Genus Aphaenogaster Mayr ^HNS

Of the six species of this genus occurring in California, one ( A. occidentalis (Emery)) ^HNS is widespread in mesic habitats, four are confined to deserts, and one species ( A. patruelis Forel ^HNS) is endemic to the Channel Islands and Isla Guadalupe. All are ground-nesting ants, with somewhat generalized scavenging habits.

Species identification: keys in Creighton (1950a), Wheeler and Wheeler (1986g) and Mackay and Mackay (2002). Additional references: Creighton (1955), De Andrade (1995), Hölldobler and Carlin (1990), Hölldobler et al. (1995), Johnson (2000a, 2001), Jones and Phillips (1989), Sanders and Gordon (2002), Schulz (1994), Smith (1963c), Umphrey (1996), Wheeler and Creighton (1934).