Myrmecocystus

Myrmecocystus is a North American genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. It is one of five genera that includes honeypot ants. Worker ants keep and tend plerergates, which are other ants that store large quantities of nutritious fluid in their abdomens to feed the colony during famine times. Some species engage in highly territorial tournaments, which can result in intraspecific slavery. During the raids, they carry off larvae, workers, and plerergates. The genus has three subgenera, namely Myrmecocystus, Endiodioctes, and Eremnocystus.

== Species == Subgenus Myrmecosystus Myrmecocystus christineae Snelling, 1982 Myrmecocystus ewarti Snelling, 1971 Myrmecocystus melanoticus Wheeler, 1914 Myrmecocystus mexicanus Wesmael, 1838 Myrmecocystus navajo Wheeler, 1908 Myrmecocystus pyramicus Smith, 1951 Myrmecocystus testaceus Emery, 1893 Subgenus Endiodioctes Myrmecocystus baja Sankey-Alamilla et al., 2024 Myrmecocystus depilis Forel, 1901 Myrmecocystus flaviceps Wheeler, 1912 Myrmecocystus intonsus Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus kathjuli Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus kennedyi Snelling, 1969 Myrmecocystus koso Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus melliger Forel, 1886 Myrmecocystus mendax Wheeler, 1908 Myrmecocystus mimicus Wheeler, 1908 Myrmecocystus nequazcatl Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus placodops Forel, 1908 Myrmecocystus romainei Hunt & Snelling, 1975 Myrmecocystus semirufus Emery, 1893 Myrmecocystus wheeleri Snelling, 1971 Subgenus Eremnocystus Myrmecocystus arenarius Snelling, 1982 Myrmecocystus colei Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus creightoni Snelling, 1971 Myrmecocystus hammettensis Cole, 1938 Myrmecocystus lugubris Wheeler, 1909 Myrmecocystus perimeces Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus snellingi Bolton, 1995 Myrmecocystus tenuinodis Snelling, 1976 Myrmecocystus yuma Wheeler, 1912