Taxonomic history
Combination in Eciton (Labidus): Mayr, 1886d PDF: 442.Combination in Eciton (Acamatus): Emery, 1900e: 187.Combination in Eciton (Neivamyrmex): Smith, 1942c PDF: 576.Combination in Neivamyrmex: Borgmeier, 1953 PDF: 8.See also: Borgmeier, 1955 PDF: 647; Snelling & Snelling, 2007 PDF: 479.Figures 115, 128, 139
Labidus melshaemeri Haldemann , 1852: 368; pl. 9 fig. 7 - 9 (m). U. S. A, Texas, Fort Gates (type lost).
Eciton (Labidus) melshaemeri : Mayr, 1886 c: 442. Emery, 1895: 261 (m). Emery, 1896: 33.
Eciton (Acamatus) melshaemeri : Emery, 1900: 516, 525 (m). Emery, 1910: 26.
Eciton melsheimeri : Forel, 1899: 28 (m).
Eciton (Acamatus) melshaemeri : Wheeler, 1908: 418 (m).
Eciton (Neivamyrmex) melshaemeri : M. R. Smith, 1942: 576 (m). M. R. Smith, 1951: 780. Creighton, 1950: 73.
Neivamyrmex melsheimeri: Borgmeier, 1955: 647 - 649 (m). Watkins, 1972: 351 (m). Watkins, 1976: 23 (m); Watkins, 1982: 213 (m).
DISTRIBUTION (Map 7)
UNITED STATES: Louisiana and Oklahoma west to Texas; MEXICO: Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi south to Chiapas and Yucatan; SOUTH AMERICA.
SPECIMENS EXAMINED
UNITED STATES , LOUISIANA, Beauregard Parish : DeRidder ( LACM ) . TEXAS , Bexar Co. : San Antonio ( CASC ) . Brazos Co. : College Station ( TAMU , WPMC ) ; 16 km W Bryan ( WPMC ) . Cameron Co. : nr. Southmost Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary ( TAMU , WPMC ) ; Brownsville ( LACM , GCSC , UCBC , USNM ) . Dimmit Co. : Winter Haven ( MINN ) . Grayson Co. , Sherman ( TAMU ) . Liberty Co. : Devers ( CUIC ) . Matagorda Co. : Blessing ( TAMU ) . Morris Co. : Dangerfield ( TAMU ) . Tarrant Co. : Fort Worth ( LACM ) . Travis Co. : Austin ( TAMU ) . Val Verde Co. : Juno ( CUIC ) . Victoria Co. : Victoria ( CUIC ) . Wharton Co. : Wharton ( CUIC , LACM ) .
MEXICO , CHIAPAS : 12 mi N. Ocozocoautla ( TAMU ) . TAMAULIPAS : Ciudad Victoria ( WPMC ) ; Ciudad Victoria , Canon La Libertad ( TAMU ) .
DISCUSSION
This common small species can be confused with no other United States species. The long flexuous hairs on the body of this ant readily distinguish it from our other Neivamyrmex . Throughout its range from the southern United States to South America this ant is morphologically quite uniform.
