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Photo

Split, Croatia, South Europe 1st SEP 2018

queen id

Best Answer Barristan , September 7 2018 - 2:44 AM

I would say that it is Lepisiota nigra. The queen looks very similar to the one shown in the last picture on that website: http://fourmis-grece...iota-nigra.html

 

Formica have quite a large scale-like petiole. But this ant doesn't.

 

EDIT: Removed misleading link...

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#1 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 3 2018 - 12:14 PM

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Hi all! Please help identify this queen, I have no idea where to start! I wasn't sure it was a queen at all, until I spotted the three ocelli on top of her head.

She does't look bulky, is she semi claustral?

Thanks everybody!!

 

1. Location of collection: Split, Croatia, Adriatic coast, on a rock not two feet away from the sea

2. Date of collection: 1st September 2018, around 4pm
3. Habitat of collection: Rocky coast with pine forest right next to the sea
4. Length : cca 6mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: deep dark brown, almost black. Notable silvery/velvety stripes on gaster. Some silvery marks/sheen on top of thorax.
6. Distinguishing characteristics : Gaster looks plated, pine-cone like in texture, with silvery,velvery stripes. The photos do not show this properly - what looks like a flash sheen on gaster is actually coloring!
7. Anything else distinctive: not very bulky, semi claustral perhaps?
8. Nest description : n/a. 
9 . Post the clearest pictures possible: 

 

IMG 8218
IMG 8220
IMG 8229
IMG 8230
IMG 8233
IMG 8234
IMG 8235
IMG 8236
IMG 8237
IMG 8240
IMG 8241
IMG 8242
IMG 8243

 



#2 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted September 3 2018 - 12:31 PM

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Wow, I'm stumped. I would say either lasius or formica. Try feeding her some honey or sugar water, her gaster size is what's concerning me the most.

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Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#3 Offline LearningAntz - Posted September 4 2018 - 9:41 AM

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I’m thinking Iridomyrmex cf. bicknelli, although I’m not all too familiar with ants outside of Canada.

EDIT: Really seems to be an Iridomyrmex sp. queen though, to me.

Edited by LearningAntz, September 4 2018 - 9:43 AM.


#4 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 4 2018 - 2:17 PM

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Hm. Iridomyrmex should not be present in Europe though...

#5 Offline GeorgeK - Posted September 4 2018 - 2:48 PM

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Have you looked at Messor sp.?



#6 Offline LearningAntz - Posted September 4 2018 - 3:07 PM

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Hm. Iridomyrmex should not be present in Europe though...


I apologize. Don’t know much outside of Canada. I’d wait for someone more experienced in that area.

#7 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 4 2018 - 11:13 PM

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Have you looked at Messor sp.?

 

Messors have a petiole and post-petiole, so it shouldn't be a Messor sp. 

I love Messors btw :) 



#8 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 4 2018 - 11:18 PM

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The farthest I got, is to believe it is a Formica sp. The coloring even coincides with that of Formica fusca, but the queen size is way off.

F. fusca queen size should be in the range of 10-12mm, and this one half that...



#9 Offline Nare - Posted September 5 2018 - 8:58 AM

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Like the others, I'm thinking maybe Lasius or Formica of some sort. Have you considered perhaps if she's parasitic? I say this only because of her odd proportions. I'm sure there are lots of strange looking parasitic queens. She's got a nice pair of chompers too, which could be indicative of social parasitism.



#10 Offline rbarreto - Posted September 5 2018 - 9:35 AM

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Lepisiota sp.? I can't see that being Formica or Lasius.
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#11 Offline LearningAntz - Posted September 5 2018 - 9:41 AM

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I can't see that being Formica or Lasius.

I was thinking that as well.

#12 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 6 2018 - 5:31 AM

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Lepisiota sp.? I can't see that being Formica or Lasius.

 

Can you elaborate please (both on why not Formica, and why Lepisiota)?

I dismissed Lepisiota sp. as, per AntWiki, there are only L. frauenfeldi and L. nigra in Croatia. Both of which have strong thorax thorns and "fin shaped" thorax posterior. 

This specimen does not posses these features.

She does resemble Lepisiota capensis minuta, but then she is long way from home... https://www.antstore...iota_minuta.jpg


Edited by skocko76, September 6 2018 - 5:32 AM.


#13 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted September 6 2018 - 7:20 AM

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Lepisiota sp.? I can't see that being Formica or Lasius.

 

Can you elaborate please (both on why not Formica, and why Lepisiota)?

I dismissed Lepisiota sp. as, per AntWiki, there are only L. frauenfeldi and L. nigra in Croatia. Both of which have strong thorax thorns and "fin shaped" thorax posterior. 

This specimen does not posses these features.

She does resemble Lepisiota capensis minuta, but then she is long way from home... https://www.antstore...iota_minuta.jpg

 

I guess we'll have to wait for workers.



#14 Offline Barristan - Posted September 7 2018 - 2:44 AM   Best Answer

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I would say that it is Lepisiota nigra. The queen looks very similar to the one shown in the last picture on that website: http://fourmis-grece...iota-nigra.html

 

Formica have quite a large scale-like petiole. But this ant doesn't.

 

EDIT: Removed misleading link...


Edited by Barristan, September 7 2018 - 4:03 AM.

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#15 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 7 2018 - 3:12 AM

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I would say that it is Lepisiota nigra. The queen looks very similar to the one shown in the last picture on that website: http://fourmis-grece...iota-nigra.html

 

Formica have quite a large scale-like petiole. But this ant doesn't.

 

This website is also quite good to ID European queens. but I don't know what it means by "écaille basse". But you can see the huge scale-like petiole in the above picture and compare it to the one below. However also Lasius don't have such a huge scale but Lasius' eyes are quite small in comparison to the rest of the head and this ants has huge eyes.

It does indeed look like the one in the picture! I think you're spot on!

But why does the queen differ so much from images on AntWeb? 

https://www.antweb.o...tryName=Croatia

Notice the three ocelli, those should be queens, not workers. And they have prominent thorns. Which the queen in the picture (and mine) don't.

Confused.


Edited by skocko76, September 7 2018 - 3:13 AM.


#16 Offline Barristan - Posted September 7 2018 - 3:58 AM

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I would say that it is Lepisiota nigra. The queen looks very similar to the one shown in the last picture on that website: http://fourmis-grece...iota-nigra.html

 

Formica have quite a large scale-like petiole. But this ant doesn't.

 

This website is also quite good to ID European queens. but I don't know what it means by "écaille basse". But you can see the huge scale-like petiole in the above picture and compare it to the one below. However also Lasius don't have such a huge scale but Lasius' eyes are quite small in comparison to the rest of the head and this ants has huge eyes.

It does indeed look like the one in the picture! I think you're spot on!

But why does the queen differ so much from images on AntWeb? 

https://www.antweb.o...tryName=Croatia

Notice the three ocelli, those should be queens, not workers. And they have prominent thorns. Which the queen in the picture (and mine) don't.

Confused.

 

 Workers of some ant species also have ocelli. antweb only has pictures of workers.



#17 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 7 2018 - 4:34 AM

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Thanks for the info!

And yep! It is Lepisiota nigra!

Check out the pictures in the blog I found:  http://www.myrmecofo...pic.php?t=24670

Thanks everyone!


Edited by skocko76, September 7 2018 - 4:41 AM.

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