Ant diversity and habitat associations at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi. [abstract]

*[Our survey revealed a diverse fauna of 90 species representing 29 genera in 7 subfamilies. We collected 55 species in bottomland hardwood forests, 54 in pine/hardwood forests, 43 in upland hardwood forests, 42 in pine forests, 33 in disturbed mixed forests, 31 in cypress forests, 25 in cedar forests, & 18 in fields, grasslands, & mowed roadsides. Seven new state records were collected including Crematogaster vermiculata Emery), Pyramica abdita (Wesson and Wesson), Pyramica pergandei (Emery), Solenopsis abdita Thompson, Stenamma impar Forel, Strumigenys silvestrii Emery, & Temnothorax longispinosus Roger. Pheidole sp. & Brachymyrmex sp. appear to be undescribed species. Only 7 of the species collected are considered to be exotic: Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr, Hypoponera opaciceps (Mayr), Linepithema humile (Mayr), Paratrechina vividula (Nylander), Pyramica membranifera (Emery), Solenopsis invicta x richteri hybrid, & Strumigenys silvestrii Emery. Exotic species generally were found only in disturbed areas.]Abstracts of the 55th annual meeting of the Mississippi Entomological Association, October 28-29, 2008