Global InformationPogonomyrmex maricopa information
| Maricopa harvester ant | |
|---|---|
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| P. maricopa worker | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Pogonomyrmex |
| Species: | P. maricopa
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| Binomial name | |
| Pogonomyrmex maricopa Wheeler, 1914
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Pogonomyrmex maricopa, the Maricopa harvester ant, is one of the most common species of harvester ant found in the U.S. state of Arizona,[1] but it is also known from California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas and Utah, and the Mexican states of Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Sonora.[2] Its venom is believed to be the most toxic insect venom in the world.[3]
Their nest mounds are likely to incorporate rocks and gravel. The ants construct cemented caps on the sand mound nests in a fine sand dune area. The caps are approximately 60% calcium carbonate that is transported from the underlying calcium carbonate layers, and protect the nest structure from being eroded away during high-wind periods. Partial erosion of the cemented caps adds calcium carbonate to the sand dune soils.[4]
- ^ Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.) Archived 2004-09-10 at the Wayback Machine — Urban Integrated Pest Management
- ^ D. L. Quinn. "Pogonomyrmex maricopa". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ W. L. Meyer (1996-05-01). "Chapter 23 — Most Toxic Insect Venom". Book of Insect Records. University of Florida. Archived from the original on 2012-06-01.
- ^ Whitford, Walter G. (2003). "The functional significance of cemented nest caps of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex maricopa". Journal of Arid Environments. 53 (2): 281–4. doi:10.1006/jare.2002.1039.