There are 74 ant species in Kentucky and 55 ant species in West Virginia. In most of the surrounding states, ant species counts are nearly double, or at least 49 more ant species than either of these two states. This indicates that there have been minimal sampling efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2023/1021/thumbnail.jp

Kilburn, Josiah

O\u27Keefe, Sean

English

Morehead State University

Figure 4. A visual key to the major Kentucky ant subfamilies, Pseudomyrmecinae is included for symmetry and solidarity, because there is a very small chance that the subfamily is present in southwestern Kentucky. Species illustrated:Formica podzolica (Formicinae), Forelius pruinosus (Dolichoderinae), Proceratium pergandei (Proceratiinae), Stigmatomma pallipes (Amblyoponinae), Hypoponera opacior (Ponerinae), Strumigenys pilinasis [head] and Myrmecina americana [profile] (Myrmicinae), Neivamyrmex opacithorax [head] and N. davisii [profile] (Dorylinae), Pseudomyrmex pallidus (Pseudomyrmecinae)There are 74 ant species in Kentucky and 55 ant species in West Virginia. In most of the surrounding states, you see ant species counts that are nearly double, or with at least 49 more ant species than either of these two states (Figure 1). This indicates that there have been minimal sampling efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia.FormicidaePostpetiole AbsentDolichoderinaeAcidopore Present (green)Acidopore absentAntennal insertions covered (green)Antennal insertions exposed (green)‘Pseudo-postpetiole’ Present True Postpetiole PresentAbdominal Segment IV (Blue) NormalPetiole Connected to Top of AbdomenPetiole (Yellow) With Gap Between Abdomen,Connected at Bottom of Abdomen.MyrmicinaeDorylinaePseudomyrmecinae?ProceratiinaeAmblyoponinaePonerinaePostpetiole (red) PresentAbdominal Segment IV (blue)EnlargedAbdominal Segment IV (blue)Not EnlargedFused MesosomaAbdominal Segment IV (blue)EnlargedAs part of an effort to address this problem, we created a Projected List of Kentucky Ant Species, which includes a list of Kentucky Ant Genera (Figure 3), as well as a species list. Currently, the Projected Species List includes around 180 species, 106 of which have yet to be reported from the state. The purpose of this list is to advise the making of keys for the ants in the state of Kentucky. Normally, collecting would be done before the generation of identification resources, but this uncanny approach is a strategic decision. We have already created our first visual key to subfamilies (Figure 4) and are working on keys to genera and speciesDuring (and after) this process of making keys, specimens will continue to be identified. When new species records are found, they are cross-referenced with the projected checklist. If the record is already projected It can be confirmed in the official checklist. We have already found (approximately) 5 new species records (Figure 5). The eventual goal of this project is to publish this information in either a book or a series of papers.Kentuck y A n t  ProjectMorehead State University                    Entomology Club - Spring 2023Luna Moths   	   Figure 3. A projected list of Kentucky ant genera. There are 5 projected additions (denoted by ?), Dolichoderus, Dorymyrmex, Forelius, Formicoxenus, and Leptothorax. Non-stinging subfamilies also lack a postpetiole (see Fig 4)Non-Stinging Ant SubfamiliesFormicinaeBrachymyrmexCamponotusColobopsisFormicaLasiusNylanderiaPolyergusPrenolepisDolichoderinaeDolichoderus?Dorymyrmex?Forelius?TapinomaAmblyoponinaeStigmatommaDorylinaeNeivamyrmexPonerinaePoneraHypoponeraProceratiinaeProceratiumMyrmicinaeAphaenogasterCrematogasterFormicoxenus?Leptothorax?MonomoriumMyrmecinaMyrmicaPheidoleSolenopsisStrumigenysTemnothoraxTrachymyrmexStinging ant SubfamiliesThe Kentucky Ant Project:  An Attempt toCatalogue the Ant Species of KentuckyJ o s i a h  K i l b u r n ,  D r .  S e a n  O ’ K e e f e  ( m e n t o r )Number of Recorded Species5574100123132139-142147-151155-156168-185FLPAMDVAWVOHINILNCMOGASCKYALLAMSTNARFigure 1. A map of the southeastern US showing number of ant species recorded in each state.ACEGBDFHFigure 5. Photographs of 5 new species records for the state of Kentucky. A) Stenamma cf. brevicorne queen collected in 2012 samples. B) Solenopsis [pygmaea complex] live worker photograph from Feb. 2023. C) A Proceratium croceum queen collected in 2012 samples, and D) is presumably a Proceratium croceum male collected on a similar date.  E) A Myrmica cf. tullicornis worker from 2012 samples. F) A Lasius sp. worker that was photographed by Eagle Lake in late March 2023. G) Features Aphaenogaster picea which is incredibly common here in Morehead H) also features this same species.Additionally, Kentucky hasn’t even had a single ant species checklist (a statewide list of species) published. There is only 1 paper from Antcat that mentions Kentucky in the title, which describes the ant species Strumigenys memorialis (Figure 2). Another species, Strumigenys metazytes, also has types from Kentucky. These two papers make up the entire state's taxonomic history. Antweb (a well-known database that stores specimens and record data on ants) only has 49 specimens recorded from Kentucky, whereas Colorado  has over 5000 and is still considered understudied. Antmaps, which combines both database and literature records, gives a better picture of the species found in Kentucky, but there are still many species unreported from the state. Data from Antmaps were used for the construction of Figure 1. This information deficit is odd given the commonwealth’s age and its biodiversity.Figure 2. The Kentucky Ant Project logo features an illustration of Strumigenys memorialis within the state outline. This is one of 2 species described from Kentucky. It was named in memory of Dr. William L. Brown, who originally published a Key to identify Smithistruma (its former genus) that was competent for over 45 years. Kentuc ky  A n t  Project2023			 	­­­­Iii □ □ □ □ □ □ • \_ • ' '' ~ , " •:C~ ' ·. t '- f ; ' . ' J_,c,,f-'f' 

The Kentucky Ant Project: An Attempt to Catalogue the Ant Species of Kentucky

https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=celebration_posters_2023

The Kentucky Ant Project: An Attempt to Catalogue the Ant Species of Kentucky

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