17 replies to this topic

[AntGuySA]

1. Location of collection: back yard walking up the wall Durban South Africa
2. Date of collection: 15/01/15
3. Habitat of collection: sandy muddy and lots of ground cover
4. Length (from head to gaster):12 - 15mm she has had her gaster curled since I caught her 
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: black and brown pattern design with black dot on top of thorax just above the head looks very wet 
6. Distinguishing characteristics: has 2 small spikes protruding from lower back of thorax and has a double petiole
7. Anything else distinctive: 
8. Nest description: 

 

 

found here walking up the wall

 

 

 

sorry again for quality my camera is old but I hope its good enough, thanks again for all help in advanced.

 

Regards, AntGuySA

 

 

[Gregory2455]

That is an awesome looking queen! I would think it is Aphaenogaster. One like what mathiacus caught.

[AntGuySA]

Hi Gregory2455

 

thanks she is beautiful I was so lucky when I found her and many thanks for the Id I just google`d it (I think its Aphaenogaster iberica )man you guys here are awesome really amazed how you can Id these beauties so fast with so many to species and sub species, thank you again now I can start finding out more information about them, will be hunting for more but with winter coming the hunt will slow down, thanks for reading.

 

( I am going to say solved not solved sorry)

 

Regards, AntGuySA

Edited by AntGuySA, February 25 2015 - 11:34 PM.

[Gregory2455]

Well, with this one I first looked at the two nodes. Nodes (also called petiole and post-petiole I think) are the segments between the thorax and the gaster (abdomen). If the ant has two nodes, as this one does, it is in the subfamily Myrmicinae. After that I looked at the spines, which narrowed it down to fewer genera within Myrmicinae. After that, I cannot really explain, it kind of just looks like Aphaenogaster. I would not mark this one as solved yet, and wait for an answer from a more experienced user such as James C. Trager. By the way, it cannot be Aphaenogaster iberica, as those are only found in Southern Europe and Northern Africa. The fastest way (in my experience) to more quickly learn the family tree of ants is just going through this website: http://www.antweb.org/ .

Edited by Gregory2455, February 25 2015 - 3:35 PM.

[dspdrew]

http://www.antweb.or...nts&images=true

 

This would be the closest region to where you are located.

[Alza]

that queen looks rough 

[Gregory2455]

http://www.antweb.or...nts&images=true

 

This would be the closest region to where you are located.

And there is an Aphaenogaster sp. there!

[AntGuySA]

Hi everyone

 

Yes she is rough Alza when I caught her I was not looking for a queen just cleaning out my small cactus garden and she ran up the wall, lucky I had a smoke box at hand I pulled off the plastic and scooped her off the wall, when I brought her inside and went to wash my hands and find a container for her, when I came back into my room I heard this clicking sound she was trying to bite through the plastic so yeah I think she can bite really sore, the funny thing is that I was wishing for a big ant as I had already caught 5 small queens at the time, I had seen big black ants walking about my garden but not many I think cause of all the small ants that have taken over, which I now know is Pheidole, I will wait for further help on the Id`ing of the queen, I am rather new to all this so I need all the help I can get, thanks dspdrew I had looked through that site before but had no clue as what I was looking for, but I did notice the lack of information regarding ants of South Africa in general, and even less of ants in my region called Durban if I google I mainly get pest controls which give some info but not what I am looking for and they don`t even list all the species, I guess cause all that want to do is eradicate them not study them, sorry got a bit side tracked, yes Gregory2455 they are there but no pictures  I will wait for more conformations, thanks again for everyones help and help I still need.

 

Regards, AntGuySA

Edited by AntGuySA, February 25 2015 - 11:35 PM.

[Jonathan21700]

I think this queen is a Myrmicaria sp. Awesome genus ! Good luck!

Edited by Jonathan21700, February 26 2015 - 11:01 AM.

[James C. Trager]

I can see why people might think this is an Aphaenogaster, but the genus does not occur in southern Africa. (See map here http://www.antwiki.o...i/Aphaenogaster.)
A. iberica, by the way, only occurs in Iberia (Spain, Portugal), as its name implies. 

So ... Jonathan scores! This is indeed a Myrmicaria species. Note from the googled images that the posture of the gaster is quite typical of species for this genus. 
https://www.google.c...Ff%3DM;1024;752

Edited by James C. Trager, February 26 2015 - 6:03 AM.

[Ra3MaN]

Myrmicaria! I have one too, I am in Pretoria so there are lots here. I have the black variety, but it has exactly the same features. 

Edited by Marvin, February 26 2015 - 6:12 AM.

[Jonathan21700]

Yes, the gaster  looks exactly like Myrmicaria. Maybe this queen is a M. brunnea the coloration looks similar.

Edited by Jonathan21700, February 26 2015 - 10:59 AM.

[Ants4fun]

That's a very good guess, however, M brunnea are found more in the India region, Correct? 

Edited by Ants4fun, February 26 2015 - 11:23 AM.

[Miles]

Very cool! Please keep us updated on how she does.

[AntGuySA]

Hi everyone

 

I have being using my google`fu and found this http://antsofafrica...._natalensis.htm the colours on the top dead ant are identical, so I hope I am right by saying she is a 

Myrmicaria natalensis by (F. Smith) 

I am not 100% sure but with other myrmicaria the shape is the same but not colour pattern, I`ll wait for a more experinced member to confirm, thanks for reading and I will be making a journal post of this queen as soon as I put together a formicarium for her.

 

Regards, AntGuySA

 

[Jonathan21700]

Yes, this species is more from your region than M. brunnea.

Edited by Jonathan21700, February 27 2015 - 2:14 PM.

[AntGuySA]

Hi Jonathan21700

 

So may I say solved? I would like to start my journal with her, thanks for the help and reading.

 

Regards, AntGuySA

[Jonathan21700]

Yes, you should mark it as solved.