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Queen Ant ID request #2

tucson az id

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21 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Maculata - Posted August 2 2019 - 9:04 PM

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Crematogaster isolata or a close relative (95%)

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Tucson, AZ, southern foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains
2. Date of collection: July 24, 2019
3. Habitat of collection: Sonoran Desert, 2400ft, foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains, mesquite trees and cactus
4. Length (from head to gaster): Queen 9 mm on capture - In full egg production 10.5mm, almost 11mm 
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: 
6. Distinguishing characteristics:  Very rapid colony growth once established; 20 workers  in 5 weeks + 30 eggs, larva & pupae; test tube kept at 78 to 85 degrees (daily variation)
7. Distinguishing behavior: Excitable; likes frozen-thawed fruit flies; honey o.k. for sugars
8. Nest description:  

 

A60A0559 S NSI
A60A0558 S NSI
A60A0554 S NSI
A60A0556 S NSI
A60A0561 S NSI
 
In full egg production by August 30th:
A60A0952 S NSI

 

 

Added pictures of the first nanitics and some closeups.  Any chance of a species ID?

 

A60A0710 S NSI
A60A0715 S NSI
A60A0721 S NSI
A60A0701 S NSI
A60A0700 S NSI
A60A0686 S NSI
A60A0684 S NSI
A60A0683 S NSI
A60A0673 S NSI
A60A0672 S NSI
A60A0670 S NSI
A60A0666 S NSI
A60A0663 S NSI
A60A0647 S NSI
A60A0641 S NSI

 


Edited by Maculata, August 31 2019 - 9:45 AM.

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#2 Offline Derpy - Posted August 2 2019 - 9:41 PM

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Looks like a pheidole species.


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-1x Parasitic Formica Sp. Colony

-1x Pogonomymrex Californicus Colony

-1x Camponotus Hyatti Colony

 


#3 Offline AntsBC - Posted August 3 2019 - 7:56 AM

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This is actually a Crematogaster species.


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#4 Offline Derpy - Posted August 3 2019 - 10:49 AM

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This is actually a Crematogaster species.


Oh yeah definitely crematogaster, I was too focused on the head.
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-1x Parasitic Formica Sp. Colony

-1x Pogonomymrex Californicus Colony

-1x Camponotus Hyatti Colony

 


#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 3 2019 - 11:54 AM

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Please use a ruler when measuring. Your measurements are WAY off. I say it's Crematogaster too, despite the 3.8 mm measurement.


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#6 Offline Maculata - Posted August 3 2019 - 12:10 PM

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Corrent - using the wrong scale... 3.8" or 9mm



#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 3 2019 - 12:13 PM

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Corrent - using the wrong scale... 3.8" or 9mm

 

That's much better.



#8 Offline Maculata - Posted August 23 2019 - 10:18 PM

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Added some picts of nanitics and better picts of the queen. 

The queen eats a fruit fly then feed the nanitics.

 

Any chance of a species name?

 

A60A0641 S NSI
A60A0673 S NSI
A60A0715 S NSI
A60A0721 S NSI


#9 Offline PacificNorthWestern - Posted August 23 2019 - 10:23 PM

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looks like Crematogastor, get a pic with the abdomen, are they heart shaped or pointed?



#10 Offline Maculata - Posted August 23 2019 - 11:09 PM

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A60A0793 S NSI
A60A0794 S NSI
A60A0647 S NSI
A60A0683 S NSI
A60A0641 S NSI

Added one more:

A60A0813 S NSI

Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 8:29 PM.


#11 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 24 2019 - 9:11 AM

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Def crematogaster, how do you take these? They're really good.



#12 Offline Martialis - Posted August 24 2019 - 10:12 AM

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Macro lens
Spoiler

#13 Offline Maculata - Posted August 24 2019 - 8:38 PM

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Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)

Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square

Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus

The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean.  Good that ants groom themselves.

Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube.  At that level, no test tube I have found

(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth.  Very annoying...    

 

A favorite:

Temnothorax sp.

[Standing on cotton.]
A60A9437 S NSI

Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 8:59 PM.

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#14 Offline rbarreto - Posted August 24 2019 - 11:41 PM

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Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...

A favorite:
Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

Edited by rbarreto, August 24 2019 - 11:42 PM.

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#15 Offline gcsnelling - Posted August 25 2019 - 4:08 AM

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Spines

 

 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...

A favorite:
Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

 

 

The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 

 

Try running it thru this key.

 

https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru


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#16 Offline rbarreto - Posted August 25 2019 - 3:23 PM

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Spines
 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...
A favorite:Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.
 
The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 
 
Try running it thru this key.
 
https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru

Ugh.. Can't ever trust antwiki lol

My journal featuring most of my ants.

My other journal featuring Formica Bradleyi.

Check our my store here!


#17 Offline Maculata - Posted August 28 2019 - 10:51 PM

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Crematogaster species

Added some pupae closeups

 

A60A0866 S NSI
A60A0874 S NSI
A60A0882 S NSI
A60A0887 S NSI

Edited by Maculata, August 28 2019 - 11:53 PM.


#18 Offline gcsnelling - Posted August 29 2019 - 2:01 AM

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Spines
 

 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...
A favorite:Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.
 
The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 
 
Try running it thru this key.
 
https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru

Ugh.. Can't ever trust antwiki lol

 

 

Not a matter of trusting antwike, but misinterpreting the features and trying to make identifications based on photos.


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#19 Offline Martialis - Posted August 29 2019 - 5:41 AM

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I went on to Antwiki and tried to key this one out. I'm not certain, but I'm 95% sure this is Crematogaster isolata or a close relative. This species is known to be arboreal, living in forests like the habitat you described in Southern Arizona. Their morphology matches, too.  Crematogaster lineolata is a less sure identification.


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#20 Offline Maculata - Posted August 30 2019 - 12:02 AM

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Thanks.  

 

In full production!

 

A60A0952 S NSI
A60A0948 S NSI
A60A0953 S NSI
 
Habitat
 
IMG 1953 NSI

 


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