Atta texana (Buckley)
Synonymy.—Atta fervens Say [Wheeler, 1910].
Commensal.—Attaphila fungicola, U.S.A., Texas (Wheeler, 1900, 1910): The cockroach does not feed on the fungus in the ants' nest, as Wheeler (1900) first supposed, but mounts the back of the soldiers and licks their surfaces. It is tolerated by the ants with no signs of hostility. The antennae of the cockroach are clipped short. Although Wheeler (1910) stated that this is probably accidental or unintentional, it is peculiar that Bolívar (1905) noticed the same invariable mutilation of the antennae of Attaphila bergi. Wheeler (1900) had originally suggested that the antennae were probably clipped off by the ants which are continuously trimming the fungus hyphae. Louisiana (Moser, personal communication, 1959): Numerous specimens were encountered in some nests of A. texana. This cockroach is the most closely associated inquiline in the nest and maintains very intimate terms with the ants. It is found living in the fungus cavities and tunnels.