polydomy),some were monogynous, and one contained two functional (i.e. inseminated, with well-developed ovaries) dealate queens.Alates have been collected in May, June, and September in Florida.

This common and widely distributed species ranges from Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico, south to Argentina.

Worker:standing pilosity sparse, absent from mesonotum and propodeumsmall size (HW 0.55-0.74)eyes relatively long (REL 0.52-0.61)abdominal tergite IV smooth and shining, lacking a dense mat of appressed pubescencevertex of head smooth and shiningprofemur broad (FI 0.45-0.52)

Pseudomyrma simplex Smith, 1877b PDF: 64 (w.) [Note: type-locality, see discussion in Ward, 1989a PDF: 443.] BRAZIL (Amazonas). Neotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1972b PDF: 223.Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 59; Forel, 1895b PDF: 123; Emery, 1921c PDF: 34; Borgmeier, 1927c PDF: 76; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 223; Ward, 1985b PDF: 228 (redescription); Ward, 1989a PDF: 443; Deyrup et al., 1989 PDF: 94; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 375; Ward, 1992 PDF: 75 (specimen in amber), 80 (in table); Bolton, 1995b: 375; Deyrup, 2003 PDF: 46; Wild, 2007b PDF: 41; Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012 PDF: 264; Bezděčková et al., 2015 PDF: 126; Deyrup, 2017: 43; Lubertazzi, 2019 10.3099/MCZ-43.1 PDF: 164; Ward, 2019 PDF: 1104.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex acanthobius capperi: Ward, 1985b PDF: 238; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 375.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex flavidulus delicatulus: Ward, 1985b PDF: 238; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 375; Lubertazzi, 2019 10.3099/MCZ-43.1 PDF: 166.Senior synonym of Pseudomyrmex delicatula panamensis: Ward, 1985b PDF: 238; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 375.Material of the unavailable name Pseudomyrmex acanthobius delicatula vittata referred here by Ward, 1985b PDF: 238; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 377; Bolton, 1995b: 375.

Canindeyú , Central, “ Paraná R.” (Dept. unknown) (ALWC, IFML, INBP, MCZC).

Pseudomyrmex simplex is a species of ant in the family Formicidae.