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Tucson AZ, Nov 30, 2018 Brachymyrmex? ID

id tucson

Best Answer gcsnelling , January 31 2019 - 3:19 AM

Too many antennal segments, = Forelius.

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#1 Offline Maculata - Posted November 29 2018 - 10:27 PM

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Thread Summary to date:  Forelius sp.

 

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Central Tucson, AZ

2. Date of collection: Summer 2018
3. Habitat of collection: Sonoran Desert, 2000ft, urban mesquite trees and cactus

From the collector: "collected it under a rock I found beside a river bed under a tree with roots sticking out of the ground with moss, quite a beautiful place"

4. Length (from head to gaster): Queen 5mm, workers 2-2.5mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: 
6. Distinguishing characteristics: 
7. Distinguishing behavior: Excitable

8. Nest description: collected it under a rock

9. Nuptial flight time and date: Summer 2018

 

[Ant Images]

A60A8765 S Nsi
A60A8762 S Nsi

 

[New Images]

A60A9060 NSI
A60A9055 NSI
A60A9052 NSI
A60A9059 NSI
A60A9061 NSI
A60A9062 NSI
A60A9063 NSI

Edited by Maculata, February 1 2019 - 11:50 PM.


#2 Offline gcsnelling - Posted November 30 2018 - 3:29 AM

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I think Forelius is a more likely option.



#3 Offline Ferox_Formicae - Posted November 30 2018 - 5:18 AM

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Linepithema humile no doubt. The shape of the queen and the eyes of the workers give it away.


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Camponotus chromaiodes, Camponotus nearcticus, Stigmatomma pallipesStrumigenys brevisetosaStrumigenys clypeataStrumigenys louisianaeStrumigenys membraniferaStrumigenys reflexaStrumigenys rostrata

 

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#4 Offline gcsnelling - Posted November 30 2018 - 3:43 PM

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Not likely, check out the wing scars on the queen. If not Forelius, Dorymyrmex is the only other option. Linepithema is not a desert tolerant ant unless in a very wet urban environment.



#5 Offline Ferox_Formicae - Posted November 30 2018 - 6:19 PM

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Okay, they're definitely Dorymyrmex, but species is hard to tell. Maybe D. bureni?


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Camponotus chromaiodes, Camponotus nearcticus, Stigmatomma pallipesStrumigenys brevisetosaStrumigenys clypeataStrumigenys louisianaeStrumigenys membraniferaStrumigenys reflexaStrumigenys rostrata

 

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#6 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted November 30 2018 - 7:28 PM

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Linepithema humile no doubt. The shape of the queen and the eyes of the workers give it away.


Most Dolichoderinae have similar eye shape and queen shape, not always the best way to tell ants apart.

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#7 Offline Maculata - Posted November 30 2018 - 10:04 PM

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Thank you so much for looking at these for ID.  I have tried to add several images at different angles including eyes and wing scars.  Image quality is not too good as the tube they are in is very scratched.  Note: The images in the album are higher resolution than the embedded images.  I have not wanted to force them to move into a new tube for the photos because they seem very excitable and I don't want them to panic and do something bad.  


Edited by Maculata, November 30 2018 - 10:28 PM.


#8 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 6 2019 - 7:03 AM

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To me it seems like Forelius, but it could be Dorymyrmex, I am not good at identifying Dolichoderines.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#9 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 6 2019 - 7:03 AM

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Did you collect this colony from the wild or raise it up from a queen, because if it was from the wild, it could be a parasitic Dorymyrmex species.

Edited by NickAnter, January 6 2019 - 7:06 AM.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#10 Offline Maculata - Posted January 7 2019 - 9:27 PM

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From the collector (Tucson GAN):

"I collected it under a rock I found beside a river bed under a tree with roots sticking out of the ground with moss, quite a beautiful place"

 

Rivers/Washes are dry most of the year in Tucson except after the rains, but there are spots with year round moss or green dirt ( cyanobacteria or algae ?) covering darker areas in or near the washes

 

"Sonoran Desert - Dominant Biological Crust Components - cyanobacteria (Nostoc, Schizothrix), ..."

or

"Microscopic, unicellular, free-living green algae are found in desert microbiotic crusts worldwide. ... Molecular systematic and physiological data gathered from desert taxa demonstrate that these algae are long-term members of desert communities, not transient visitors from aquatic habitats."

 

I have a couple other questions into him.  Sounds a bit like it could have been from the wild.  

 

It sounds like I would have to find a compatible sps. and grab some larvae to introduce to verify what happens.  Are there any other tests?  The queen has been laying new eggs..  


Edited by Maculata, January 7 2019 - 10:19 PM.


#11 Offline Maculata - Posted January 29 2019 - 10:38 PM

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The brood grows and starts to venture out, some better quality pictures...

 
A60A0409 S NSI
 
Note eye of adult feeder cricket below the ant

A60A0362 S NSI

 

A60A0360 S NSI
A60A0394 S NSI
A60A0365 S NSI
A60A0421 S NSI
 

Edited by Maculata, February 1 2019 - 11:46 PM.


#12 Offline dspdrew - Posted January 30 2019 - 5:53 AM

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As much as they look like Dorymyrmex, I can't see the cone/pyramid structure on the thorax of any of them in these pictures. The size, if accurate, is a lot smaller than any Dorymyrmex I've seen, but right in line with the size of Forelius I have seen.


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#13 Offline gcsnelling - Posted January 31 2019 - 3:19 AM   Best Answer

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Too many antennal segments, = Forelius.







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