Ant species; name changes and new species.

Older keys to British ants (mostly those produced between 1970 and 2010) can lead to confusion as a number of species have had name changes, several in some cases, and some ‘species’ are now regarded as 2 or more. Several new species have also been added to the British list.

The first name on each line is the species name in the older keys, and is followed by the current name or other species that would key out in the same place in, for example, Collingwood’s The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. So as an example an ant keying out as Lasius alienus in the above key would be an aggregate of L. alienus, L. pssamophilus & L. neglectus, and unless examined further should be recorded as L. alienus sensu lato.

  • Anergates atratulus a synonym of Tetramorium atratulum
  • Formica candida a synonym of F. picea
  • Formica transkaucasica a synonym of F. picea
  • Lasius flavus in extreme hot dry habitats L. myops should also be considered (but is unlikely).
  • Lasius alienus could also include L. pssamophilus & L. neglectus.
  • Lasius niger could also include L. platythorax. Lasius emarginatus could also key out here in some works.
  • Leptothorax albipennis a synonym of Temnothorax albipennis
  • Leptothorax interruptus a synonym of Temnothorax interruptus
  • Leptothorax nylanderi a synonym of Temnothorax nylanderi
  • Leptothorax tuberum a mis-identification of Temnothorax albipennis
  • Leptothorax unifasciatus a synonym of Temnothorax unifasciatus
  • Myrmica bessarabica a synonym of M. speciodes
  • Myrmica sabuleti may also include M. lonae
  • Ponera coarctata could also include P. testacea
  • Sifolinia karavajevi a synonym of Myrmica karavejevi
  • Stenamma westwoodii could also include S. debile
  • Tapinoma ambiguum a synonym of T. subboreale
  • Tapinoma madeirense a synonym of T. subboreale