17 replies to this topic

[Skirmitch]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Chile, fifth region, 1000-1200 m asl
2. Date of collection: November 11th
3. Habitat of collection: sclerophyll bush, very close (100 meters) from a stream and sclerophyll forest. Hill, a clear area, packed soil very hard. Around I found some Dorymyrmex sp, and a group of Camponotus morosus. 28 degrees celcius, 1200 m asl, 19:00, 5th region, some kms away from Los Andes city
4. Length (from head to gaster): 10-13mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: as seen in the pics
6. Distinguishing characteristics: nothing that is not seen on the pics
7. Distinguishing behavior: not really
8. Nest description: N/A

9. Nuptial flight time and date: found her still with her wings so the flight had been the same day

[Images of ant]
 Here there are many images
https://imgur.com/a/NsoA5

 

  So this is about a queen I found and what I want to know is what genus it is and what gives it away to learn to identify them. If its the subfamily what you can identify its good as well as long as you can give me a "why"

Edited by Skirmitch, December 4 2017 - 9:58 PM.

[Skirmitch]

 K, just studied the post "name that ant" and thanks to that now I'm 100% positive this is a Dolycoderinae. Now how to narrow the genus without using keys (I mean keys where u need a microscope). I will try to check the different genre that makes up this subfamily 

 

 Edit: Followed the keys at http://www.antwiki.o..._Dolichoderinae and ended up in Linepithema. I know this is for the USA but its the closest thing I have. Sadly the only species there that I know of is the Argentine ant and the other one we supposedly have in Chile is L oblongum for which I don't know the size. Please correct me if my deductions are wrong

Edited by Skirmitch, December 4 2017 - 8:17 PM.

[AnthonyP163]

I don't mean to burst your bubble but we can't ID without location. Just tell us your country or state,  there's so many ants. Where would we even start?

[Skirmitch]

But it says " 5th region, some kms away from Los Andes city " that's Chile sorry, I forgot the country

[Martialis]

Are you sure on those measurements? 100-130 mm is quite large.

[Skirmitch]

One of the pictures has a ruler on it. It's awfuly located but you can get a general idea. Yes, its stupidly huge, way bigger than a Camponotus morosus worker and that's why I'm so confused about the species. Dolycoderinae in Chile arent supposed to be that big

 

Edit: Whoops, I added an extra 0 in there hehehehe, fixed

Edited by Skirmitch, December 4 2017 - 9:54 PM.

[Hunter]

all that comes to mind is

Nylanderia but it has no hairs

[Skirmitch]

 

all that comes to mind is

Nylanderia but it has no hairs

 

Thanks for the input. Could you tell me what made you go towards Formicinae? This post for me is not only to know the genus, I would like to know what led you to think that if it's possible.

[Hunter]

 

 

all that comes to mind is

Nylanderia but it has no hairs

 

Thanks for the input. Could you tell me what made you go towards Formicinae? This post for me is not only to know the genus, I would like to know what led you to think that if it's possible.

 

i looked at color,eyes,hair,neck size,and legs and Nylanderia matched most

[Hunter]

 

 

 

all that comes to mind is

Nylanderia but it has no hairs

 

Thanks for the input. Could you tell me what made you go towards Formicinae? This post for me is not only to know the genus, I would like to know what led you to think that if it's possible.

 

i looked at color,eyes,hair,neck size,and legs and Nylanderia matched most

 

thought it was bracomermex but size and neck don't work

[Skirmitch]

 

 

 

 

all that comes to mind is

Nylanderia but it has no hairs

 

Thanks for the input. Could you tell me what made you go towards Formicinae? This post for me is not only to know the genus, I would like to know what led you to think that if it's possible.

 

i looked at color,eyes,hair,neck size,and legs and Nylanderia matched most

 

thought it was bracomermex but size and neck don't work

 

 

 

 Awesome inputs thnks a LOT, I never thought of looking at the neck. I will try to measure in a better way soon but it is not shorter than 8mm and no longer than 13mm for sure. I think the most accurate measure is 10mm

[Batspiderfish]

Most resembles Dorymyrmex to me, although perhaps a little larger than I'm used to. Without more detailed photographs, it would probably be easiest to wait for workers, which have a tell-tale "cone" on their propodeum.

Edited by Batspiderfish, December 5 2017 - 12:16 PM.

[Skirmitch]

Ok what an expert in Chile said was exactly that. He even said D. chilensis but the sizes don't match at all. Also, I discarded it because of the lack of spine in the propodeum but, as u say, the Queen doesn't have one? That's the only reason I discarded Dorymyrmex, because of the propodeum's shape and lack of spine

[Batspiderfish]

It's only the workers that have the cone.

[Skirmitch]

Oooooh let's wait then. And one question: can u Google up D. chilensis, take a look at the size and then tell me, given the size difference, if this could be a variety or not because of the size?

[Batspiderfish]

I would not identify to the species unless I were able to use a key.

[Skirmitch]

Ok, thnks a lot, will wait for the workers

[Skirmitch]

UPDATE: Checking the queen under 60x zoom, I can see she has some hairs under the "chin" that start far behind, almost at the middle of the head (middle from forward to backward) and they point forward. I can't describe them better and I know they have a name and that only some species have them but can't find the name anywhere. I don't know if this information adds up or not to what we already have.