• Lectotype designation: Snelling, 1976: 34.
• Wheeler, 1912e: 174 (q.m.); Wheeler & Wheeler, 1968a: 211 (l.)
• Combination in Myrmecocystus (Endiodioctes): Snelling, 1976: 30.
• Status as species: Cresson, 1887: 255; Dalla Torre, 1893: 218; Emery, 1893k: 666; Forel, 1899b: 130; Wheeler, 1906i: 345; Wheeler, 1908g: 348 (redescription); Wheeler, 1910a: 571; Wheeler, 1914c: 57; Emery, 1925d: 239; Cole, 1937b: 138; Creighton, 1950a: 444; Smith, 1951c: 855; Creighton & Crandall, 1954: Cole, 1954g: 284; Smith, 1958c: 151; Snelling, 1969b: 2; Snelling, 1976: 31 (redescription); Smith, 1979: 1446; Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986g: 70 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 275; Mackay & Mackay, 2002: 394.
• Senior synonym of Myrmecocystus comatus: Snelling, 1969b: 4; Snelling, 1976: 31; Smith, 1979: 1446; Bolton, 1995b: 275.

Junior synonyms

• Myrmecocystus comatus Creighton, 1950
• Myrmecocystus melliger orbiceps Wheeler, 1908

Citations

• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp.
• Cole, A. C., Jr. 1937b. An annotated list of the ants of Arizona (Hym.: Formicidae). [concl.]. Entomological News 48:134-140. PDF
• Cole, A. C., Jr. 1954g. Studies of New Mexico ants. XIII. The genera Acanthomyops, Myrmecocystus, and Polyergus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 29:284-285. PDF
• Creighton, W. S. 1950a. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104:1-585. PDF
• Creighton, W. S.; Crandall, R. H. 1954. New data on the habits of Myrmecocystus melliger Forel. Biological Review (City College of New York) 16:2-6.
• Cresson, E. T. Sr. 1887. Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hymenoptera of America, north of Mexico, together with a catalogue of the described species, and bibliography. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, Suppl. Vol. 1887:1-351. PDF
• Dalla Torre, K. W. 1893. Catalogus Hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. Vol. 7. Formicidae (Heterogyna). Leipzig: W. Engelmann, 289 pp. PDF
• Emery, C. 1893k. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der nordamerikanischen Ameisenfauna. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 7:633-682. PDF
• Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183:1-302. PDF
• Forel, A. 1886h. Études myrmécologiques en 1886. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 30:131-215. PDF
• Forel, A. 1899b. Formicidae. [part]. Biologia Centrali-Americana Hym. 3:1-24. PDF
• Mackay, W.; Mackay, E. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp. PDF
• Smith, D. R. 1979. Superfamily Formicoidea. Pp. 1323-1467 in: Krombein, K. V.; Hurd, P. D.; Smith, D. R.; Burks, B. D. (eds.) 1979. Catalog of Hymenoptera in America north of Mexico. Volume 2. Apocrita (Aculeata). Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, pp. i-xvi, 1199-2209.
• Smith, M. R. 1951c. Family Formicidae. Pp. 778-875 in: Muesebeck, C. F. W.; Krombein, K. V.; Townes, H. K. (eds.) 1951. Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalogue. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Monograph 2:1-1420. PDF
• Smith, M. R. 1958c. Family Formicidae. Pp. 108-162 in: Krombein, K. V. (ed.) 1958. Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalogue. First supplement. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Monograph 2(suppl. 1):1-305. PDF
• Snelling, R. R. 1969b. Taxonomic notes on the Myrmecocystus melliger complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Contributions in Science (Los Angeles) 170:1-9. PDF
• Snelling, R. R. 1976. A revision of the honey ants, genus Myrmecocystus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Science Bulletin 24:1-163. PDF
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1968a. The ant larvae of the subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): supplement. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 61:205-222. PDF
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1986g. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp. PDF
• Wheeler, W. M. 1906i. The ants of the Grand Cañon. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 22:329-345. PDF
• Wheeler, W. M. 1908g. Honey ants, with a revision of the American Myrmecocysti. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 24:345-397. PDF
• Wheeler, W. M. 1910a. Ants: their structure, development and behavior. New York: Columbia University Press, xxv + 663 pp. PDF
• Wheeler, W. M. 1912e. Additions to our knowledge of the ants of the genus Myrmecocystus Wesmael. Psyche (Cambridge) 19:172-181. PDF
• Wheeler, W. M. 1914c. Ants collected by W. M. Mann in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 22:37-61. PDF