17 replies to this topic

[kellakk]

I found some alate queens crawling around on a juniper tree at 11 PM in Sonora, TX.  I collected them in the hope that they were fertile, but it seems unlikely since they were collected with workers nearby and they have not removed their wings.  I would still like to identify them, though.  They're clearly Myrmentoma due to that clypeal notch, but I'm not certain which species they are.  I get Camponotus hyatti when running through the key to Camponotus of the southwest, but I'm not confident with this key.  Please help!

 

 

 

[Hunter]

hard to tell but i think it could be Camponotus sayi, as my best guess

[Spamdy]

Camponotus cf. discolor

Edited by Spamdy, February 21 2018 - 3:26 PM.

[Hunter]

Camponotus cf. discolor

i thought there gaster was not shinier like Camponotus sayi

[Spamdy]

 

Camponotus cf. discolor

i thought there gaster was not shinier like Camponotus sayi

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the shininess of the gaster will vary depending on the lighting used when the photo was taken. 

[Hunter]

 

 

Camponotus cf. discolor

i thought there gaster was not shinier like Camponotus sayi

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the shininess of the gaster will vary depending on the lighting used when the photo was taken. 

 

I'm from maine so you are most likely right

[kellakk]

It looks sort of look C. sayi, but it seems to be shiny on the mandibles. That was my other option, and more likely since C. hyatti is supposed to be more of a western species.  C. discolor seems to have a lot of hairs on the malar area, which my specimen doesn't have.

[gcsnelling]

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

[Hunter]

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

you murderer

[Hunter]

I found some alate queens crawling around on a juniper tree at 11 PM in Sonora, TX.  I collected them in the hope that they were fertile, but it seems unlikely since they were collected with workers nearby and they have not removed their wings.  I would still like to identify them, though.  They're clearly Myrmentoma due to that clypeal notch, but I'm not certain which species they are.  I get Camponotus hyatti when running through the key to Camponotus of the southwest, but I'm not confident with this key.  Please help!

 

what do you use for the camera

[kellakk]

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

 

  Don't worry, I only pinned one really quickly. The others will be properly mounted.

 

 

Hunter, I used my smartphone to take pictures through a microscope.

Edited by kellakk, February 21 2018 - 3:34 PM.

[Hunter]

 

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

 

  Don't worry, I only pinned one really quickly. The others will be properly mounted.

 

 

Hunter, I used my smartphone to take pictures through a microscope.

 

cool

[gcsnelling]

 

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

 

  Don't worry, I only pinned one really quickly. The others will be properly mounted.

 

 

Hunter, I used my smartphone to take pictures through a microscope.

 

I should hope so lest you be banned forever.

[kellakk]

 

 

YOU PINNED THEM???????? ARGHHHH

 

  Don't worry, I only pinned one really quickly. The others will be properly mounted.

 

 

Hunter, I used my smartphone to take pictures through a microscope.

 

I should hope so lest you be banned forever.

 

 

Are these adequate pictures, or should I try to get better ones? Specifically which characters should be in focus?

[Jadeninja9]

I'll try and get a closeup picture with my phone macro of my C. hyatti queen so you can compare them.

[Jadeninja9]

I have bad lighting at night so the pictures aren't great. 

Hopefully this helps.

Edited by Jadeninja9, February 22 2018 - 12:48 AM.

[kellakk]

Thanks for the pictures, your colony looks like it's doing well!  They don't show the characters I would need for ID, though.  The key talks about the shininess of the mandibles, the number of hairs in the malar area, etc.

[Jadeninja9]

Thanks for the pictures, your colony looks like it's doing well!  They don't show the characters I would need for ID, though.  The key talks about the shininess of the mandibles, the number of hairs in the malar area, etc.

Sorry I tried lol